LSU rolls past Auburn for 14th straight victory

• By CARL DUBOIS
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: May 16, 2008 - Page: 1C - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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AUBURN, Ala.—The biggest goal within reach Thursday night eluded the LSU Tigers, but they achieved just about everything else on the list.

A 6-4 victory in the series opener against Auburn earned LSU a Southeastern Conference tournament berth, second place overall in the conference for at least a day and a magic number of one to wrap up the Western Division championship.

Oh, and LSU extended its winning streaks: 14 games overall, 10 games in the SEC and eight in gold jerseys.

LSU also eliminated Auburn from contention for an SEC tournament berth.

A rainout of the Alabama-Georgia game removed the possibility of Paul Mainieri’s Tigers clinching the divisional title Thursday. An LSU win in today’s 6 p.m. game vs. Auburn, or a Georgia victory over Alabama in either game of their doubleheader, would clinch best-in-the-West honors for LSU, which has a 16-11-1 league record.

Senior Michael Hollander was happy to hear Vanderbilt lost, enabling LSU to move into second place overall in the conference and strengthening its case to host a regional.

Hollander’s thoughts didn’t stop there.

“Maybe we can finish second and host a super regional if we win a regional,” Hollander said.

Then he chided himself for thinking that far ahead.

“We’ve got to play pitch by pitch and win every game one game at a time,” he said.

LSU (37-16-1) has been doing that for more than three weeks, and in all kinds of ways.

After ending UNO’s nation-leading 13-game winning streak after midnight Tuesday with a 7-6 victory in 15 innings in the Wally Pontiff Jr. Classic, LSU took its 13-game winning streak to Auburn.

The visiting Tigers arrived in the Auburn area around 7 a.m. Wednesday.