9:01 p.m. -- State gets two, Verdugo exits

LSU pitching coach Terry Rooney visited the mound with two outs in the fifth inning, after the Bulldogs scored a run to make it 12-5. Nick Hardy led off with a single, and merry Tyler Moore followed with another single to put runners on first and second.

After a Ryan Verdugo strikeout of Russ Sneed, Jason Nappi hit a ground ball to shortstop for a fielder's choice and RBI to score Hardy.

Rooney came to the mound at that point. Jet Butler's double to right-center scored Moore, making it 12-6 and prompting Paul Mainieri to replace Verdugo with right-hander Louis Coleman.

Verdugo, who has a final exam at 7:30 in the morning, gave up 11 hits and, so far, six runs. I would not be surprised if Mainieri told him to shower, go home and get a good night's rest for his test tomorrow.

9:04 update: Coleman got out of the inning by retiring the first batter he faced. Michael Hollander deftly played a short chopper in front of him, and that was that. It's 12-6 LSU heading to the bottom of the fifth.

If Coleman keeps the ball down in the strike zone, I think State will struggle against him for the rest of the night.