HOOVER, Ala. (AP) -- Louis Coleman pitched eight strong innings and Matty Ott worked out of a bases loaded ninth-inning jam to lead LSU to a 4-1 victory over South Carolina Friday night and keep the Tigers alive in the Southeastern Conference tournament.
The top-seeded Tigers (43-16), who won last year's tournament, have to beat Georgia twice Saturday to make it to the championship game.
Coleman, the SEC pitcher of the year, had six strikeouts and didn't walk anybody but gave up singles to Whit Merrifield and DeAngelo Mack to open the ninth. Reliever Chad Jones then walked Jackie Bradley to load the bases for cleanup batter Nick Ebert.
Ott came in and struck out Ebert, got Jeffery Jones to line out to second base and fanned Andrew Crisp to leave the potential tying run on first. It was his 14th save.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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