DeLand, Fla. - LSU avoided a late-inning scare and a sweep from the Hatters with an 8-4 victory Sunday afternoon at Melching Field.  The Tigers scored seven runs in the first four innings and held off the Hatters to salvage a win in the three-game series.  Stetson (5-2) took the first two games by a combined score of 22-2. 

Trailing 8-3 in the bottom of the ninth, Stetson's Braedyn Pruitt followed hits from Shane Jordan and Casey Frawley with an RBI single.  A one-out walk to Justin Bass brought the tying run to the plate before Nolan Cain notched the final two outs for his first save.

Sean Ochinko's sacrifice fly in the first inning put the Tigers (4-2) ahead early.  In a three-run second inning, Steven Waguespack scored on a wild pitch, Jared Mitchell singled in a run, and J.T. Wise walked with the bases loaded.  That chased Stetson starter Chris Ingoglia (1-1) after only 1 2/3 innings. 

Ochinko drove in his second run of the day with a single in the fourth.  One out later Wise doubled to left to drive in one run and another scored when the ball was misplayed for an error. In the fifth, Ochinko added another RBI with a ground out. 

Ochinko finished with three RBI.  Mitchell and Blake Dean each tallied three hits. 

Those efforts helped put the Tigers on top 8-0 after five, which was plenty for starting pitcher Jared Bradford (1-0).  The right-hander went six innings, allowing two runs on five hits.  He struck out five and walked one.  .  

Stetson broke up the shutout in the sixth.  Shane Jordan led off with a hustle double and later scored on Brian Pruitt's ground ball to third.  Justin Bass followed with a base hit to right, bringing the Hatters within 8-2. 

Jordan reached on a walk in the seventh and scored for the second time when Braedyn Pruitt laced a double to left-center. 

For Stetson Casey Frawley registered a hit for the sixth straight game.  The freshman infielder leads the Hatters with a .462 batting average (12-26)

The Hatters remain at home this week beginning with a Tuesday match-up against South Florida at 7:00 p.m. at Melching Field at Conrad Park.