LSU pitcher Todd Peterson was a great high school home run hitter, at least that’s what he told LSU coach Todd Peterson in order to get some key at-bats.
After pitching five innings of relief in an elimination game in the SEC tournament, Peterson was told to keep it easy at the plate. Instead, he delivered with the hit jazzing up his Tigers teammates.
Imagine it's your first at-bat for @LSUbaseball, and you hit a two-run double… in the TWELFTH inning!
Take a bow, Todd Peterson.
(📹: @SECNetwork)pic.twitter.com/KDMSo5CY8x
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) May 25, 2018
Peterson delivered the clutch two-run double in the top of the 12th inning with the Tigers up 4-3, surprisingly extending the lead by two more runs.
After the game, Peterson admitted he lied to coach Paul Mainieri about being a good hitter in high school. In fact, he hadn’t hit in a real game since 8th grade. Mainieri’s reaction to the reveal is amazing.
This is FANTASTIC. Before his big double in his first career AB tonight, LSU pitcher Todd Peterson had Paul Mainieri sold he could hit. Turns out, and to the surprise of Mainieri, he didn't even get an at-bat in HS (video assist: @WAFB9Sports): pic.twitter.com/QS4WevFJoN
— Casey Viera (@Casey_Viera) May 25, 2018
When you want to hit, you want to hit. Thankfully, Peterson delivered. Otherwise, it would have been incredibly awkward if he struck out after promising he was a good hitter.
