Hoover, Ala. — Top-seeded Vanderbilt got the scoring going early against LSU, knocking the Tigers out of the SEC Baseball Tournament Saturday evening 13-4. The Commodores’ bats started doing damage in the second inning, as Vandy jumped-out to the 3- nothing lead. They added two more in the third, 2 more in the 4th and blew it open in the 6th with 6 more runs. The Tigers nearly got run-ruled, down 13-1 heading into the bottom of the 6th, but LSU was able to score 3 runs in their half of the inning to keep the game alive.
LSU starter Devin Fontenot only lasted 2 innings, giving-up 3 runs on 4 hits and striking-out 2. The Tigers were into their bullpen and onto their third pitcher by the third inning. Meanwhile, Vanderbilt got a much better outing from their starter, Kumar Rocker, who gave-up just one run on 5 hits in 5 innings of work.
Offensively, Antoine Duplantis and Saul Garza led the Tigers at the plate with two hits apiece. Duplantis was the only LSU player with an extra base hit, with a double and a triple in the game. The nation’s leader in home runs, Vanderbilt’s JJ Bleday, added one more Saturday as part of a 2-5 day at the plate for him. Ty Duvall led Vandy with a 3-4 day, 4 RBI and 2 runs scored. He was one of 5 Vanderbilt players with multiple hits. The Commodores finished with 13 hits and had 3 home runs in the game.
LSU (37-24) now awaits regional site announcements on Sunday and the full NCAA field announcement on Monday.
Vanderbilt (48-10), who has now won 8-straight games and 21 of their last 22, advances to the SEC Tournament Championship game on Sunday, where they will face 7th-seeded Ole Miss at 2:00 p.m. (CT).