BATON ROUGE, La. – LSU right-hander Paul Skenes tossed a seven-inning complete game and struck out 13 hitters to lead the second-ranked Tigers to a 12-1 Friday night victory over Mississippi State inside Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field.
With the win, LSU’s record improved to 39-10 on the season and 17-7 in the conference, while the Bulldogs dropped to 24-24 on the year and 6-19 in SEC action.
The second game of the LSU-Mississippi State series is scheduled for a 6 p.m. CT first pitch on Saturday. The contest will be streamed on SEC Network +, and it can be heard on the LSU Sports Radio Network.
Skenes (10-1) picked up his 10th win of the season after firing 7.0 complete innings. Due to the SEC’s 10-run rule, he was credited with a complete game while allowing one run on three hits with one walk and 13 strikeouts.
“You can’t take it for granted, but it’s amazing to watch Paul do what he does and execute the way that he does every time he goes out there,” said LSU coach Jay Johnson.
The Tigers’ third baseman Tommy White induced the run rule after launching his 18th homer of the season – this time of the two-run variety. On the night, White drove in three runs to eclipse 80 RBI on the season. He jumped into the program’s RBI top-10 list with his performance and has driven in 82 runs this season.
LSU second baseman Gavin Dugas got the Tigers on the board in the bottom of the first inning with his 13th home run of the season. Dugas smashed one over the left-field wall to give LSU a 1-0 lead heading into the second.
The homer began a stellar evening for Dugas, who was 4-for-4 with the homer, a triple, a hit-by-pitch, two singles and four runs scored.
“Gavin was great tonight,” Johnson said. “I thought in our last game on Tuesday he was starting to get his body back underneath him; he’s played through some pain and some injuries. The bat speed looks like it’s there, he’s seeing the ball great, and he had a great night tonight.”
In the bottom of the second, the Tigers added to their total on the strength of two more home runs and a sacrifice fly. First baseman Jared Jones began the frame with a walk and right fielderBrayden Jobert drove him in with his seventh dinger of the season.
Shortstop Jordan Thompson immediately followed Jobert with a solo shot to the left-field bleachers, making the score 5-0.
Bulldog starter Evan Siary (1-2) was charged with the loss after allowing five runs on five hits in 2.0 innings and being lifted for left-handed reliever Brock Tapper.
After three scoreless innings, Mississippi State’s catcher Ross Highfill hit a ball over the left field wall to give the Bulldogs’ their only run of the game. LSU responded in the bottom half with three runs in a rally that began with three consecutive singles from catcher Alex Milazzo, Dugas, and leftfielder Tre’ Morgan.
Centerfielder Dylan Crews coaxed a walk to bring in the first run. White followed with an RBI single and designated hitter Cade Beloso drove in the third run of the inning with a sacrifice fly.
LSU closed out the game in the bottom of the seventh, striking for four runs. Milazzo and Dugas each reached on a single and advanced a base on a wild pitch. Morgan hit a chopper up the middle for a two-RBI single.
“I’m so proud of Tre’,” Johnson said. “I think it’s abnormal for a college player be so deep into his career and still be on an upswing and improving. These last few games, he’s playing about as well as he ever has. That’s a big lift for our team, and he’s leaving it all out on the field. He’s a winner in every sense of the word.”
With a 10-1 score and a runner on, White smashed a homer into the left-field bleachers to end the contest, marking the Tigers’ 14th run-rule victory this season.
