BATON ROUGE, La. – Top-ranked LSU’s six runs in the first two innings and seven scoreless innings from the defense was enough to propel the Tigers to a 9-2 victory over Lamar Wednesday inside Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field.
LSU’s record improved to 12-1 with the Tigers’ seventh straight win, while the Cardinals dropped to 10-3 on the season.
The Tigers return to action for a three-game series with Samford starting Friday. The first game is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. CT first pitch and can be viewed on SEC Network+. The matchup can also be heard on the LSU Sports Radio Network affiliates.
“It was a really complete win,” said LSU coach Jay Johnson. “It started on the mound, (LSU starting pitcher) Christian Little did a great job, along with Will Hellmers and Garrett Edwards in relief. We knew Lamar would put the ball in play a lot, and I thought we were outstanding on defense. (Third baseman) Ben Nippolt and (shortstop) Jordan Thompson were a big story in this game in how well they defended the left side of the infield.
“Offensively, I thought we had a great set of quality at-bats. We walked eight times, we were hit with a few pitches, and we really cashed in on those with runners in scoring position. I’m really pleased with the performance all the way around.”
Little (2-0) picked up the win in his first start of the season. He fired 56 pitches in 4.0 innings pitched and punched out three Cardinals during his outing. Edwards earned the save, his first of the year, as he tossed 3.2 scoreless innings, allowing two hits with two strikeouts.
Lamar starter Quinn Waterhouse (1-1) was charged with the loss after throwing 1.1 innings and allowing three runs on two hits with four free passes.
LSU opened the scoring in the bottom of the first with an RBI double to right field off the bat of designated hitter Tommy White. Before driving in the first run of the ballgame, LSU centerfielder Dylan Crews walked and scored from first base.
With White on second base, the Tigers drew two straight walks from first baseman Cade Beloso and shortstop Jordan Thompson. Catcher Brady Neal increased the LSU lead to 2-0 with a soft liner and bases-loaded infield single that Lamar second baseman Kirkland Banks couldn’t handle.
Waterhouse escaped the jam with a strikeout to end the inning.
White posted a 2-for-4 line, picking up four RBI with a double and a dinger, and one HBP.
In the bottom of the second, LSU got two free baserunners with a walk from Crews and a hit-by-pitch from left-fielder Tre’ Morgan. White came to the plate and smoked his third home run of the season on the first pitch of the at-bat. The margin was 6-0 after two innings.
After both teams went scoreless in the third, Lamar responded with a solo dinger to close the gap to 6-1. The Cardinals scratched another run across in the sixth following a single, an LSU error and an RBI knock to left field.
Right fielder Paxton Kling got the Tigers back in the run column and launched a solo shot to left field – his second of the season – to extend the lead to 7-2 in the bottom of the seventh. LSU added two more to account for the final margin.
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