2024-03-17 02:37:30
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Second-ranked LSU erupted for nine runs in the first three innings Saturday, and the Tigers held off a Mississippi State rally to post a 9-8 win over the Bulldogs at Dudy Noble Field.
LSU improved to 17-3 overall, 1-1 in the SEC, and Mississippi State dropped to 14-6 overall, 1-1 in conference play.
The teams play in the series finale at 1 p.m. CT Sunday in a game that will be broadcast on the LSU Sports Radio Network and streamed on SEC Network +.
Home runs by third baseman Tommy White, first baseman Jared Jones, centerfielder Mac Bingham and designated hitter Hayden Travinski in the first three innings staked LSU to a 9-1 lead.
White reached base four times in the game, going 2-for-4 at the plate with a homer, three RBI and two walks.
Left-hander Griffin Herring (1-0), the third of seven LSU pitchers, was credited with the win as he worked 2.1 innings and limited the Bulldogs to one run on two hits with two walks and three strikeouts.
Left-hander Nate Ackenhausen retired the side in order in the bottom of the ninth inning to earn his second save of the season.
“We had a great start to the game by our offense,” said LSU coach Jay Johnson. “We have talented players that are going through a lot of ‘firsts’ this year, and I’m really proud of them today. We executed what we wanted to do at the plate and kept putting pressure on their pitchers.
“We had a lot of pitchers rolling out there for the first time in an environment like this, and we bent but we didn’t break. There’s not going to be an easy game on our schedule for the rest of the season, and I think our players now understand that and were able to execute mentally in a game like today.”
Mississippi State starting pitcher Khal Stephen (2-2) was charged with the loss, as he surrendered five runs on five hits in 2.0 innings with one walk and one strikeout.
The Tigers bolted to a 3-0 lead in the first inning as White smashed a solo homer – his fourth of the year – and Jones launched a two-run dinger, his seventh of the season.
LSU extended the lead to 5-0 in the second inning when Bingham unloaded a two-run blast, his third homer of the year.
The Tigers added four runs in the third as Travinski belted a two-run homer and White lined a two-RBI single to give LSU a 9-1 advantage.
Mississippi State narrowed the gap to 9-4 in the fourth when designated hitter Bryce Chance produced a three-run homer, his second dinger of the season.
The Bulldogs scored two runs in the fifth as third baseman Logan Kohler delivered an RBI double and Chance lifted a sacrifice fly.
MSU reduced the deficit to 9-8 in the seventh when second baseman Amani Larry lined a run-scoring single and shortstop David Mershon lined an RBI double.
Larry was thrown out at home by LSU second baseman Steven Milam attempting to score on Mershon’s double, preserving the Tigers’ lead.
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