A beautiful, sunny day in Alex Box Stadium concluded the second weekend of the season as LSU defeated Stony Brook 18-10 on Sunday. The Tigers came into the game with revenge in sight, racking up runs early to jump onto a quick lead.
LSU suffered its first loss of the season to the Seawolves on Friday after only putting up two runs in the game. The lack of offensive production continued in the Tigers’ next game against Northern Illinois, where they scored just five runs on three hits.
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Today, LSU made a statement. The bats were hot for the purple and gold, as they started the game off with five runs in the first inning.
Michael Braswell III went 2-3 on the day at the plate, hitting a three-run RBI triple in the first inning. Braswell has struggled to match his plate performances from the fall, but a home run earlier this week and two hits today is moving Braswell in the right direction.
Ethan Frey started in right field for the Tigers, with no Josh Pearson or Jake Brown in the starting lineup. The sophomore tallied two separate RBI singles in the first two innings.
More RBI’s piled on for LSU, with two from infielder Steven Milam, three from Hayden Travinski, three from first baseman Jared Jones and four from third baseman Tommy White.
Jones noted his fourth home run of the season after sending a two-run homer into the left field stands in the third inning.
The Tigers continued to pile on the runs throughout the game, but Stony Brook kept fighting along the way.
Javen Coleman started on the mound for LSU, pitching four innings and allowing two runs with six strikeouts.
Things got rough for the Tigers once Coleman left the rubber. Micah Bucknam replaced him and then allowed four runs, including a three-run home run.
Christian Little replaced Bucknam shortly after, allowing another two runs after Frey lost a fly ball in the sun out in deep right field.
Fidel Ulloa made another impressive appearance, replacing Little in relief and recording two strikeouts in two innings to retain momentum for the Tigers.
Cam Johnson took the mound in the seventh inning, allowing two runs with two strikeouts.
Will Hellmers, DJ Primeaux and Aiden Moffett all pitched following Johnson, and Nic Bronzini closed out the game with the final strikeout in his season debut.
A little struggle out of the bullpen allowed Stony Brook to bring some runs in, but LSU’s offense impressed in its gunslinging win.
“There’s really quality and professional at-bat type hitting there,” head coach Jay Johnson said. “I don’t know how many innings we didn’t score in, but I don’t think it was many.”
LSU’s victory today moves them to 7-1 on the season, and they’ll face their first road test on Wednesday in Houston.
LSU takes on Rice before playing in the Astros Foundation Classic against Texas, UL-Lafayette and Texas State.
