The LSU baseball team went through a scoreless first inning.
Tigers senior catcher Kade Scivicque made sure the drought didn’t last any longer.
Scivicque hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the second inning, and No. 2 LSU (1-0) defeated visiting Kansas (0-1) in both teams’ season-opener, 4-1, Friday night in Alex Box Stadium.
LSU junior designated hitter Chris Chinea and junior outfielder Andrew Stevenson both hit singles to put two runners on base in the bottom of the second. Two batters later, Scivicque blasted a 2-2 slider into the left field bleachers, giving the Tigers an early 3-0 lead.
It was the first of four runs allowed by Jayhawks senior right-hander Drew Morovick (0-1), who gave up five hits in six innings of work. But Scivicque said Morovick was a tougher challenge than he had anticipated.

“[Morovick] was going to throw it at us and let us try to beat him,” Scivicque said. “He thought he could come at us. We made a couple good swings and put the ball in play.”
LSU’s batters went mostly silent after Scivicque’s home run, but the Tigers’ pitching staff held the Jayhawks to one run on four hits in 31 at-bats.
“The story of the game was our pitching, our defense and we had about four really clutch hits early in the game,” said LSU baseball coach Paul Mainieri. “Obviously, I think we can swing the bats better than we did overall.”
LSU picked up its final run in the third inning off Chinea’s second hit of the night. After junior outfielder Mark Laird safely stole second base, Chinea drove him in with a single up the middle, giving the Tigers a 4-0 lead after three.
However, LSU didn’t provide any more runs after the third, getting only two hits over its final five innings at the plate.
With the Tigers going cold at the plate, their pitchers took care of Kansas. In his first collegiate opening-day start, LSU sophomore left-handed pitcher Jared Poche’ (1-0) picked up the win after he threw six scoreless innings for the Tigers.

Poche — who went 9-3 as a freshman last season — said he wasn’t nervous about starting opening night for LSU, which won its ninth consecutive season-opener under Mainieri. He felt ready.
“I guess you could say I had some butterflies, but I’m not the nervous type,” Poche’ said. “I kind of took that energy and used it as adrenaline to just go out there and just pitch.”
Poche’ gave up a single to Kansas junior second baseman Colby Wright in the first inning, but the southpaw retired the next eight batters he faced. Poche’ finished with five strikeouts, surrendered two hits and walked one batter before being relieved after the sixth.
“Poche’ threw really well,” Scivicque said. “He’s an excellent pitcher. He throws all three pitches for strikes at any time, and he’s going to go out there and give us a chance to win.”
Poche’ got plenty of help in the field, including a pair of diving plays from LSU sophomore second baseman Kramer Robertson through the first two innings. Robertson’s two highlight plays didn’t surprise Poche’ — he’s seen them before.
“Kramer always make plays like that,” Poche’ said.
But Kansas made things interesting in the eighth inning.
After LSU sophomore right-hander Collin Strall retired the side in the top of the seventh, senior southpaw Zac Person gave up one hit and one run in the top of the eighth. Kansas sophomore outfielder Joven Afenir sent a double off Person to left center field, driving in freshman third baseman Matt McLaughlin.

But LSU freshman right-hander Jesse Stallings stepped to the mound in the ninth to finish off the Jayhawks. After giving up a leadoff double to Kansas sophomore catcher Michael Tinsley, Stallings struck out the last three batters of the night to pick up his first-career save.
“I was like, ‘Just get in there and throw strikes,’” Stallings said. “Just throw strikes, and coach is going to be happy. They might hit the ball a little bit, but just get in there and pound the zone.”
The Tigers and Jayhawks will continue their opening-weekend series at 2 p.m. Saturday in Alex Box Stadium. LSU freshman right-hander Alex Lange will get the starting nod against Kansas junior southpaw Ben Krauth.