Blake Dean just might be back for the LSU baseball team — and in a big way.
The LSU junior designated hitter went 3-for-4 against Alabama on Sunday with five RBI, propelling the No. 2 Tigers to a 12-7 game three win in Tuscaloosa, Ala., for a series win.
Dean entered the series with only two home runs but leaves Tuscaloosa with two dingers and 10 RBI in the three-game series against the Crimson Tide (22-12, 7-8).
The Crestview, Fla., native now has 30 RBI on the season, tied with freshman third baseman Tyler Hanover and sophomore center fielder Leon Landry for third on the team this season.
LSU (26-9, 10-5) is now a half game behind Arkansas for the Southeastern Conference Western Division lead and a full game behind Georgia for the overall lead after winning its ninth straight SEC series.
“Alabama can really swing the bats, but we showed today that we can have a productive offense as well,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri in a news release. “We knew entering the weekend that this could be our biggest challenge of the season, and I’m extremely pleased with the way our players responded. We needed a big day at the plate, because no lead is safe against this Alabama team.”
HOWELL, TIDE ROLL PAST TIGERS IN GAME TWO
The Tigers’ struggles against left-handed pitchers this season continued Saturday as Alabama left-handed pitcher Del Howell pitched seven innings and struck out nine LSU hitters to spark a 13-5 Alabama win.
The Crimson Tide struck first in the bottom of the third inning on a solo home run by first baseman Wes Henerson.
That lead held up until the top of the fifth inning when the Tigers took a 2-1 lead on a two-run home run by junior outfielder Blake Dean.
But Alabama answered back again and scored two fifth inning and six sixth inning runs to take a 9-2 lead.
The Crimson Tide took advantage of poor control by LSU starter Austin Ross to help take the lead.
Ross walked four Alabama batters on Saturday. Prior to this starter, the Shreveport native had just four walks all season.
LSU RALLIES FOR 8-5 GAME ONE WIN
Things did not look good for LSU in the opening game of its road series against Alabama on Friday night.
The Tigers trailed 5-2 going to the eighth inning after junior reliever Paul Bertuccini was unable to cool a four-run Alabama rally in the bottom of the seventh inning.
But just when it appeared LSU was heading toward a series-opening loss, the Tigers fought back and rattled off two eighth-inning and four ninth-inning runs capped by a game-winning two RBI double by junior outfielder Jared Mitchell to secure an 8-5 win.
The Tigers struck first in the third inning on a sacrifice fly by freshman third baseman Tyler Hanover to take a 1-0 lead.
Hanover’s sacrifice fly scored fellow freshman right fielder Mikie Mahtook who led off the inning with a single before advancing to third base on a throwing error by Crimson Tide catcher Vin Difazio.
The Tide had a scoring opportunity in the fifth inning when freshman outfielder Taylor Dugas hit a base hit to right field with a Crimson Tide runner on second base.
But senior catcher Vin Difazio was thrown out at home plate on the play by Mahtook to preserve the shutout for another inning for the Tigers.
Junior second baseman Ryan Schimpf pushed LSU’s lead to two runs in the top of the sixth inning and hit a solo home run.
LSU might have won Friday’s game, but Manieri announced prior to Friday’s first pitch that freshman pitcher Randy Ziegler will miss the remainder of the season with a torn ligament in his pitching elbow.
Mainieri said Ziegler is expected to undergo Tommy John surgery, a surgery that usually yields a nine to 12 month recovery time for pitchers.
In the procedure, doctors will remove the torn ligament and replace it with a tendon in another portion of the body, usually in a player’s knee or foot.
 
———Contact Casey Gisclair at [email protected]