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 win in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
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.”
Dean wasn’t the only Tiger to explode at the plate Sunday. LSU racked up a season-high 19 hits, including seven combined from the middle infield of junior second baseman Ryan Schimpf and sophomore shortstop DJ LeMahieu.
Schimpf also added a home run in the top of the first inning.
Most of LSU’s offense came in the fifth through eighth innings. The Tigers scored nine runs in those frames, including four in the eighth.
LSU led, 12-4, going into the bottom of the ninth inning, but Alabama didn’t go down quietly.
The Crimson Tide worked three solo home runs off LSU freshman relief pitcher Matty Ott in the bottom of the ninth inning. Sophomore Daniel Bradshaw relieved Ott after the third homer and retired the final two batters for the win.
Senior pitcher Louis Coleman (8-1) got the win for the Tigers in six innings of work. Ott, usually the Tigers’ ninth-inning closer, took over for Coleman in the bottom of the seventh inning.
 
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