The LSU baseball team (22-14, 4-11 Southeastern Conference) hosted UL-Monroe in Alex Box Stadium on Tuesday night. After dropping two straight games to South Carolina, the Tigers took down the Warhawks 5-0.
LSU remained undefeated in midweek games this season.
LSU struck first in the bottom of the third inning. Tre’ Morgan doubled to right center and advanced to third on a groundout to shortstop. Cade Doughty drove Morgan in on a base hit to right field to take a 1-0 lead.
The Tigers proceeded to score in each of the next three innings. Giovani DiGiacomo singled down the left field line to get on base in the bottom of the fourth. He stole second before scoring on an Alex Milazzo base hit.
Dylan Crews led off the fifth inning with a double and scored after Gavin Dugas singled through the right side. LSU broke the game open in the sixth. The Tigers had the bases loaded thanks to three straight singles from Jordan Thompson, DiGiacomo and Drew Bianco.
LSU tacked on two more runs after Thompson and DiGiacomo scored on a fielder’s choice and fielding error by ULM’s first baseman to make it a 5-0 ballgame.
Ty Floyd closed out the game for the Tigers on the mound. The inning got away from him at times as he walked three batters but recorded two strikeouts, including one for the third and final out.
LSU scored five runs on 11 hits and left seven runners on base. DiGiacomo finished 3-for-4 at the plate and stole two bases. Milazzo went 1-for-3 with two RBIs. Morgan, Crews and Doughty each hit a double.
LSU used eight different pitchers against ULM. Will Hellmers started on the mound and was credited with the win. He recorded one strikeout, zero walks, allowed three hits and zero runs over three innings.
Milazzo said the team had been working with Hellmers to develop his off-speed pitches and that they were the best he’s seen from Hellmers during his time catching.
Javen Coleman allowed zero runs in the fourth inning with two strikeouts. Zachary Murray and Alex Brady pitched in the fifth inning while Michael Fowler, Theo Millas, Ma’Khail Hilliard and Floyd pitched the rest of the way. The pitching staff combined for seven strikeouts, seven hits allowed, zero runs allowed and seven walks.
Coach Paul Mainieri’s goal was to utilize as many young arms as he could before the Tigers travel to Oxford for a weekend series against No. 12 Ole Miss. LSU will need all the pitching they can get if they want to remain in contention with the SEC.
