Despite a slow start early, the LSU bats came to life to secure a 10-3 win for the Tigers against Grambling on Tuesday night.
The win improves the LSU record to 5-3 on the year and puts them back on track after a 11-1 thrashing by Texas on Sunday.  
The Tiger offense was held in check early in the game by Grambling starting pitcher Christian Marquez.
Marquez was able to hold the Tigers scoreless through three innings but the Tiger batters were able to break through in the fourth inning on a Beau Jordan RBI single.
LSU would secure the lead in the sixth inning with another clutch hit, this time by the other Jordan brother, Bryce. With two men on the bases, Bryce blasted a line drive home run over the left field wall to give LSU the 4-3 lead.  
A solo home run by freshman shortstop Hal Hughes and a two run blast over the center field wall by senior designated hitter Austin Bain stretched the Tigers lead to 7-3.
An RBI double by freshman left fielder Nick Webre and a single from sophomore third baseman Jake Slaughter would bring the Tiger lead to 10-3 through seven innings.
The Tigers have now scored ten or more runs in four of their first eight games to start the season.  
“In the spring we saw that we had a lot of power and everybody is going up with intent and their swinging the bats hard and putting balls in play and hammering it,” Bain said.
Even with the impressive win, all things were not pretty for the Tigers.
Once again, the LSU pitching staff proved to be shaky, not being able to make it pass the fourth inning for the fifth game this season. Freshman right-hander Cam Sanders got the start for the Tigers looking to improve on his early first inning outing against UNO last week.
Sanders relied heavily on his off-speed pitches throughout the first inning, but walked a man home after three walks in the inning. Sanders would find himself in trouble again in the second inning after a leadoff double and a wild pitch allowed the Grambling runner to score from first.
A shaky fourth inning would end Sanders’ night after he gave up another walk and allowed Grambling to take a 3-0 lead. The freshmen was hit or miss all night, giving up four walks but also striking out eight Grambling batters.
However, it wasn’t all bad for the LSU pitching staff.
Sanders was relieved by fellow freshmen Ma’Khail Hilliard who earned his second win on the season, pitching four scoreless innings with no walks on the night. Hilliard was great for the Tigers in relief showing off the break in his curveball.
“He spins the ball like a major leaguer spins a curveball,” coach Paul Mainieri said. “Because of that it is hard to pick up and it dies at the very end. I thought Ma’Khail was really terrific tonight in every way.”   
The LSU baseball team will have its first road game of the season on Wednesday when they face off against the Southeastern Lions at 6 p.m. at Alumni Field.
 

Gallery • 1 Photos

Aurianna Cordero

LSU junior infielder Bryce Jordan (25) runs in after a home run  to high five brother Beau Jordan (24) during the Tigers’ 10-3 victory over Grambling State University on Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018, at Alex Box Stadium.