Just as quickly as the No. 17 LSU baseball team built up a significant lead, it almost gave it right back.
 
The Tigers (19-7, 2-5) broke open a 3-3 tie with a four-run sixth inning but narrowly held on to the final winning margin, a 7-6 win against division rival Ole Miss.
 
Junior center fielder Mikie Mahtook tied career highs with four hits and two home runs, almost single-handedly keeping LSU in the game in the opening innings.
 
“I’m just trying to put the team in a good position,” Mahtook said. “When I have opportunities to drive guys in, that’s what I’m trying to do.”
 
The offense came alive Friday night, tagging Ole Miss left hander Matt Crouse (6-1) for 10 hits, four more than his previous high allowed. Eight of nine LSU starters contributed at least one hit.
 
It also marked the first time since March 16 that LSU collected more than seven hits in a game, combining for 11 hits total.
 
Freshman pitcher Kurt McCune (5-0) turned in another solid outing, allowing just three runs in seven innings, but his replacement nearly rendered the work insignificant.
 
In just three at-bats to begin the eighth inning, freshman pitcher Ryan Eades gave up a single, double and triple without getting an out. All three runs eventually scored, eliminating any margin of error for the Tigers.
 
However, sophomore pitcher Kevin Berry bailed out the Tigers by allowing just one hit in the final two innings to close out the game.
 
The win comes as a much-needed boost for an LSU team that began Southeastern Conference play with just a 1-5 record.
 
Having lost six of their last seven SEC series, the Tigers now have two more chances at their first conference series win of the season.
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Contact Ryan Ginn at [email protected]