BATON ROUGE, La. –  A four-RBI performance by first baseman Blake Dean, along with 10 extra-base hits by the LSU offense, lifted the top-ranked Tigers to an 18-7 victory over UL-Monroe Tuesday night in Alex Box Stadium.

 

The Tigers (12-0) are off to their best start since 1997 when that team started the season 19-0. The win was also LSU’s 18th-straight home victory dating back to last season. ULM dropped to 5-5 with the loss.

 

LSU’s offense was led Tuesday night by Dean, who finished 3-for-4 with a homer, a double and four RBI, along with center fielder Leon Landry, who finished 3-for-3 with a triple, a double and three RBI. Landry also has six consecutive hits, including three triples, dating back to Sunday’s 9-2 win over Brown.

 

“I liked the way we played tonight; we swung the bats well, and our pitchers did a lot of good things,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “Blake Dean had a great night at the plate, and Leon Landry continues to demonstrate how much he has matured as a hitter.”

 

Catcher Micah Gibbs, left fielder Trey Watkins and right fielder Mikie Mahtook also bolstered the Tiger offense as the trio each finished 2-for-3 and combined for eight RBI. Gibbs and Watkins also homered for the Tigers in the victory.

 

LSU right-hander Ben Alsup (1-0) earned the win for the Tigers after throwing 3.1 innings and allowing only one run on two hits with two strikeouts. Warhawk starter Corey Brown (0-2) was charged with the loss after allowing five runs on four hits in three innings of work.

 

The Tigers took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning when Dean lifted a sacrifice fly to left to score Watkins from third. Watkins singled to lead-off the inning and then stole second and third bases, his seventh and eighth stolen bags of the season.

 

In the second, Landry and Mahtook laced back-to-back triples to give LSU a 4-0 advantage. Landry’s triple was his third in his last four at-bats dating back to Sunday’s 9-2 win over Brown when he collected two triples. A groundout by third baseman Wet Delatte plated Mahtook and gave the Tigers a 4-0 lead.

 

The Warhawks cut their deficit to 4-1 in the third inning after back-to-back doubles by shortstop Boomer Blanchard and second baseman Caleb Clowers.

 

Tyler Hanover lifted a sacrifice fly to deep center in the third, plating Austin Nola and putting the Tigers ahead 5-1.

 

Watkins made the score 7-1 in the fourth inning when he blasted a two-run homer off ULM reliever Luke Briley. Watkins’ homer was his first of the season.

 

Gibbs belted a three-run homer later in the inning off left-hander Devin Pourciau. Gibbs’ third home run of the season extended the Tigers’ lead to 10-1. Mahtook’s second double of the game scored Landry and Hanover to put LSU ahead 12-1.

 

The Warhawks took advantage of some LSU miscues in the fifth inning and added five runs after a series of walks, a balk and a wild pitch. The Tigers led 12-6 in the middle of the fifth inning.

 

The Tigers responded in the bottom of the frame with a three-run fifth inning, highlighted by a two-run double by Landry, which put LSU ahead 15-6. Landry’s double was his sixth-consecutive hit in the past two games.

 

Dean provided three RBI through the sixth and seventh innings, one on a solo homer in the sixth and the other two on a double in the seventh. Dean’s two-run double put LSU ahead 18-7.


courtesy LSU media relations