Tigers show firepower in make-up game with SLU
Published 8:41 am Monday, February 25, 2013
BATON ROUGE — Second-ranked LSU bounced back from its first loss of the season and routed Southeastern Louisiana 13-1 Sunday at Alex Box Stadium.
“A team is often measured by how it responds to adversity,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri, “And I felt our team bounced back in a big way after the loss (9-4 to BYU) on Saturday. We feel like we have a good offensive club and the performance we had in the loss was not indicative at all of what kind of lineup we have. I think today demonstrated the firepower that we’re capable of producing.”
The Tigers (6-1) resumed Friday’s suspended game against SLU (5-2) with a bang Sunday as first baseman Mason Katz sent a three-run home run into the left-field seats. It was his second home run of the season and three of his career-high six RBIs in the game.
LSU extended its first-inning lead with an RBI-single from designated hitter Alex Edward.
The Tigers added more runs in the second inning with an RBI double from outfielder Raph Rhymes, who went 4-for-5. Katz also delivered with an RBI single in the second.
Katz collected his fifth and sixth RBI in the sixth inning with a two-out double, scoring Rhymes and Mark Laird, who scored four runs and finished 3-for-4 on the day.
LSU added three insurance runs in the seventh off the bats of reserve infielder Casey Yocom and Rhymes.
LSU junior right-hander Ryan Eades (1-0) was credited with the win, allowing one run while striking out five in six innings.
Southeastern Louisiana left-hander Jordan Hymel (0-1) suffered the loss after giving up five runs in 1 1/3 innings.
