Special to the American Press

ROUND ROCK, Texas — Pitchers Paul Skenes and Ty Floyd limited Kansas State to four hits, and the LSU offense erupted for seven runs on 10 hits to propel the top-ranked Tigers to a 7-3 victory Friday afternoon in the first game of the Round Rock Classic.

LSU’s second game of the tournament pits the Tigers (5-0) against the Iowa Hawkeyes at noon today.

Skenes (2-0) earned his the second victory despite the Wildcats’ offensive start.

“Paul is a great competitor so he can work his way out of jams,” said LSU head coach Jay Johnson. “He also has tremendous stuff. You put those two things together and you can minimize big innings. That’s what he did in the first inning, and he just got stronger as the game went along.

“I thought the pitching was the story of today, and I was really pleased with both Paul and (reliever) Ty Floyd. Ty came in and did a great job over the last three innings.”

Kansas State (4-2) opened the scoring making Skenes work to find the strike zone. With more than 30 pitches thrown in the first inning, the Wildcats had a couple of hits and free passes, scoring the game’s first run on an RBI single.

Skenes settled into the game in the second, throwing five consecutive scoreless innings. He finished his outing tossing six innings while giving up one run on two hits. Skenes picked up double-digit strikeouts for a second week in a row, picking up 11 strikeouts.

Skenes had 12 strikeouts on Feb. 17 when LSU beat Western Michigan on opening day.

“Obviously I had some adversity early,” Skenes said. ”Kansas State is a good team and they got some barrels on the ball. I got into a tough situation and made some pitches to get out, which I was happy with. Ultimately, finding my change-up, finding my slider and having four-seam fastball command today was the difference. From the second through the sixth inning, I couldn’t have asked for anything more from an outing.”

After being stymied by Kansas State starter Owen Boerema in the bottom half of the first, the Tigers broke through in the second with three consecutive singles. Brady Neal poked a single through the middle of the field scoring Tré Morgan from second to tie the score.

In the bottom of the sixth, Dylan Crews and designated hitter Tommy White picked up singles before the Wildcats reliever Ty Ruhl balked, moving the Tigers’ two runners into scoring position. LSU broke the tie when Ruhl tossed a wild pitch.

Ruhl (1-1) lasted two innings, while giving up six runs on six hits.

The Tigers extended the lead to 3-1 with White beating out a throw home from Kansas State first baseman Roberto Peña on a sharp ground ball.

Floyd relieved Skenes in the top of the seventh and quickly picked up two strikeouts before Peña’s home run closed the margin to 3-2. Floyd struck out the side looking to end the inning.

The Tigers extended their lead in the bottom of the seventh beginning with a walk and three consecutive singles. With pinch hitter Brayden Jobert occupying second base and Ben Nippolt on first base, Gavin Dugas roped a single up the middle to make the margin 4-2.

LSU added three runs after a single from Crews and a double from Jared Jones torching a ball to the right-center field wall to make it 7-2. The Wildcats scored their final run in the top of the ninth.

Floyd closed the final two innings and earned his first save with five strikeouts in three innings.