LSU Baseball Slams Southern Miss 8-4

The LSU Tigers racked up 15 hits, two homers, including a grand slam, to beat Southern Miss in front of a packed house in Hattiesburg on Wednesday. The Tigers defeated Southern Miss 8-4 in front of 5,658 fans, a Pete Taylor Park record.

The Tigers found their grove in the fourth against Southern Miss starter Josh Billeaud when catcher Micah Gibbs was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Shortstop DJ LeMahieu hit into a fielder's choice that retired Gibbs at second. Centerfielder Leon Landry singled and leftfielder Johnny Dishon walked to load the bases for second baseman Ryan Schimpf. Schimpf smashed a grand slam over the left field wall to give the Tigers a 4-0 lead. The homer was the fifth this season for Schimpf and the second grand slam for the Tigers.

Third baseman Michael Hollander singled and advanced on a Billeaud throwing error on designated hitter Blake Dean’s grounder. Billeaud was pulled for reliever Wade Weathers. Weathers struck out first baseman Matt Clark, but rightfielder Derek Helenihi drilled a single to center field scoring Hollander and Dean and giving the Tigers a 6-0 lead.

Helenihi doubled in the seventh, and scored on a LeMahieu single to extend the lead to 7-0.

Southern Miss bounced back in the bottom of the seventh on a solo homerun by designated hitter Trey Cuevas. Third baseman Chris Matesich nailed a two-run homer, and second baseman James Ewing brought home a run with an RBI double to move within three runs.

Dean hit a solo homer in the top of the eighth to make it an 8-4 ballgame. 

LSU coach Paul Mainieri used six different pitchers and most averaged one inning of work.  They combined to strike out eight, walk two, and gave up four runs on eight hits, including two homers.

Southern Miss pitching combined to strike out seven, walk three, and gave up eight runs on fifteen hits—including two homers, one being the fourth inning grand slam.

LSU’s Austin Ross was awarded the win and improved to 2-1 on the season. USM’s Josh Billeaud was the losing pitcher and dropped to 2-2 on the season. The game lasted two hours and 59 minutes.

LSU will not return back to campus today, instead will continue north for a weekend series against Ole Miss. The Rebels have won seven in a row and are all alone in first place of the SEC Western Division. The Tigers have won six of their last seven games and are hoping to move closer to first place in the SEC Western Division—they are currently two games back.

This Saturday is also the Rebels spring football game with first-year head coach Houston Nutt.