LSU blasts three home runs to clinch series sweep

BATON ROUGE, La. – Top-ranked LSU broke a 1-1 tie with a five-run fifth inning Sunday, and junior right-hand Ty Floyd pitched brilliantly in relief as the Tigers posted a 9-2 win over Western Michigan in Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field.

LSU improved to 3-0 as it completed a three-game series sweep to open the 2023 season. Western Michigan dropped to 0-3 on the year.

LSU returns to action at 2 p.m. CT Tuesday when the Tigers play host to Southern University in Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field. The game will be broadcast on affiliates of the LSU Sports Radio Network, and it will be streamed on SEC Network +.

“I thought the entire weekend was great, a really good model for what we want to establish going forward,” said LSU coach Jay Johnson. “We had really good starting pitching, really good defense and we were excellent in situational hitting. I really liked the amount guys that contributed to winning as well.”

Floyd (1-0) entered the game to start the fifth inning with the score tied 1-1, and he fired three perfect innings with no walks and four strikeouts.

“Ty came in with the game tied, and he got the momentum back in our dugout, and we rolled from there,” Johnson said. “He did a great job; he is one of the best pitchers on our staff, and you have to have a guy like Ty that you have confidence in to come into a tough spot.”

LSU collected 10 hits in the contest, including home runs by centerfielder Dylan Crews, shortstop Jordan Thompson and second baseman Gavin Dugas, who was 3-for-3 on the day with the homer and two runs scored. Thompson recorded a team-high three RBI with the homer and an RBI single.

Crews’ two-run blast in the fifth inning broke a 1-1 tied and sparked the Tigers’ five-run outburst. The rally also featured an RBI single by catcher Brady Neal and Thompson’s two-run homer that gave LSU a 6-1 lead.

The Tigers added a run in the sixth on Dugas’ lead-off dinger, as he homered for the second consecutive game. LSU scored two more runs in the seventh on Thompson’s RBI single and a run-scoring groundout by pinch hitter Ethan Frey.

Dugas was 6-for-8 at the plate in the weekend series with two homers, two RBI and three runs scored.

“Gavin has faced adversity with injuries, but he has persevered and got himself right,” Johnson said. “I think the best is yet to come for him.”

Luke Thelen (0-1), the second of seven WMU pitchers, was charged with the loss as he surrendered three runs on one hit in 0.2 inning with two walks and one strikeout.