THURSDAY’S GAME:  LSU 8, Miss. State 6

FRIDAY’S GAME: 6:30 p.m. / SECN+

It was looking pretty bleak for LSU Thursday night.

But the Tigers hit two of their three home runs in a five-run fifth inning to rally for an 8-6 win over Mississippi State in the opening game of the Southeastern Conference series.

They still needed a masterful relief performance from Zac Cowan, who shut out the Bulldogs over the final four innings to improve to 24-3, 5-2 in the SEC.

“We can win a lot of different ways,” LSU coach Jay Johnson said. “(Starter) Kade Anderson has been spectacular for six weeks in a row. He hit his first bump in the road tonight, but we picked him up with great relief pitching, the long ball … good brand of baseball tonight.”

Anderson labored through his roughest start of the season, giving up five runs on six hits — including three Bulldog home runs — before leaving after getting the first out in the fifth.

Then it was LSU’s turn.

The Tigers bullpen gave up another run in the fifth for a 6-2 State lead before LSU unleashed  its own power attack.

Derek Curiel, who had a solo home run in the third inning, led off the bottom of the fifth with Jared Jones following with another walk.

Daniel Dickinson then battled through a seven-pitch at-bat before blasting a towering three-run home run into the leftfield bleachers.

Josh Pearson then singled and Steven Milam jumped on the first pitch for a 2-run homer that gave LSU its first lead at 7-6.

“That was an awesome at-bat,” Johnson said of Dickinson’s bit hit. “Daniel did a great job getting on top of that one, and then Steven is a professional hitter and just hammered one. And then we turned it over to our guy (Cowan) and he did the job.

“Our guys just stayed with it. We had some really good at-bats with some walks there in the middle of the game and really big homers.”

Cowan allowed no runs and just one hit in his four innings and struck out seven of the 13 batters he faced to get his third save.

“He just did what he does every time out,” Johnson said. “The guy is a strike machine, and his fastball, slider and changeup are elite … every pitch looks the same coming out of his hand. We’re really glad he’s on our team.”

LSU added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth when Tanner Reaves scored on a wild pitch.

“Proud of them,” Johnson said. “We were down 3-0, 4-1, 6-2 … and they just knew we needws to keep it close, keep playing and and they did that.”

It won’t get any easier for the Tigers when the series resumes Friday at 6:30 p.m.

The Bulldogs, who fell to 16-10, 1-6, held their unquestioned ace, Pico Kohn, back a day. Kohn (4-0, 2.52), the reigning SEC pitcher of the week, will throw Friday’s game against LSU’s Anthony Eyanson (3-0, 4.50).

“We’ve got to get ready to face a great pitcher (Friday),” Johnson said.