FRIDAY’S GAME: LSU 10, Oklahoma 2

SATURDAY’S GAME: 2 p.m. / SECN+ (streaming)

 

LSU is one win away from its third sweep in four Southeastern Conference series.

The Tigers got another strong pitching performance and the bats came alive Friday to hammer Oklahoma 10-2, clinching the series in LSU’s first trip to Norman, Okla.

LSU (29-3, 9-2 SEC) hit three home runs, two by Josh Pearson, while No. 9 hitter Chris Stanfield went 4-for-5 with four RBIs.

“I thought we played great across the board,” LSU coach Jay Johnson said. “We just played good baseball tonight. Great night by Josh Pearson and Chris Stanfield — he was outstanding tonight. Really a complete performance.”

Stanfield’s 2-run double was the key blow in the four-run second inning and he had another 2-run double to cap the Tigers’ 4-run ninth that blew the game open.

Daniel Dickinson also homered in the ninth.

That was more than enough for starter Anthony Eyanson (5-0), who struck out eight  Oklahoma batters in 5 2/3 innings, giving up just two unearned runs in the third inning.

“It makes pitching so much easier just knowing that our offense, even on a ‘bad’ day for our offense I’m still going to get four to five runs,” said Eyanson who threw 107 pitches, 66 for strikes. “Reassuring.”

It was still a 5-2 game when Eyanson left with two outs and two on in the sixth, and Casey Evans came on to shut out the Sooners on two hits over the final 3 1/3 innings.

He struck out five while getting his sixth save of the season.

In the two games of the series the Tigers have struck out 27 OU batters, who are 1-for-17 with runners in scoring position thus far.

“I thought Anthony got ahead more in the count as the game went along,” Johnson said. “His ability to mix his pitchers was excellent. Really, really good job by him tonight, and he keeps getting better.”

Pearson’s first home run upped the LSU lead to 5-2 in the sixth and he added his fifth bomb of the year in the ninth moments after Dickinson’s solo shot.

The Tigers scored seven of their runs with two outs, including all four of Stanfield’s RBIs.

His 2-run double in the second was followed by back-to-back RBI hits by Derek Curiel and Jared Jones, who finished with three hits.

LSU will go for the sweep Saturday at 2 p.m. with righthander Chase Shores (4-1, 5.40) against OU’s Malachi Witherspoon (2-2, 5.74).