LSU waited a long time to finally take the field at the Southeastern Conference Tournament.

But after all the rain delays it was worth the wait for the Tigers, whose red-hot bats picked up right where they left off in the regular season in rolling to an 11-6 victory over Kentucky that stretched out into the wee hours of Friday morning.

Even missing two of their top hitters — Jacob Berry and Cade Doughty — to injury, the Tigers exploded for 13 hits, including a 5-for-5 night from freshman right fielder Josh Pearson, who had a towering 2-run homer in the seventh inning.

Pearson was the first LSU player ever to get five hits in an SEC tournament game, but he had plenty of company.

Catcher Tyler McManus drove in three runs on a pair of doubles while going 3-for-5 Dylan Crews scored four runs on a 2-for-3 night that also included two walks.

Shortstop Jordan Thompson drove in three runs for the Tigers, who led 11-3 before Kentucky’s Devin Burks hit a 3-run homer in the eighth, his second of the game.

LSU has scored 53 runs in its last four SEC games — 72 in the last five overall games counting a midweek win over Northwestern State.

LSU will be at it late again on Friday night when they take on the nation’s No. 1 team in Tennessee. The top-seeded Vols had an easy time in knocking off Vanderbilt 10-1 earlier Thursday.

LSU (38-18) and Tennessee didn’t play each other in the regular season. The two last played when the Vols eliminated LSU from the NCAA tournament last year, sweeping two games in the Super Regional in Knoxville.

Ma’Khail Hilliard (6-1) gave the Tigers six strong innings, allowing four hits while striking out six.

The only runs he allowed came on a 2-run homer by Burks that gave Kentucky a 2-0 lead in the second.

Devin Fontenot pitched 1.2 innings in relief, allowing four runs before Grant Taylor came in to get the final out in the eighth.

Riley Cooper then finished the ninth.

LSU took the lead for good in the third on ground ball RBI by Tre-Morgan, followed by McManus’ 2-run double.

The Tigers took control the following inning with three runs on consecutive RBIs by Crews, Pearson and Thompson.

Kentucky (31-25) will play Vanderbilt Friday in an elimination game Friday.