HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) — Leadoff batter Dylan Crews had a go-ahead two-run double in a 10-run eighth inning to help rally LSU to a 14-11 victory over Kennesaw State in the Hattiesburg Regional on Friday.
LSU (39-20) advances to play Southern Mississippi on Saturday. Kennesaw State (35-27) will play an elimination game against Army earlier Saturday.
The Tigers trailed 11-4 heading into the bottom of the eighth. Josh Stevenson led off with a walk and Crews was hit by a pitch. Jacob Berry and Josh Pearson followed with RBI singles, Jordan Thompson drove in one with a double and Tre’ Morgan followed with a two-run single to make it 11-9. Brayden Jobert plated a run on a fielder’s choice before Crews delivered his go-ahead double. Pearson capped the big inning with a two-out two-run single.
The Owls took a 7-4 lead in the top of the fourth on Tyler Simon’s two-run homer. Kennesaw State added four more in the fifth on Nick Hassan’s RBI double, a run-scoring single by Josh Hatcher and Simon’s two-run double to take a seven-run lead.
Hatcher went 3-for-4 with an RBI and four runs scored for Kennesaw State. Simon drove in four.
Devin Fontentot tossed 3 1/3 scoreless innings in relief to get the win for the Tigers. He allowed two hits and a walk, striking out six. Paul Gervase allowed a hit in a scoreless ninth to notch his sixth save.
Smith Pinson (6-6) yielded three runs on two hits and a walk without retiring a batter to take the loss for the Owls.
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