ORLANDO — LSU strung together a five-run eighth inning on the strength of an RBI triple by Brad Hawpe and a Ryan Jorgensen two-run ground rule double to break a 4-4 tie and pace the Tigers toward an 11-4 win over the University of Central Florida Saturday at Tinker Field.
Senior right-hander Trey Hodges, who was a candidate to start the game, pitched four innings of shutout ball in relief of Ben Saxon. Hodges (2-0) allowed only two hits and two walks while striking out four to earn his second win of the season.
Saxon for his part allowed three earned runs off 10 hits over five innings as neither starting pitcher received a decision. UCF starter Justin Pope battled for 6 1/3 innings and struck out 11 Tigers before being lifted in favor of Jason Arnold. Pope had thrown 127 pitches and given up four runs early on 11 hits.
Arnold (2-1) proceeded to allow more than one run in an appearance for the first time since April 24, 1999 against Jacksonville when he gave up three runs and took the loss. In his inning of work Saturday, he surrendered five runs on four hits.
Freshman Mike Fontenot starred for LSU (9-6) with a 5-for-6 game, two runs scored and two batted in. Brad Hawpe was 3-for-6 and Jorgenson knocked in three on 2-for-5 hitting as the Tigers pounded out 19 hits for the second straight day.
The Golden Knights drop to 11-7 with the loss to No. 11 LSU. The teams play the rubber game of the three-game series Sunday at 1 p.m.
Senior left-hander David Rankin (2-2, 3.60 ERA) throws for UCF, who will face Tiger ace and junior southpaw Brian Tallet (3-1, 2.70).