BATON ROUGE — LSU jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first inning, giving true freshman starter Michael Bonura all the run support he would need as the second-ranked Fighting Tigers won their third-straight home opener, 7-1, Tuesday night at a chilly Alex Box Stadium.
LSU (3-1) begins a three-game home series with Jacksonville State Friday at 6:30 p.m. The series continues Saturday at 2 p.m. with the finale set for noon on Sunday.
ULM dropped to 1-1 with the loss. The Indians play at Louisiana-Lafayette Wednesday night.
The Tigers sent 10 batters to the plate in a 32-minute first inning, highlighted by J.C. Holt’s second at-bat of the frame, a two-RBI double. Holt drew a 10-pitch walk off of Indians starter Matt Green to leadoff the inning. Ryan Patterson then lined a deep fly ball that bounced off of the left-center field wall, scoring Holt from first.
After Blake Gill reached on a throwing error that scored Patterson, Nick Stavinoha collected the third RBI of his brief LSU career, grounding a hit into shallow left field, plating Gill. Four batters later, Stavinoha scored on Jon Zeringue’s sacrifice fly ball into left field, setting the stage for Holt who closed out the six-run, five-hit barrage with a double that scored Matt Liuzza and Ivan Naccarata.
LSU right-hander Michael Bonura (1-0) picked up his first career win, working five innings of four-hit, one-run ball, while adding three strikeouts. Greg Smith relieved the Destrehan, La. native in the sixth and continued to silence the Indian bats through the eighth. Smith, in his second outing of the season, went two innings, allowing no runs on no hits while striking out three.
The Tigers’ bats erupted again in the fifth when Jon Zeringue broke a slump by slugging a leadoff double that carried over center fielder Andy Jones’ head. Matt Horwath collected his second hit of the day, lining an opposite field single, scoring Zeringue. ULM reliever Justin Lensch would surrender a hit batsman before settling down and retiring the next three Tiger hitters to end the side.
Horwath finished the game 3-for-3 with one RBI and one walk.
ULM threatened in the top of the eighth inning when designated hitter Daniel Raymond reached on Blake Gill’s fielding error with one out. Two batters later, left fielder Jay Aulds followed with a double off of Collin Smith. Smith, in his first collegiate appearance, got second baseman Lane Laborde to line out to J.C. Holt in deep center field to retire the side.
Sophomore Will Harris came on in the ninth inning to end the game, but the Indians did not go quietly. Following a walk, a single and a hit batsman that loaded the bases, the Slidell native retired three consecutive batters to end the game.
ULM starter Matt Green (0-1) took the loss, as he worked 3.2 innings, allowing six runs (two earned) on eight hits with five walks and two strikeouts.