MONROE, La. — Clay Dirks won his third consecutive game and Will Harris collected a career-high four hits as No. 1 LSU topped Louisiana-Monroe, 6-1, Tuesday night at Indian Field.
Dirks (3-0), named SEC and National Co-Pitcher of the Week for his shutout performance against Tulane one week ago, retired 10 straight batters to begin the contest. The Hernando, Miss. native struck out five out of the first nine hitters, allowing one run and no walks in his 5.2 innings of work.
Harris, making the most of his fourth start of the season, went a perfect 4-for-4, all singles. The sophomore first baseman joined Ryan Patterson and J.C. Holt as the only Tigers to collect four hits in a game this season.
LSU (13-2) pounded out six hits through the first three innings and took a 3-0 lead in the second on a pair of ULM errors. Jon Zeringue and Will Harris collected back-to-back singles, while Bobby DiLiberto reached first on catcher’s interference to load the bases.
Dustin Weaver then grounded to shortstop Bradley Hoffpauir who tried to turn a double play but fired the ball past second-baseman Lane LaBorde into right field. The fielder’s choice scored Zeringue and Harris. J.C. Holt’s single into shallow centerfield, plated Weaver for the third run of the frame.
The Indians (8-7) managed their first hit of the ballgame on Mario Filippi’s bunt-single in the third inning. Ben Jones and Jay Aulds followed with singles of their own, while Josh Morrison’s fielder’s choice groundout scored Filippi to close the deficit to 3-1.
Dirks had worked 15.1 scoreless innings before allowing the RBI to Morrison — a streak that began on Feb. 22 against Jacksonville State.
Clay Harris slammed a leadoff triple off of the left-center field wall to begin the third. Will Harris followed two batters later and lined his second hit of the day, an opposite field single into right field scoring his brother from third to increase the advantage to 4-1.
ULM starter Ryan Schwabe (2-3) settled down after allowing four runs in the first three innings. The senior left-hander set down six straight between the fourth and fifth innings, before surrendering Will Harris’ single to lead off the sixth.
Matt Liuzza extended his hitting streak to 14 games in the seventh inning. The sophomore, in the designated hitter spot for Tuesday’s contest, drove a one-out double down the right field line and would come around to score on Zeringue’s 12th double of the season.
Harris’ fourth hit of the night chased Schwabe who left after allowing 11 hits and six runs (four earned) in 6.2 innings.
Jordan Faircloth and Greg Smith worked three scoreless innings to close out the game.
LSU hosts Southeastern Louisiana in a three-game series set to begin on Friday at 6:30 p.m. Games will follow at 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
LSU — 031 000 200 – 6 12 0
ULM — 000 100 000 – 1 4 2
WP — Dirks (3-0)
LP — Schwabe (2-3)
E — Morrison (3), Hoffpauir (6) LOB — LSU 7; ULM 4
2B — Patterson (6), Holt (4), Liuzza (5), Zeringue (11), Weaver (1); 3B — Harris, C. (3)
Time — 2:14 Att. — 3,751