By Tiger Rag News Service
OXFORD, Miss. – Centerfielder J.B. Woodman launched a pair of two-run homers Saturday to lead ninth-ranked Ole Miss to an 8-2 win over No. 8 LSU at Swayze Field.
Ole Miss improved to 33-12 overall and 12-9 in the SEC, while LSU dropped to 28-16 and 11-10.
LSU returns to action at 7 p.m. CT Friday when the Tigers play host to Arkansas in Game 1 of a three-game SEC series at Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field.
Woodman was 2-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored to lead the Rebels’ 13-hit output against six LSU pitchers.
Ole Miss reliever Andy Pagnozzi (7-2) earned the win, working 3.2 innings and allowing two runs on five hits with no walks and three strikeouts.
LSU starter John Valek III (6-2) was charged with the loss, as he surrendered four runs on four hits in 1.1 innings with no walks and one strikeout.
LSU had 11 hits, but the Tigers were 2-for-16 on the day with runners in scoring position. Third baseman Chris Reid collected a career-high four hits, including two doubles.
“It was an unbelievably frustrating day,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “It seemed like we had chances in every inning. We had bases-loaded situations and runners in scoring position with no outs. We had a lot of hits; we just couldn’t get the hits when it mattered.
“We’ll turn the page on this weekend and keep moving forward. Our players are taking final exams this week, and we’ll begin focusing on the final 12 games of the regular season, beginning with Arkansas next weekend.”
Ole Miss struck for three runs in the first inning against Valek. With two outs, second baseman Tate Blackman doubled before Woodman blasted his seventh seventh homer of the season.
Third baseman Colby Bortles followed with his sixth homer of the year to give the Rebels a 3-0 lead.
Ole Miss increased the advantage to 4-0 in the second against Valek when first baseman Will Golsan was hit by a pitch and scored on a double by leftfielder Cameron Dishon.
The Rebels added a run against reliever Doug Norman in the third when Bortles smacked a run-scoring double.
Woodman launched his second homer of the day, a two-run shot in the fifth against reliever Caleb Gilbert, to extend the lead to 7-0.
Ole Miss scored another run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by designated hitter Holt Perdzock.
The Tigers scored two runs in the top of the eighth when third baseman Chris Reid doubled and scored on designated hitter Bryce Jordan’s RBI single, and rightfielder Antoine Duplantis contributed a run-scoring groundout.
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