By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
No. 1 LSU was clearly not playing the Milwaukee Brewers, who won the National League Central last season and reached the NL championship series.
No, the Tigers played the only Division I college baseball team in the state of Wisconsin, and LSU basically brewed strong all weekend.
LSU defeated the Milwaukee Panthers of the Horizon League, 21-7, on 17 hits, including three home runs, to sweep the three-game series on Sunday afternoon at Alex Box Stadium in a seven-inning, 10-run-rule game.
Junior right fielder Jake Brown hit the first grand slam of his career in the fifth inning for a 21-6 lead and finished with a career-high six RBIs. He added a solo home run in the third inning when LSU scored six runs for a 9-3 lead, and he was 3-for-4 on the day.
Transfer second baseman Seth Dardar hit a three-run home run in the Tigers’ eight-run fourth inning in taking a 17-3 lead. Second baseman/third baseman Trent Caraway added a three-run triple in the third inning, and he finished with five RBIs. Derek Curiel went 3-for-4 with three RBIs.
LSU won the first two games of the series, 15-5 on Friday in a 10-run-rule in eight innings and 5-3 on Saturday. After striking out 15 on Sunday, LSU pitching totaled 49 strikeouts for the weekend – the most in a three-game weekend series for the Tigers since 1992.
Sophomore William Schmidt started Sunday and struck out nine in four innings for the win. He allowed three hits with a home run, three earned runs and three walks.
“He struck out too many guys,” LSU coach Jay Johnson said. “He got to 90 pitches too fast. William can mean a lot for our team this season. Really looking forward to getting him out there again next week. Overall, it was the best day of the year for us so far.”
Regular left fielder Chris Stanfield did not play Sunday after bruising his hand sliding into home on Saturday. Brayden Simpson started in left, and Mason Braun and Tanner Reaves also played left.
LSU’s MONDAY GAME VS. KENT STATE MOVED TO 6 P.M. FROM 3 P.M.
LSU (3-0) hosts Kent State (3-0) on Monday at 6 p.m. at Alex Box Stadium in a game moved back from its original start time of 3 p.m. Kent State swept Southeastern Louisiana three games to none Friday through Sunday in Hammond.
Johnson did not name a starter Sunday for Monday’s game.
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