LSU Powers Their Way to Series Win
By:
Updated: May 6, 2012
OXFORD, Miss. - LSU second baseman JaCoby Jones drove in five runs Sunday, and right-hander Aaron Nola worked seven strong innings to lead fourth-ranked LSU to a 12-3 win over No. 24 Ole Miss at Swayze Field.
LSU, which won the series over the Rebels two games to one, improved to 38-11 overall and 16-8 in the SEC. The Tigers are tied with South Carolina for first place in the overall league race, and LSU has a four-game lead over Arkansas and Mississippi State in the Western Division standings.
Ole Miss dropped to 31-18 overall and 11-13 in the league with Sunday's loss.
LSU returns to action at 7 p.m. Friday when the Tigers play host to Vanderbilt in Alex Box Stadium in Game 1 of a three-game series.
Jones, playing in his home state of Mississippi, was 3-for-5 at the plate with a double, a homer and a career-best five RBI. Shortstop Austin Nola contributed a three-run homer, and rightfielder Mason Katz and catcher Ty Ross each unloaded solo shots.
The Tigers' four homers were the most by LSU in a single contest since May 20, 2010 when it hit four dingers against Mississippi State in Alex Box Stadium.
Aaron Nola (6-2) limited the Rebels to three runs on seven hits in seven innings with two walks and two strikeouts.
"I was very confident in the ability of Aaron Nola to pitch in this environment with great success," said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. "He's a young man with an inordinate amount of poise, and he gave us a tremendous outing today. We swung the bats with a lot of authority, and we earned a very important win. This is a tough place to play, and I'm extremely proud of this team for an outstanding effort all weekend. We've got a big week ahead with final exams, and then we'll begin to focus on Vanderbilt for next weekend."
Ole Miss starter Dylan Chavez (3-4) was charged with the loss as he surrendered three runs on four hits in three innings with one walk and one strikeout.
The Tigers took a 2-0 lead in the second inning when Jones lined a two-run double off of Chavez with the bases loaded.
Ole Miss tied the game in the third on a two-run single by first baseman Matt Snyder, but LSU regained the lead in the top of the fourth with a five-run outburst.
Catcher Ty Ross opened the LSU fourth with a home run, his third of the year, to give the Tigers a 3-2 advantage. LSU expanded the lead to 7-2 as Austin Nola launched a three-run homer and Ross picked up his second RBI of the frame with a bases-loaded walk.
LSU posted another five-run rally in the sixth to increase the margin to 12-2. Katz unloaded a solo homer - his ninth of the year - to start the frame, Ross delivered a sacrifice fly and Jones launched a three-run homer, his third dinger of the year.
LSU 12, Ole Miss 3 (May 06, 2012 at Oxford, Miss.)
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LSU................... 020 505 000 - 12 13 1 (38-11, 16-8 SEC)
Ole Miss............ 002 000 100 - 3 10 0 (31-18, 11-13 SEC)
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Pitchers: LSU - Aaron Nola; Joey Bourgeois(8); Nick Goody(9) and Ty Ross.
Ole Miss - Dylan Chavez; Josh Laxer(4); Aaron Greenwood(4); Hawtin Buchanan(6); Casey Mulholland(8) and
Will Allen; Austin Knight.
Win-Aaron Nola(6-2) Loss-Dylan Chavez(3-4) T-2:53 A-7650
HR LSU - Austin Nola (4); Mason Katz (9); Ty Ross (3); JaCoby Jones (3).
HR OM - Auston Bousfield (2).
D. Chavez faced 1 batter in the 4th.
