LSU sweeps Vandy for first-time ever in Nashville by scoring 21 runs

Call it perfect timing.

Already enjoying one of his best hitting performances of the season, LSU right fielder Brayden Jobert delivered his biggest hit of the year Saturday afternoon.

Jobert’s grand-slam homer highlighted the Tigers’ 11-run eighth inning explosion erasing an early 6-0 Vanderbilt lead to propel LSU to a 21-10 win for its first-ever SEC road sweep of the Commodores.

A redshirt sophomore who transferred to LSU this season from Delgado Community College, Jobert had a two-run double in third, a three-run homer in the seventh and his grand slam to become the first Tigers’ player to record nine RBI in a game since Eric Hendrickson in 1999. He added a triple in the ninth inning to finish 4 of 6.

With the win, LSU ended the regular season 37-18 overall and 17-13 in the SEC. Combined with Auburn's 6-3 Saturday loss at Kentucky, LSU captured the No, 4 seed and a first-round bye in the SEC tournament that starts Tuesday. LSU plays Wednesday night against the winner of Tuesday night's game between No. 5 seed Auburn and No. 12 seed Kentucky.

Vanderbilt (35-19, 15-14), which lost 13-3 on Thursday and 8-3 on Friday, led the Tigers 9-7 after seven innings in the series finale in the last game of the regular season.

But in the LSU eighth, the Tigers battered three Vandy relievers for seven hits including Jobert’s grand slam, a double and five singles that produced an 18-9 lead.

LSU finished the three-game series scoring 42 runs on 41 hits (including 11 homers, nine doubles and a triple) against Vanderbilt, which had a pitching staff ranked third in earned run average in the SEC prior to this weekend.

The Tigers, who had their best starting pitching in the first two games of an SEC series this season in Thursday and Friday wins of 13-2 and 8-3 respectively, got just 1.2 innings from Saturday starter Samuel Dutton.

Vanderbilt had eight consecutive two-out hits in its six-run second inning. Five straight hits off Dutton, highlighted by a two-run single by Vandy center fielder Enrique Bradfield Jr., gave the Commodores a 4-0 lead and sent Dutton to the bench in favor of reliever Riley Cooper.

Then, right fielder Spencer Jones cracked Cooper’s first pitch over the center field fence for a two-run homer and a 6-0 Vandy advantage.

LSU fired back its first runs of the day in the top of the third off Vanderbilt starter Chris McElvain, cutting the Commodores’ margin to 6-3. First baseman Tre Morgan’s RBI double and a two-run double by Jobert provided the initial firepower.

The Tigers shrunk Vandy’s lead to 6-4 in the top of the sixth on catcher Tyler McManus’ mammoth solo homer that flew over the left field wall, took one bounce and caromed off the side of Memorial Gymnasium.

Vanderbilt’s response in its half of the sixth was Jones’ second two-run homer of the day – this one off LSU reliever Blake Money – for an 8-4 advantage.

But the Tigers kept battling in the top of the seventh. Morgan drew a one-out walk off McElvain and shortstop Jordan Thompson was walked by Vandy reliever Donye Evans. Then, Jobert greeted another Commodores reliever, Nelson Berkwich, with a three-run homer that cut the home team’s lead to 8-7.

Vandy scored a run in the bottom of the seventh. LSU reliever Devin Fontenot hit two straight batters to load the bases with one out and then walked shortstop Carter Young to force in a run for a 9-7 lead.

LSU reliever Bryce Collins replaced Fontenot and induced Bradfield into an inning-ending double play that left two Vandy players on base.

It was a huge play, considering LSU’s nuclear eighth inning.