No. 1 LSU, Jones, stay hot at the plate as Tigers win ninth straight

When’s the last time you’ve seen a true freshman break out of a 1 for 13 batting slump by hitting four straight home runs?

Well, until now you haven’t.

LSU freshman first baseman Jared Jones launched two home runs for the second straight game and drove in six runs as the No. 1 ranked Tigers blanked Samford 12-0 in a game called after 6½ innings because of the 10-run rule Saturday night in Alex Box Stadium.

It was the ninth straight win for LSU (14-1) and the Tigers’ fifth 10-run rule victory in their last six games.

Jones hit a pair of three-run homers over the right-centerfield fence in the first and third innings when the Tigers scored five and four runs respectively.

In LSU’s 11-1 Friday win over Samford, Jones hit a two-run homer in the fifth and added another two-run homer in the sixth.

“I’ve seen young players go in the tank after a couple of difficult games, but Jared has been really impressive, not just physically but the work that he put in mentally,” LSU head coach Jay Johnson said. “All Jared has done the past two days is show how talented he is. He’s really mentally strong. I give him a lot of credit.”

Seven of LSU 12 base hits were for extra bases including five homers. Besides Jones’ two dingers, center fielder Dylan Crews had a two-run homer in the first, third baseman Brayden Jobert slapped a solo shot in the third and designed hitter Tommy White looped a three-run homer into the right field stands in the fourth.

LSU starter Ty Floyd (3-0) threw five no-hit innings followed by reliever Nate Ackenhausen giving up one hit in two innings.

“Ty pitched great, throwing all of his pitches for strikes, and he usually ended up with a strikeout or weak contact,” Johnson said. “It started there, and Nate came in and showed why he’s been one of our better pitchers this season.”

The teams close the series on Sunday with the start of the game moved from 1 p.m. to 11 a.m. because of expected late afternoon inclement weather.