OXFORD, Miss. – Pinch hitter Hayden Travinski launched a two-out, three-run homer in the top of the ninth inning Sunday to lift top-ranked LSU to a 7-6 win over Ole Miss at Swayze Field.
Travinski’s homer, his first of the season, erased a 6-4 Ole Miss lead. Right-hander Gavin Guidry pitched a scoreless bottom of the ninth to preserve the win and earn his first save of the year.
LSU improved to 32-7 overall and 12-5 in the SEC as it completed a series sweep of the Rebels. Ole Miss dropped to 21-19 overall and 3-15 in conference play.
The Tigers return to action at 6:30 p.m. CT Tuesday when they play host to Nicholls in Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field. The game will be broadcast on affiliates of the LSU Sports Radio Network, and it will be streamed on SEC Network +.
With Ole Miss holding a 6-4 lead in the top of the ninth, reliever Mitch Murrell retired the first two LSU batters in the inning. However, first baseman Jared Jones drew a walk, and third baseman Brayden Jobert was hit by a pitch to keep the inning alive.
LSU coach Jay Johnson inserted Travinski into the game, and he responded by unloading a Murrell pitcher over the left-field wall to give the Tigers a 7-6 lead.
“Hayden has a lot of power, obviously,” Johnson said. “He’s been improving as we’ve been going along. He was hurt in the fall, but he kept working. It’s a combination of baseball improvement, along with maturity and attitude. He’s been a team guy this whole time. He’s a big reason we won the game yesterday, and obviously a big reason we won today. I’m really proud of him and happy for him.”
Guidry gave up a one-out double to Ole Miss catcher Calvin Harris in the bottom of the ninth, but he retired the next two Rebel batters to seal the win.
LSU left-hander Riley Cooper (2-2) was credited with the win after retiring the final Ole Miss batter in the eighth inning. Murrell (2-2) was charged with the loss as he allowed three runs on one hit in 3.0 innings with two walks and two strikeouts.
LSU grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when centerfielder Dylan Crews lined a run-scoring single.
Ole Miss tied the game in the bottom of the first on catcher Calvin Harris’ sacrifice fly, and the Rebels took a 2-1 lead in the second on an RBI single by designated hitter Will Furniss.
The Tigers struck for two runs in the third on back-to-back RBI singles by shortstop Jordan Thompson and by first baseman Jared Jones.
LSU extended the lead to 4-2 in the fifth when designated hitter Cade Beloso launched a solo homer, his seventh dinger of the year and second of the series.
Ole Miss narrowed the gap to 4-3 on first baseman Anthony Calarco’s RBI double in the sixth, and the Rebels tied the game on right fielder Kemp Alderman’s seventh-inning solo homer, his 17th dinger of the season.
Designated hitter Judd Utermark gave the Rebels a 6-4 advantage in the eighth inning with a two-run homer, his second dinger of the season.
LSU right-hander Christian Little gave the Tigers an excellent starting effort, limiting Ole Miss to three runs on six hits in 5.1 innings with one walk and three strikeouts.
{Courtesy: LSU Athletics}