BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Brandt Broussard's first college home run highlighted his three-hit, four-RBI performance, and LSU raced to a 10-run lead in the first three innings en route to a 17-3 triumph over Stony Brook in an NCAA tournament opener on Friday night.
LSU starter Landon Marceaux (5-2) allowed one earned in five innings while the Tigers (38-24) pounded out 10 hits and scored all of their runs.
Antoine Duplantis had three hits and drove in three runs. His single to center in the fifth put him in a tie with Eddy Furniss (1995-98) for first in Tigers history with 352 career hits. The crowd rose and roared as Duplantis stood on first, and the senior outfielder from Lafayette, Louisiana, tipped his helmet.
The victory placed LSU in a winner's bracket game Saturday night against Southern Mississippi (39-19), which defeated Arizona State 15-3 earlier Friday in the Baton Rouge regional. The Sun Devils (37-18) and Seawolves (31-22) were slated to play an elimination game Saturday afternoon.
Stoney Brook starter Greg Marino (5-5) allowed seven runs — two earned — before leaving the mound after Duplantis' run-scoring single in the second.
The Tigers scored their first five runs with two outs in the first inning after a throwing error, hit batter and walk loaded the bases. Marino walked in a run before Saul Garza's opposite field double down the right field line cleared the bases and Broussard's single drove in Garza.
Zach Watson's two-run homer in the second put LSU up 9-1.
Dylan Resk homered and Chris Hamilton had four hits for Stony Brook.
