How It Happened: LSU Baseball Takes Down Southern Jaguars 13-1 in Run-Rule Victory

Ethan Frey launches first homer as a Tiger, Jay Johnson and Co. add fourth straight victory to start the season.

BATON ROUGE, La. – Designated hitter Ethan Frey launched his first career home run Tuesday, and left-hander Conner Ware fired 3.0 scoreless innings in his LSU debut, as the second-ranked Tigers defeated Southern, 13-1, in Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field.

The game was halted after the top of the seventh inning due to the 10-run rule. LSU improved to 4-0 on the season, while Southern dropped to 2-2.

The Tigers return action at 6:30 p.m. CT Wednesday when they face Nicholls at Ray Didier Field in Thibodaux, La. The game will be broadcast on the LSU Sports Radio Network and streamed on ESPN +.

Frey, the Tigers’ designated hitter on Tuesday, was 3-for-4 at the plate with a three-run homer to highlight an eight-run LSU outburst in the fourth inning. The dinger was the first collegiate homer for Frey, a junior from Rosepine, La.

“I view Ethan as a starting player,” said LSU coach Jay Johnson. “We have some good competition in the outfield and at DH for at-bats and playing time. The story is how all of those guys are dealing with it in a mature manner, and you see that Ethan was ready to play today.”

LSU’s 14-hit output was also paced by freshman leftfielder Derek Curiel, who delivered three hits and three RBI, and by junior second baseman Daniel Dickinson, who provided a two-run single.

Sophomore shortstop Steven Milam collected two hits, including his fourth career triple, and junior centerfielder Chris Stanfield logged two hits and two runs.

Ware (1-0), a junior who transferred to LSU from Pearl River (Miss.) Community College, started Wednesday game and blanked the Jaguars in a three-inning outing, allowing no hits with one walk and two strikeouts.

“We’re very excited to have Conner on our staff, he was important for us to get in recruiting,” Johnson said. “We knew he would be a difference-maker, and we’re very thankful he decided that this is what he wanted to do in his career right now. You got a glimpse today of why we’ve been so excited about him for the last several months.”

Southern starting pitcher Genesis Prosper (0-1) was charged with the loss, as he surrendered three runs – two earned – on eight hits in 3.0 innings with no walks and one strikeout.

Junior right-hander Zac Cowan relieved Ward to begin the fourth inning, and he limited Southern to one unearned run on two hits with no walks and three strikeouts in 3.0 innings of work.

Junior right-hander Kade Woods pitched a scoreless seventh inning for the Tigers, recording two strikeouts while retiring the side in order.

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