LSU beats Kentucky 11-6 in SEC Tournament

HOOVER, Ala. (AP) — Josh Pearson, Tyler McManus and Jordan Thompson had three RBIs apiece on Thursday night to help LSU beat No. 12 seed Kentucky 11-6 in the SEC Tournament.

No. 4 seed LSU (37-18) plays against top-seeded Tennessee and Kentucky plays No. 8 seed Vanderbilt in a loser-out game — both on Friday.

Dylan Crews scored when Tre’ Morgan grounded out to the pitcher in the bottom of the third inning before McManus hit a two-RBI double off the wall in the left to make it 3-2 and LSU led the rest of the way.

Devin Burkes, with two out and the count full, fouled off three consecutive pitches before hitting a two-run homer for Kentucky (31-25) to open the scoring in the top of the second.

Pearson finished 5-for-5 with a double and a home run for the Tigers and Crews was 2-for-3 with two walks, an RBI and four runs. McManus went 3-for-5 with two doubles.

Ma’Khail Hilliard (7-1) allowed four hits and two runs over 6 innings with two walks and six strikeouts to earn the win for LSU.

Burkes, who also hit a three-run home run in the top of the eighth, finished 4-for-4 with five RBIs and four runs for Kentucky.

Crews and Pearson each had an RBI single and Crews scored on a sacrifice bunt by Thompson to give the Tigers and 6-2 lead in the fourth.

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