Jordan Thompson had already started to heat up.
In the first inning of LSU’s series opener against Kentucky on Thursday, he set the tone for the Tigers’ blazing-hot night at the plate.
Thompson launched the first of two LSU grand slams with a blast over the left-field fence, then dropped the bat and rounded the bases. The homer highlighted a six-run inning, and LSU piled onto an early lead for a 16-6 mercy-rule win.
Last Thursday at South Carolina, Thompson drove in three of LSU’s five runs in a series-opening 13-5 loss. His two-run homer in the top of the fourth the next day brought the Tigers within one run of the Gamecocks, and they went on to win 8-7.
This time, Thompson’s grand slam set the tone against Kentucky (27-6, 9-4 Southeastern Conference).
LSU (28-5, 8-4) built a 14-1 lead through the first three innings off the bats off seven hits — including the second grand slam, hit by Brayden Jobert on the first pitch he saw in the second inning.
It marked the first time since May 13, 2014, that the Tigers had two grand slams in the same game.
Thompson was first, extending his home run streak to four games. He hit it off Kentucky starter Zach Hise, who gave up 11 runs (six earned) on four hits. He struck out three, walked three and hit three batters, exiting after 1⅔ innings.
Hise (1-1) intentionally walked Dylan Crews after hitting Gavin Dugas with a pitch. Dugas and Crews scored on Tommy White’s double, giving LSU a 2-0 lead.
Jobert’s second-inning grand slam put the Tigers up 11-1, and Cade Beloso followed with a three-run homer in the third inning for a 14-1 lead.
Kentucky’s first score came in the top of the second when LSU’s star right-hander, Paul Skenes (6-1), gave up a pair of singles and an RBI double. The Wildcats chipped away at Skenes in the fourth and fifth innings, adding a pair of two-run doubles to cut their deep deficit to nine, 14-5.
Skenes gave up four earned runs on seven hits, walking one and striking out 13. He surpassed the 100-strikeout mark on the season. Through nine appearances (53⅓ innings), he had 104 by the end of the night.
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