NEW ORLEANS ? LSU first baseman Sean Ochinko went 3-for-4, including a grand slam and seven RBIs, to lead the No. 1-ranked Tigers to a 19-3 win at New Orleans on Tuesday evening at Maestri Field.
Ochinko had six RBIs in his first two at-bats and helped LSU (8-0) score 12 runs in the first two innings to hand UNO (4-5) its fifth loss in its last six games.
LSU scored six runs off UNO starter Jim McGonigle (0-2) in the first inning and took advantage of 10 walks off nine Privateer pitchers.
Freshman left-hander Chris Matulis (2-0) was the beneficiary, tossing 5 2/3 innings and allowing only two runs. Spencer Mathews worked the final 3 1/3 innings to pick up his first save.
The two teams combined to use 33 position players.
“We have been playing from behind virtually all season,” said UNO head coach Tom Walter, whose team had won three of the last four meetings with LSU entering Tuesday. “We're just not getting the starting pitching right now.
“When your first two pitchers struggle, which ours have been doing for the most part, it's very hard to beat good teams like LSU.”
The Tigers scored six runs in the first inning on only three hits. McGonigle struggled with his control, walking three and hitting a batter.
After a bases-loaded, two-out walk made it 1-0, Ochinko laced an RBI single to center field to put LSU ahead 3-0. Derek Helenihi (2-for-4) followed with a two-run triple and scored on an RBI single by Chris McGhee to make it 6-0.
The Privateers got a run back in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single from Jerad Comarda. But LSU put the game away with another six-spot in the second ? highlighted by a towering Ochinko grand slam over the left-center field wall.
LSU led 12-2 after two innings and added three more runs in the fourth, including an RBI double from Ochinko.
Both teams started to clear its benches after LSU made it 16-2 in the fifth.
UNO, which drew a season-high crowd of 2,190, got eight hits -- including a 2-for-2 night from Rodarrick Jones.
The Privateers will open up Sun Belt Conference play at 6:30 p.m. on Friday against Middle Tennessee.
