Junior right-hander Cooper Moore fired a career-high 11 strikeouts in six innings Saturday, as top-ranked LSU defeated Milwaukee, 5-3, in Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field.
LSU improved to 2-0 on the season, while Milwaukee dropped to 0-2.
The teams conclude their three-game series at 1 p.m. CT Sunday in a game that will be broadcast on the LSU Sports Radio Network and streamed on SEC Network +.
Moore (1-0) allowed just one run on four hits in 6.0 innings with no walks and a career-best 11 strikeouts. His previous collegiate career high came in May 2025, when he recorded 10 strikeouts for Kansas in a game against BYU.
Moore threw 76 pitches in his outing, 61 for strikes.
“We’ve been seeing this from Cooper since October,” said LSU coach Jay Johnson. “He was our best-performing pitcher in the fall, so it was not a surprise to us that has this type of outing today. Cooper has great self-belief, and I think those guys that have that are special, and we really need that. He pitches like he needs to win, and we certainly so that today.”
Milwaukee starting pitcher Aric Ehmke (0-1) was charged with the loss after giving up just two runs – one earned – on four hits in 7.0 innings with two walks and three strikeouts.
LSU grabbed a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning when centerfielder Derek Curiel delivered a sacrifice fly and rightfielder Jake Brown lined an RBI single.
Milwaukee narrowed the gap to 2-1 in the fourth when leftfielder Bradyn Horn belted his first homer of the season.
The Tigers expanded their advantage to 5-1 in the eighth as shortstop Steven Milam smashed a two-run double, and catcher Cade Arrambide provided a run-scoring double for his fourth RBI in the Tigers’ first two games.
“Steven was being Steven, ‘Mr. Clutch,’” Johnson said. “Time and time again, we never have a doubt he’s going to do what he needs to do in those moments, and he delivered with a big two-run double.”
Milwaukee rallied for a pair of runs in the top of the ninth inning, but right-hander Grant Fontenot retired first baseman Grant Ross on a fly ball to end the game with two runners on base.
The save marked the first of Fontenot’s LSU career.
READ MORE:LSU improves to 2-0 with 5-3 victory over Milwaukee
