May 20, 1999

HOOVER, Ala. (AP) — Kurt Ainsworth allowed just three hits and Ryan Theriot drove in four runs as LSU eliminated Kentucky 10-0 Thursday in the second round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament.

Ainsworth (11-5) went the distance in the game, which was called after seven innings on the 10-run rule. He did not allow a Kentucky player past first base after the first inning, striking out six and walking one.

LSU (37-20-1) knocked Kentucky starter Brandon Webb (3-8) out in the first inning, scoring five runs and sending 11 batters to the plate.

Jeff Leaumont had an RBI single and Brad Cresse hit a two-run single in the first. Eric Hendrickson singled and Jeremy Witten doubled to score Cresse. After Josh Dalton drew a walk to load the bases, Kentucky’s Ben Shaffer came on in relief. He walked Theriot to make it 5-0.

The Tigers tacked on two runs in the fourth, one in the sixth on three consecutive Kentucky errors and two in the seventh on Theriot’s triple.

Theriot went 1-for-3 but drove in four runs. Leaumont went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

The Wildcats (25-32) committed five errors and had one extra base hit, an Aaron McGlone double. They were the only team in the eight-team field with a losing record coming in.

Fourth-seeded LSU advances and will play at 6:30 p.m. Friday against the loser of Thursday’s Auburn-Arkansas game. LSU lost to Auburn 6-2 on Wednesday. Eighth-seeded Kentucky lost 6-4 to Arkansas in the first round