BATON ROUGE (Interstat) — LSU scored six runs in the seventh inning and rode a dominant relief performance from Zac Cowan to a 12-4 victory over Southeastern Louisiana on Tuesday night at Alex Box Stadium/Skip Bertman Field.

The Tigers improved to 25-21 overall, while the Lions fell to 27-18.

Derek Curiel, LSU’s center fielder, went 3 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs. His solo shot in the fifth inning gave the Tigers a 6-4 lead they never relinquished. Curiel also doubled twice and scored three runs. The performance snapped a four-game hitless streak; he had been 0 for 4 in his previous outing at Mississippi State.

Southeastern Louisiana jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Bryce Robichaux walked, advanced on a single by Alex Perry, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Capps. The Lions loaded the bases and added runs on a fielder’s choice and a home run by Perry in the second inning. Perry finished 2 for 3 with a homer and three RBIs.

LSU answered quickly. In the bottom of the first, the Tigers cut the lead to 4-2. Steven Serna Jr. singled, Curiel doubled, and both scored on a wild pitch and a single by Arrambide. In the second inning, LSU tied the game 4-4. Jack Ruckert walked and scored on a single by Braun. Serna Jr. grounded out to drive in a run, and Curiel doubled home Braun. The Tigers took a 5-4 lead when Curiel scored on a wild pitch in the second.

LSU starter Ricken was pulled after recording only one out. Lachenmayer entered but allowed runs. Cowan took over in the third inning and was the star of the game. He pitched four innings, allowing two hits and no earned runs while striking out seven. He retired 12 of the 14 batters he faced, allowing only a single and a walk.

The game turned decisively in the seventh inning. With LSU leading 7-4 after Curiel’s homer and a run-scoring single by Reaves in the sixth, the Tigers erupted. Curiel walked and stole second. Arrambide walked. Milam singled up the middle to score Curiel. A walk to Harden loaded the bases. Jack Ruckert then doubled to right field, driving in two runs. Patrick grounded out to the pitcher on a sacrifice bunt that scored two more runs, putting LSU ahead 12-4.

Southeastern Louisiana could not recover. Cowan worked through the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings without allowing a run. LSU’s bullpen combination of Gavin Guidry, Ethan Plog and Zion Theophilus closed out the game. Guidry pitched 1 1/3 hitless innings, Plog recorded two outs without allowing a hit, and Theophilus struck out one in a perfect ninth.

The Lions’ offense managed only six hits. After Perry’s home run in the second, Southeastern Louisiana’s only other hit was a single by Woods in the fifth. The Lions went scoreless over the final seven innings.

Larson Fabre pitched two innings of hitless relief for Southeastern Louisiana, striking out one. Dalton Gray allowed one earned run in 1 2/3 innings.

LSU outhit Southeastern Louisiana 12-6 and made two sacrifice hits.

The most pivotal sequence came in the bottom of the seventh, when LSU turned a 7-4 lead into a 12-4 advantage. The Tigers sent nine men to the plate, collected three hits, drew two walks and capitalized on a sacrifice bunt to erase any doubt.

Both teams were coming off weekend series losses. LSU had been swept at Mississippi State, dropping three games by scores of 13-8, 9-8 and 10-8 in 11 innings. Southeastern Louisiana had swept Houston Christian at home, winning 4-1, 12-1 and 12-2.

LSU next hosts South Carolina for a three-game series beginning Friday. Southeastern Louisiana travels to Lamar for a three-game set starting Friday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Southeastern Louisiana 8, LSU 4. Interstat’s ELO system had projected LSU with an 80.30 percent probability to win.