HOOVER, Ala. (AP) - Blake Dean hit a grand slam in the eighth inning and drove in six runs to send streaking LSU into the Southeastern Conference tournament title game with a 12-8 comeback win over Alabama.
Dean's slam that easily cleared the right field fence off reliever Josh Copeland topped off a six-run inning for the Tigers (42-16-1). It also helped LSU match the school record 19-game winning streak set by the 1997 team.
Seeking their first tournament title since 2000, the Tigers will meet the Vanderbilt-Mississippi winner tomorrow. They have come from behind to win all three games at Regions Park.
Dean, who had a two-run single and went 3-for-5, also hit the
game-winning solo homer in the bottom of the 10th to beat South Carolina on Wednesday.
The Crimson Tide (34-26) had scored six straight runs after falling behind 3-0 and nearly rallied again. Josh Rutledge's two-run single in the bottom of the eighth cut it to 10-8, but reliever Jared Bradford got two straight groundouts to keep the lead intact.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
