NEW ORLEANS, La. – Tulane right-hander J.P. France limited eighth-ranked LSU to one run through 7.1 innings Tuesday night to lead the 20^th-ranked Green Wave to a 4-1 win over the Tigers at Turchin Stadium.

Tulane improved to 27-13 with the win, while LSU dropped to 27-14.

LSU opens a three-game SEC series at 6 p.m. CT Thursday against Ole Miss in Oxford, Miss. The game will be televised on the SEC Network, and it can be heard on affiliates of the LSU Sports Radio Network.

France (4-1) threw 102 pitches, allowing one run on six hits with one walk and six strikeouts.

“We just weren’t able to solve him,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “He threw strikes with his fastball and curveball. I thought we hit three balls good early in the game. With the wind blowing like it was I thought they might carry out the park, but they didn’t. We just didn’t make a lot of hard contact after that. It just wasn’t our night.

“The result wasn’t what we were looking for tonight. I think the kids were out there doing the best they can, and it just didn’t work out. We have to move forward because we have a very important series coming up in less than two days at Ole Miss.”

LSU starter Doug Norman (1-1) was charged with the loss, as he allowed one run on three hits in 3.2 innings with two walks and one strikeout. 

Tulane grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning as shortstop Lex Kaplan reached on a fielder’s choice, moved to third on third baseman Hunter Hope’s double and scored on a groundout by first baseman Hunter Williams.

The Green Wave added two runs in the fifth against LSU reliever Caleb Gilbert, as designated hitter Jeremy Montalbano delivered an RBI single and an LSU fielding error allowed the second run to score.

Tulane increased the advantage to 4-0 in the sixth on a solo homer by second baseman Jake Willsey against LSU reliever Jesse Stallings. The homer was Willsey’s sixth of the season.

LSU scored a run in the eighth when designated hitter Bryce Jordan scored from third on a bases-loaded balk by Tulane left-handed reliever Sam Bjornjeld.

The Tigers had runners on second and third with one out, but Bjornjeld struck out centerfielder Jake Fraley. Right-hander Patrick Duester relieved Bjornjeld, and he fanned catcher Jordan Romero to end the inning.

Duester pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn his second save of the season.