First pitch was pushed back nearly three hours because there were thunderstorms in the area. Once the game started just before 8 PM, the Tigers jumped on West Virginia, scoring six runs in the first two innings, and then six runs in the seventh inning for a 12-5 win over the Mountaineers.
Magic Moment: West Virginia seized the momentum by getting within two runs after falling behind 6-0. The Tigers were the visitors in this game, and in the seventh inning, Daniel Dickinson hit a pop-up behind the second baseman Gavin Kelly, who could not catch it. It was the second time Kelly could not field a pop up.
Relief pitcher Chase Meyer walked and hit the next two batters. After a pitching change, Chris Stanfield hit one the other way through the infield for a two-run single and an 8-4 Tigers lead.
LSU also scored on a throwing error by WVU shortstop Brodie Kresser.
The Mountaineers committed three errors on Sunday night. They committed 13 errors in the NCAA Baseball Tournament. WVU’s struggles in the field this season was a storyline going into the series.
Stevan Milam added to the rally with an RBI double. Milam had 4 RBIs on the night. Jake Brown capped off the six-run seventh inning with a laser over the center field wall for a two-run home run that traveled 417 feet.
5-run 2nd inning: After scoring a run in the first inning, LSU scored five runs in the second inning, all after two outs. With two outs, Chris Stanfield walked, Derek Curiel walked, followed by an Ethan Frey walk.
That set up another postseason moment for Milam. Monster lined a double down the right field line, scoring all three runners. Jake Brown singled home Milam. Brown scored when Jared Jones hit a mile-high pop-up behind Kelly, who couldn’t get underneath it, and the ball fell in shallow center field for an RBI single.
The runs were scored off West Virginia starter Jack Kartsonas. West Virginia coach Steve Sabins said Kartsonas was under the weather earlier in the week and the heat and humidity left Karstonas with less than his best stuff.
Anthony Eyanson’s night: Eyanson started strong, three scoreless innings, striking out the first four hitters he faced, and he ran his scoreless inning streak to 18.1 innings.
But in the fourth inning, Eyanson allowed two home runs, including one to Ben Lumsden, for his second home run of the season.
It was Eyanson’s 32nd career start and only the second time he’s given up two home runs in a ball game. Eyanson had allowed just four home runs all season heading into this start.
In the fifth inning, West Virginia scored another run, pushing his pitch count to 99 pitches. Eyanson faced one batter in the sixth inning; he hit him and that was it.
Cooper Williams: Big-time performance from freshman left-hander Cooper Williams. He entered the game in the bottom of the sixth inning after Eyanson hit the lead-off man. Williams got a ground out, a pop out, and a strikeout to end the inning and preserve a two-run lead.
Williams also pitched a perfect seventh inning and got the first two outs in the eighth inning, before exiting after giving up a solo home run.
Williams ERA on the season is 1.83 in 19.2 innings pitched and he’s certainly a guy Johnson will count on in Omaha.
Up Next: LSU will play Arkansas in the opening round of the College World Series. It will be a huge matchup as they will be the best two teams in Omaha and because of how the tournament played out, they ended up facing each other in the opening round.
The Tigers took two of three from the Hogs when they met a month ago.
UCLA, Oregon State, Louisville, Arizona, and Coastal Carolina.
The Duke-Murray State is the only Super Regional Series not decided.
Comments