Tigers Advance To The College World Series
It was anything but a pitcher's duel in game 2 of the Baton Rouge Super Regional but the LSU Tigers would come back and explode for 14 runs to advance to the College World Series in Omaha. The game was riddled with late starts, rain delays, and pitching changes that didn't until 1:36 AM. The win improves their winning streak to 16 games and they have won 21 of their last 23 games.
The game started later than scheduled and that may have affected Mississippi State's pitching as they gave up 2 runs in the 1st inning without recording an out in the game. The Bulldogs would bring in a relief pitcher after the starter only faced 4 batters in the game and the Tigers would add another run in the 3rd as Michael Papierski would score on a balk.
LSU starting pitcher Jared Poche seemed to have good stuff the first two innings but would lose control in the 3rd inning as the Bulldogs would come roaring back and score 4 runs in the inning to take the lead. The Bulldogs would start the scoring on a 2-run homerun by Harrison Bragg, then they would add 2 more on bases loaded singles.
The Bulldogs' lead wouldn't last long though as the Tigers would retake the lead in the top of the 5th inning exploding for 6 runs on just 3 hits. The first 2 runs would come off of a 2-run double by Papierski and Jake Slaughter would add a run on an RBI single and would eventually score on an RBI double by Kramer Robertson. Papierski and Robertson would both score as well.
The Tigers would load the bases in the 9th and Robertson would add another RBI as he was hit by a pitch and Cole Freeman would add 2 more runs on an RBI double to add three more runs to their lead. Antoine Duplantis would add 2 more runs to the Tigers lead on a 2-RBI single to finish off their half of the 9th.
The Tigers have now beaten the Bulldogs for the 5th time this season and they will face off against the Florida State Seminoles in the first round of the College World Series this weekend.