RSS
Home
LSU wins College World Series with blowout victory
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
Is it a little strange that two teams who are so evenly matched only played one game in a three game series that was remotely close?
The Louisiana State Tigers, and Texas Longhorns matched up tonight in the final game of a best of three series with nothing on the line but the College Baseball National Championship Trophy.
After LSU rallied from two down in the ninth, and to win in 11 innings in the opener, most people probably thought all three games would be drama filled from beginning to end. Instead, Texas bounced back with a dominating 5-1 victory in game two, setting up tonight's showdown, which LSU dominated early, then dominated late to win their sixth national title, and first since legendary coach Skip Bertman retired.
The Tigers got on the board in the top of the first, after initially looking like they would go down quietly, as Texas starting pitcher Cole Green retired the first two batters he saw. The train started to come off the rails when Green plunked Blake Dean, and Sean Ochinko followed with a single, but it flew off the tracks when Jared Mitchell blasted a 2-2 pitch over the right field fence, giving the Bayou Bengals a 3-0 lead.
Texas attempted a rally of its own in the bottom of the first frame, loading the bases with two out, but Kevin Keyes swung and missed at Anthony Ranaudo's 1-2 pitch to end the inning.
LSU tacked on their fourth run courtesy of Ryan Schimpf's RBI single that brought DJ LaMahieu around to score, and it appeared they were off to the races.
In the bottom of the third, Texas began to do what it does best, scoring two runs in the less unconventional manner of an RBI fielder's choice by Cameron Rupp, and a bases loaded walk by Preston Clark. Again with the sacks full, and two out, the Longhorns failed to add on, when Ranaudo got Brandon Loy to ground out to shortstop Austin Nola to end the inning.
With reliever Brandon Workman putting out the fire of the Tigers' bats, Texas managed to tie the game at four in the bottom of the fifth thanks to a Kevin Keyes two run shot that probably convinced most it was the Longhorns' game to lose based on their history throughout this post season.
Instead the rally seemed to wake the slumbering Tigers, and aided by poor pitching and shaky defense, LSU score five runs in the top of the sixth with the benefit of just two hits. Mikie Mahtook had just one hit in the most important game of his life, but it was a crucial one, as his RBI double drove Jared Mitchell home, and opened the floodgates on Texas' nightmare inning.
With the score 9-4, LSU did what they've done every chance they've had in Omaha by putting away an opponent that was on the ropes. An insurance run in the eighth thanks to a sac fly by Schimpf, and a solo home run in the ninth by Ochinko were just the icing on the cake for a team that lost just one game in their entire post season, and National Title run.
Down seven In the bottom of the ninth, Texas could find no comeback magic, as LSU used ace pitcher Louis Coleman to mow down Cameron Rupp, Kevin Keyes, and Connor Rowe all on strikeouts after the leadoff hitter, Russell Moldenhauer walked to lead off the inning.
It seemed like an odd ending for a team that had fought so consistently throughout the playoffs, to see their season come to a close with a whimper, and not a bang.
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
.jpg)
