If there was a chip on the shoulder of Oregon State heading into this game against LSU, I’d say it was more like a meteor the size Texas.
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OMAHA, Neb. – As the wheels spun wildly off the LSU bus Monday night in Oregon State’s 13-1 win over the Tigers, one could only question what must happen to shake these Beavers.
With the two hottest teams in the country on a collision course, something had to give. On the base paths, LSU was hurt by its own poor choices and by a missed call on the umpires.
Oregon State’s stars played like stars on Monday night. LSU’s Kramer Robertson is one of the surest hitters in the game. It surely didn’t, either, in this clash of programs with the nation’s longest winning streaks. If they win, they’ll move on to face Oregon State, who they’ll have to defeat on Friday and Saturday to advance to the final series of the College World Series.
A leadoff walk led to a pitching change and two more walks, loading the bases with one out for PAC 12 Player of the Year Nick Madrigal.
RALLY: Saturday’s win was LSU’s 21st comeback victory of the season. But Fullerton answered in the bottom of the frame with a Timmy Richards two-run shot to left center that landed in almost the exact same spot where he hit a three-run bomb in Game 1 on Saturday. Peterson was forced to throw to first after bobbling the ball, allowing Rutschman to score from third. Kwan walked to load the bases. Senior left-hander Jared Poche will start for LSU.
LSU had issues early in the game. From the first pitch, the Beavers were locked in, aggressive and largely in control.
Oregon State’s KJ Harrison is fired up rounding the bases after hitting a grand slam in the sixth. Walker and Gilbert were the only ones to work at least two innings. Walker, after his fourth pitch of the inning, backed away from the mound and looked into the LSU dugout. Walker who complained of forearm soreness last week, felt it again after throwing a pitch. “When Walker went out, it just put us behind the 8-ball”. Don’t get me wrong, OSU’s offense won them this game late, but Fehmel’s cool hand has steadied the Beavers over his last two starts.
In any case, Walker’s departure ushered in Caleb Gilbert, a capable replacement, and he immediately struck out the first two batters he faced, then forced a groundout to the shortstop for the third out. When he lost confidence in his ability to pitch on the corners, Casey said, Fehmel struggled. The Beavers led 8-0 after six innings. They will play Florida State on Wednesday, June 21 in Omaha.
Larnach followed with a two-out, two-strike, two-run single.
Monday night’s game is expected to be a very exciting battle between two of the College World Series favourites, with LSU coach Paul Mainieri bracing for “a complete blast”.
The Beavers went for blood against every subsequent Tigers’ pitcher, banging out 11 hits, including KJ Harrison greeting LSU reliever Hunter Newman with a first-pitch grand slam in OSU’s five-run sixth inning. I knew how hard it was to get here.
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LSU led off the bottom of the seventh with Zach Watson hitting a solo homer to get the Tigers on the scoreboard and avoid the shutout. It was only the second home run Newman has allowed in 100 innings he’s worked since 2015. The Beavers combined timely hitting with superb pitching to get a little closer to their ultimate goal.
