It took a while for the bats to wake up for LSU, but they woke up in a big way late to help the Tigers take down Rice 5-2 to advance to the Super Regionals.
Connor Teykl got the Owls on the board with a double to left field in the bottom of the first that would score Grayson Lewis.
Hunter Kopycinski made it 2-0 in the bottom of the second with an RBI single through the left side.
The game would remain 2-0 until the top of the seventh when the Tigers began to rally with Bryce Jordan hitting a sac fly that would score Jake Fraley to cut the lead in half. Later in the inning, Greg Deichmann gave LSU the lead with a two-run blast to center field.
LSU would put the game away in the eighth with a solo shot to left field from Mike Papierski and an RBI double to right center field later in the inning.
Jared Poche’ got the win in relief, improving to 9-4 on the year throwing six shutout innings, allowing only one hit, and striking out six.
The Tigers will stay at the Box this weekend with Coastal Carolina coming over for the Super Regional with first pitch on Saturday set for 8 pm.
-Clint Domingue