LSU forced a deciding winner-take-all game after defeating Oregon 4-1 at the NCAA Eugene Regional on Sunday night. LSU will now face host Oregon again in the regional championship on Monday.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
LSU scored first as Dylan Crews led off the game with a double to right field off of Oregon’s Brett Walker. Zach Arnold then singled to shortstop which gave the Tigers runners on the corners with no outs.
Tre Morgan drove in Crews with a fielder’s choice as the Ducks opted to get Arnold out at second base. Morgan was then picked off at first base and the inning ended with Gavin Dugas striking out.
Oregon tied the game in the bottom of the third.
Gavin Grant led off with a single up the middle and Tanner Smith singled through the right side. Both runners advanced one base on an error.
Kenyon Yovan’s sacrifice fly scored Grant.
Javen Coleman managed to get out of the inning by striking out Aaron Zavala and having Gabe Matthews ground out.
LSU retook the lead with a pair of runs by Dugas.
Dugas led off the fourth with a home run and then hit a one-out triple in the sixth, and scored on a fielding error by the left fielder.
LSU would add another run in the eighth when Crews led off with a home run over the left field wall.
BIG NUMBER: 3
After losing its first game of the regional on Friday, LSU has forced a winner-take-all game by winning three straight elimination games.
PLAYERS OF THE GAME: Gavin Dugas & Javen Coleman
Dugas led the Tigers by going 3-for-4 with 2 runs scored, double, triple and home run. Coleman meanwhile came into the game and pitched well giving up one run on three hits while striking out six.
UP NEXT: LSU will face host Oregon for the NCAA Eugene Regional championship Monday. First pitch at 9 p.m.