The LSU Tigers defeated Oregon State 6-5 on Sunday night to advance to Monday’s Regional Championship. The win means LSU will need just one win over the winner of Sam Houston and Oregon State. The game had delays, but LSU weathered the storm and came away with a close victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
LSU started Ty Floyd on the mound. Floyd was pretty solid early on in this contest, although he did give up a solo home run in the third inning to Travis Bazzana. After that third inning, the lightning and rain showed up at Alex Box Stadium and this game went into a long delay.
After the delay, LSU went to Thatcher Hurd. He did give up two runs in his first inning, one on a home run by Brady Kasper and one on an error. After that, Oregon State led 3-0 and every run scored after that point would be via the home run.
First, Dylan Crews hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth. Then, Hayden Travinski and Cade Beloso hit back-to-back home runs to give LSU the lead at 4-3. Josh Pearson added a solo shot to make it 5-3.
At this point, Oregon State battled back, as Gavin Turley launched a two-run home run to tie things up at five in the seventh inning. That was off of Hurd, who ended up giving LSU five innings, striking out twelve and allowing four runs.
The deciding swing of this game then came in the bottom of the eighth. Brayden Jobert stepped up and delivered a no-doubter to center field which gave the Tigers a 6-5 lead that they would not relinquish. Gavin Guidry came on for the ninth and got the save.
BIG NUMBER: 12
Thatcher Hurd gave LSU twelve strikeouts in a relief appearance. That was a huge effort, especially after Ty Floyd could not return after the rain delay.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Brayden Jobert
Jobert came up big in the clutch on Sunday. His home run in the eighth was the difference as LSU remained in the winner’s bracket of the Baton Rouge Regional.
UP NEXT: LSU will face the winner of Oregon State and Sam Houston tomorrow. The Tigers will need just one win while the opposition will need to win two in a row to claim the Regional.