LSU Defeats Kentucky to Advance to Their 19th CWS

The Tigers of LSU dominated Kentucky in the first game of the three-game Super Regional, winning 14-0. The Tigers used the long ball to their advantage last night as they hit 6 home runs as a team. A scoreless 7 1/3 inning performance from their ace, Paul Skenes, sealed the deal on a blowout. The Tigers came into Sunday just one win away from clinching their 19^th College World Series appearance. Kentucky was looking to rebound after a tough performance in game one and take two from the Tigers.

Get our free mobile app

Kentucky came swinging as Jackson Gray gave the Wildcats the lead with a leadoff solo shot. The Tigers couldn’t get anything going their half of the first and after one the game was 1-0 in favor of Kentucky. The Tigers didn’t take long to respond as the outstanding Dylan Crews would put a ball in play with bases loaded to push a run across to tie the game up.

The Tigers came alive in the third inning as they had two runners with no outs as Cade Beloso came to the plate. Beloso continued the Tiger’s hot home run streak as he crushed a three-run blast to make it a 4-1 game. Tommy White would deliver a two-out RBI single to make a 4-run-inning and a 5-1 game.

https://twitter.com/lsubaseball/status/1668031590436593665?s=46&t=wH5vbARoNc8iT_031cvAoQ

The Wildcats didn’t let this game get out of hand like last night as they hung around with the long ball. Kentucky came in with only 51 home runs on year but a second solo shot from Burkes in the third made it a 5-2 game in the third. In the fourth, Kentucky added a third solo shot from McCarthy to cut the lead to 5-3. The Tigers kept it a two-run advantage with the help of its defense making plays like this.

https://twitter.com/lsubaseball/status/1668027845149605888?s=46&t=wH5vbARoNc8iT_031cvAoQ

The Tigers were able to create some distance in the top of the ninth as Dugas comes home on a wild pitch. one batter later, Dylan Crews delivered a two-run double to extend the lead to 8-3 heading into the bottom of the ninth.

https://twitter.com/lsubaseball/status/1668070881036468225?s=46&t=wH5vbARoNc8iT_031cvAoQ

https://twitter.com/lsubaseball/status/1668073947601207296?s=46&t=wH5vbARoNc8iT_031cvAoQ

https://twitter.com/lsubaseball/status/1668073630184669185?s=46&t=wH5vbARoNc8iT_031cvAoQ

That was all the Tigers needed to secure the spot in the CWS. This will make it their 19th appearance in the CWS, their first since 2018. The Tigers will await the winner of Southern Miss and Tennessee as the Vols forced a game three earlier today. C Tigers!