Just when you thought the College World Series couldn't get any better, it did. Last night's LSU-Texas tilt, the opener of the championship series was a classic. The Tigers prevailed 7-6 in extra innings.
Ryan Schimpf got it started early for LSU, crushing a homer as the game's second batter. (The junior is only about 5-9, but he packs a ton of punch, and he's a good 5th-round pick for the Blue Jays.) Texas took Louis Coleman deep three times in the 4th inning, though, to dramatically shift the momentum. Travis Tucker, Russell Moldenhauer, and Kevin Keyes all hit solo shots. UT starter Chance Ruffin was on his game, fanning 10 and leaving with a 3-1 lead with 2 outs in the 6th.
Augie Garrido's choice to bring in LHP Austin Wood at that point, however, backfired. The Tigers brought Jared Mitchell, a lefty-swinger with a much lower average versus same-siders, to the plate with runners at the corners. Mitchell stayed on an outside offering beautifully and laced it into the left-center gap for a 2-run triple.
The teams kept trading homers until it was 6-4 Texas heading into the 9th. LSU got a couple of baserunners off Longhorn RHP Austin Dicharry, but Texas still seemed to be in control with 2 outs. At that point, LSU turned to D.J. LeMahieu, and he came up clutch, turning on a Dicharry changeup to deliver a game-tying double. (LeMahieu had a great day overall, going 2-for-4 with a homer and a stolen base.)
In the 11th freshman Mikie Mahtook lined a go-ahead RBI single to center off Texas reliever Brandon Workman. Mahtook was battling cramps and struggling to catch up to Workman's mid-90s heat, but he stayed back on a curve to get the big base-hit. LSU freshman closer Matty Ott worked 3 scoreless, hitless innings of relief to pick up the win. Texas hit 5 homers in the game, but they were all of the solo variety, ensuring that the Longhorns came up just short. They'll go with Taylor Jungmann tomorrow with their season on the line. LSU, which is resilient and seemingly unbeatable right now, will play for a national championship. Now this is Omaha.
Mikie Mahtook shook off 3 Ks to come up clutch late in the game tonight
*Photo courtesy of www.lsusports.net
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