Paul Skenes takes the mound for the LSU Tigers as this program laces up their cleats in a win or go home contest against Wake Forest.
The Demon Deacons will roll out their ace, Rhett Lowder, for the matchup in Omaha, making it one of the most anticipated pitching battles in college baseball this season.
The winner of tonight's game will face the Florida Gators in the College World Series Finals with first pitch scheduled for Saturday at 6pm on ESPN.
Here are a few pregame notes, what Jay Johnson said of the matchup and live updates from Thursday's showdown.
Notes
- LSU is in the NCAA Tournament for the 11th straight season and for the 35th time overall .... LSU has six national championships (1991, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2009), the second-most in NCAA history ... the Tigers were an NCAA Tournament Top 8 National Seed for an NCAA-record six straight seasons (2012-17) ... LSU is a Top 8 National Seed this season (No. 5) for the first time since the 2017 Tigers were the No. 4 National Seed ... LSU has the second-highest all-time NCAA Tournament winning percentage (.707, 169-70).
-LSU is participating in its 19th College World Series, and its first since 2017, when the Tigers finished as the national runners-up to Florida ... LSU is 41-27 (.603) all-time in CWS games, including a 7-3 mark in CWS championship games/series.
-The Wake Forest pitching staff has a 2.82 cumulative ERA with 748 strikeouts in 554.2 innings … the staff is allowing a .204 cumulative opponent batting average.
What Jay Johnson Said
“Wake Forest is a great team; their talent is exceptional and their style of play is really good. They have a lot of options on the mound and a really good identity at the plate. We’re really looking forward to this game.
“They have dominated from the pitcher’s mound, and they’ve hit with a lot of power. They know what they’re doing; they can execute the small game if they need to. They play extremely hard, and they definitely mirror our team in that regard.”
Pregame
LSU's Starting Lineup:
CF Dylan Crews
3B Tommy White
1B Tre Morgan
2B Gavin Dugas
DH Cade Beloso
RF Brayden Jobert
SS Jordan Thompson
LF Josh Pearson
C Alex Milazzo
RHP Paul Skenes
Wake Forest's Starting Lineup:
CF Tommy Hawke
LF Lucas Costello
3B Brock Wilken
RF Pierce Bennett
DH Danny Corona
2B Justin Johnson
C Bennett Lee
1B Jack Winnay
SS Marek Houston
RHP Rhett Lowder
(1B Nick Kurtz has been scratched from the lineup minutes before the first pitch with a rib injury. Kurtz, who has 24 home runs and a .527 OBP, is replaced by Jack Winnay.)
*Refresh for Updates*
Live Updates
Top First
Paul Skenes (LSU) pitching
Hawke: Fly out to center field
Costello: Fly out to left field
Wilken: Strikeout
Bottom First
Rhett Lowder (WF) pitching
Crews: Single to shortstop
White: Strikeout
Morgan: Groundout to first base, Crews advances to second base
Dugas: Groundout to third base
Score Update: LSU 0, WF 0
Top Second
Paul Skenes (LSU) pitching
Bennett: Groundout to third base
Corona: Strikeout
Johnson: Strikeout
Bottom Second
Rhett Lowder (WF) pitching
Beloso: Walk
Jobert: Grounds into double play, Beloso out at second base
Thompson: Groundout to shortstop
Score Update: LSU 0, WF 0
Top Third
Paul Skenes (LSU) pitching
Lee: Strikeout
Winnay: Single to left field
Houston: Reaches first base on fielders choice, Winnay out at second base
Hawke: Fouled out to third base
Bottom Third
Rhett Lowder (WF) pitching
Pearson: Groundout to first base
Milazzo: Groundout to shortstop
Crews: Groundout to second base
Score Update: LSU 0, WF 0
Top Fourth
Paul Skenes (LSU) pitching
Costello: Fly out to right center
Wilken: Fly out to right field
Bennett: Fly out to left field
Bottom Fourth
Rhett Lowder (WF) pitching
White: Fly out to left field
Morgan: Strikeout
Dugas: Single to left field
Beloso: Strikeout
Score Update: LSU 0, WF 0
Top Fifth
Paul Skenes (LSU) pitching
Corona: Fly out to right field
Johnson: Double to right center field
Lee: Groundout to third base
Winnay: Groundout to first base
Bottom Fifth
Rhett Lowder (WF) pitching
Jobert: Strikeout
Thompson: Groundout to third base
Pearson: Fly out to center field
Score Update: LSU 0, WF 0
Top Sixth
Paul Skenes (LSU) pitching
Houston: Strikeout
Hawke: Strikeout
Costello: Groundout to third base
Bottom Sixth
Rhett Lowder (WF) pitching
Milazzo: Fouled out to first base
Crews: Groundout to second base
White: Double down the right field line
Dugas: Lined out to third base
Score Update: LSU 0, WF 0
Top Seventh
Paul Skenes (LSU) pitching
Wilken: Strikeout
Bennett: Fly out to right field
Corona: Strikeout
Bottom Seventh
Rhett Lowder (WF) pitching
Dugas: Walk
Beloso: Lined out to right field
Jobert: Strikeout
Thompson: Strikeout
Score Update: LSU 0, WF 0
Top Eighth
Paul Skenes (LSU) pitching
Johnson: Walk
Lee: Sacrifice bunt advances Johnson to second base, Lee out at first base
Winnay: Strikeout, advances to first base on wild pitch. Johnson advances to third base
Houston: Reaches first base on fielders choice, Winnay advances to second base. Johnson tagged out at home
Hawke: Lined out to left field
Bottom Eighth
Cole Roland (WF) pitching
Pearson: Walk
Milazzo: Sacrifice bunt advances Pearson to second base
*Pitching Change: Michael Massey enters the game for Wake Forest*
Crews: Strikeout
White: Intentionally walked
Morgan: Fly out to center field
Top Ninth
Thatcher Hurd (LSU) pitching
Costello: Groundout to second base
Wilken: Lined out to right field
Bennett: Groundout to second base
Bottom Ninth
Michael Massey (WF) pitching
Dugas: Strikeout
Beloso: Fouled out to third base
Jobert: Strikeout
Score Update: LSU 0, WF 0
Top 10th
Thatcher Hurd (LSU) pitching
Corona: Lined out to left field
Johnson: Lined out to second base
Lee: Lined out to center field
Bottom 10th
Michael Massey (WF) pitching
Thompson: Strikeout
Pearson: Fly out to right field
Milazzo: Strikeout
Top 11th
Thatcher Hurd (LSU) pitching
Winnay: Strikeout
Houston: Popped up to shortstop
Hawke: Single to third base
Costello: Walk
Wilken: Fly out to center field
Bottom 11th
Michael Massey (WF) pitching
Crews: Single to left field
*Pitching Change: Camden Minacci enters the game for Wake Forest*
White: Two-run homer to left field (LSU 2, WF 0)
FINAL LSU 2, WF 0
