More unlikely heroes as LSU stays alive
A grizzled veteran, who was not even sure he wanted to play another season, and two rookies combined to keep LSU alive in the College World Series on Wednesday night.
Cade Beloso, who missed nearly all of last season because of knee surgery, hit a three-run homer and freshmen Griffin Herring and Gavin Guidry combined for six scoreless innings in relief as the Tigers defeated Wake Forest 5-2 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha.
With the victory, LSU forced a one-game, winner-take-all matchup with the Demon Deacons on Thursday night. The winner of that game will face Florida in the best-of-three CWS finals beginning Saturday.
As was the case one night earlier against Tennessee, the Tigers were at what appeared to be a starting pitching disadvantage. Javen Coleman got the start for LSU against Seth Keener, who had eight victories and an ERA slightly above 2.15.
Coleman was not as effective as Nate Ackenhausen had been against the Volunteers. Coleman was lifted after facing nine batters with five reaching base – four on walks. Blake Money relieved Coleman and allowed a two-run single in the second.
After getting a force out, Money was replaced by Herring. With two runners on base, Herring recorded an inning-ending strikeout. That play changed the momentum of the game.
The Tigers cut their deficit in half in the bottom of the inning on a RBI double by Brayden Jobert. That hit brought home Beloso, who had walked. Josh Pearson’s ground out with two runners on base prevented LSU from tying the score then.
But, the Tigers went to work in the next inning. Walks to Dylan Crews and Gavin Dugas, sandwiched around an infield single by Tre Morgan, loaded the bases. After Crews scored on a wild pitch, Beloso smashed his three-run homer into the right field seats to give LSU a 5-2 lead.
There was no more scoring in the game. Herring and then Guidry shut down the Wake Forest hitters. Herring escaped a two-on, two-out jam in the fifth with a strikeout. In the seventh, Herring gave up a leadoff single and hit a batter. After getting a force out, Herring was relieved by Guidry.
Facing two right-handed hitters in the heart of the Wake Forest lineup, Guidry registered a pair of strikeouts to maintain the Tigers’ three-run lead. Herring gave up three hits with one walk and six strikeouts in 4.2 innings.
It would have been quite the story if Guidry could have finished the game, but such was not the case. Guidry was touched for two singles with two outs in the eighth. Coach Jay Johnson went to his safety blanket Riley Cooper to wrap up the victory.
Cooper, who threw three innings one night earlier against Tennessee, ended the eighth with a line drive to third baseman Tommy White. Cooper walked the leadoff hitter in the ninth before getting two strikeouts and a ground out.
So, the Tigers have won two elimination games without a pitch being thrown by Paul Skenes or Ty Floyd or Thatcher Hurd. LSU gave up a total of two runs in victories over Tennessee and Wake Forest. Ackenhausen, Cooper, Herring and Guidry combined for 16.1 scoreless innings.
Now, it’s the rubber game of what has turned out to be a three-game series between LSU and Wake Forest, the only two teams who have been ranked No. 1 in the country this year. The one question involves Skenes. Will Johnson start Skenes on four days’ rest? The answer will be known shortly.
2023 College World Series 8 Team Bats Tee
from: Alumni Hall 
LSU 2023 College World Series Stacked Odds Tee
from: Alumni Hall