1. WHAT WE LEARNED
At LSU, they still remember how to play Geauxrilla Ball. Oregon State can play, too, but the Tigers did it just a little better in a tense, stretched-out regional winner’s bracket game Sunday. LSU belted five home runs, including one from nine-hole hitter Josh Pearson, just his second of the season, to outbash the Beavers 6-5. The Tigers scored all their runs via the long ball, letting LSU party like it was 1997.
2. TRENDING NOW
The weather. What else? The Baton Rouge regional, like so many NCAA regionals at LSU before it, has been muddied by bad weather. Saturday, they had to abandon the Tulane-Sam Houston State game after a six-hour delay. Sunday, lightning and heavy rain forced a three-hour delay before the LSU-Oregon State game could resume. Because a team can’t play three games in one day, there’s a chance this one bleeds over into Tuesday. Alex Box Dome, anyone?
3. FINAL THOUGHTS
With ace pitcher Paul Skenes used up, it was important that the Tigers stay in the winner’s bracket to conserve their pitching. Thatcher Hurd helped LSU do that, throwing five key innings after starter Ty Floyd was lost to the long rain delay. Now LSU has as many pitching options as it could hope to have needing just one more win to reach the super regional. Maybe even Skenes for one key out?
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