OMAHA, Neb. — Before LSU left Charles Schwab Field, coach Jay Johnson gathered the players in the dugout.
Johnson had been here before and wanted them to know the season had not ended because they were suddenly in the loser’s bracket at the College World Series.
In 2016, his Arizona team dropped a one-run game and advanced to the championship series. A year later, LSU lost here and still managed to play for a national title.
Neither team hoisted a trophy at the end, but Johnson used both examples to remind his players they at least overcame the losses. As deflated as they felt Monday night in the aftermath of a 3-2 loss to Wake Forest, they could still advance.
“I have all the faith in the world in our team that we can do that, so let’s stick to what we do,” Johnson said. “If we do that well, then we’ll be in a good spot.”
But LSU now sits in a tough spot. The Tigers play again at 6 p.m. Tuesday in an elimination game against Tennessee. Even if they win, they have to beat Wake Forest, the No. 1 overall seed, on consecutive days to reach the championship series.
It will require timely hits, good pitching and clean defense. The Tigers have no room for error. Their season now hangs in the balance, while Wake Forest gets to wait an extra day with control of this side of the bracket.
“It would be very easy to crawl into the hole with disappointment,” Johnson said. “That was a great college baseball game that we came up on the short end of the stick.”
LSU had an early 2-0 lead, but the Demon Deacons tied the game in the sixth as LSU starter Ty Floyd’s command wavered and the strike zone shrunk. He walked the bases loaded, and Wake Forest third baseman Brock Wilken singled up the middle off Thatcher Hurd. The Demon Deacons scored again before Hurd ended the inning.
The score held there, and LSU had a chance to take the lead in the eighth. Tre’ Morgan hit a leadoff double. He advanced to third on an error. With runners on the corners and no outs, Wake Forest coach Tom Walter said the Demon Deacons were going to concede the run if designated hitter Cade Beloso hit a double-play ball up the middle.
Beloso, a typical pull hitter, hit a sharp grounder down the third base line.
With LSU having a “red” call on, Morgan ran on contact. He tried to put himself in the way. Wilken double-clutched before he threw home. The ball beat Morgan. Wake Forest catcher Bennett Lee applied the tag inches before Morgan’s hand landed on the plate.
Out. Chance wasted.
“As soon as the ball was hit, I took off,” Morgan said. “I knew he was going to have an awkward throw, so I tried to get a little bit over to get in the way. He made a great play.”
Gavin Dugas then hit into an inning-ending double play. And in the bottom of the frame, Wake Forest designated hitter Danny Corona doubled into right field. He scored on a single from Lee.
“They got a clutch hit there at the end,” Johnson said, “and we did not.”
In a tight game between the only teams that have been ranked No. 1 in the country this season, those at-bats made the difference. Sometimes in baseball, especially in the College World Series, that’s all it takes to put a season on the brink.
Instead of having a clear path toward the championship series, LSU must now travel the difficult road. As Johnson said, there is precedent.
The last time LSU came to the College World Series in 2017, it lost this same game 13-1 to Oregon State, the No. 1 overall seed and what Johnson called one of the best teams in modern baseball history. The Tigers beat Florida State. Then they knocked off the Beavers twice.
This path will tax the pitchers. Johnson said LSU has nine available against Tennessee after only throwing Floyd and Hurd on Monday night. The Tigers have to use whoever they can to win that game, then think about the next and possibly the one after that.
They are on the difficult road now. It has been traveled before to at least reach the championship series, but that doesn’t make it any easier to follow.
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