The LSU Tigers defeated the Texas Longhorns Monday night in Game One of the best-of-three finals at the Men’s College World Series (CWS), held in Omaha, Nebraska.
The 7-6 victory occurred in the 11th inning of a hard-fought battle between the two teams, lasting more than four hours.
LSU’s D.J. LeMahieu started off the top of the 11th with a walk. With two outs, he stole second, and reached third after a throwing error by Texas catcher Cameron Rupp. Mikie Mahtook stepped up for his team, driving a single into center that scored LeMahieu and gave LSU the 7-6 lead.
Texas was hoping for another thrilling walk off win, but LSU closer Matty Ott retired the next three Texas hitters, giving the Tigers the win.
The warm weather was stifling, with a game-time heat index of 107 degrees, leading to members of both teams battling muscle cramps throughout the game.
Play was stopped in the bottom of the sixth inning so that the LSU training staff could attend to freshman center fielder Mikie Mahtook in the field.
Even the umpires could not escape the heat. After pitchers were having trouble with wet baseballs in the 8th, both coaches decided to have all baseballs come from the dugouts since the sack the umpire used to house them was soaked with sweat.
Home Run Power
The game started off with a bang when Ryan Schimpf, the second batter of the game, homered to right field off of Texas starter Chance Ruffin. Ruffin calmed down, striking out the next two LSU hitters to end the inning.
The Texas offense came alive in the bottom of the fourth inning. Travis Tucker started the inning off with a solo home run to left field. Russell Moldenhauer followed up one batter later and crushed a solo shot to deep center. After a long fly out to right center, Kevin Keyes stepped up to the plate and belted the third solo home run of the inning. Texas took the lead 3-1.
Chance Ruffin left the game in the top of the sixth, having only given up the one home run and striking out 10 LSU batters. The heat appeared to get to him as he was showing signs of cramping in the Texas dugout.
Reliever Austin Wood entered the game and gave up a triple to Jared Mitchell, scoring two runs to even the score at three runs apiece.
Texas answered in the bottom of the sixth inning when Russell Moldenhauer hit his second solo home run of the game. Kevin Keyes later scored on a wild pitch, the only Texas run not scored by a home run. Texas ended the 6th leading 5-3.
DJ LeMahieu brought life back to the LSU bench with a 2 out solo home run in the top of the 7th, bringing LSU to within one run, 5-4.
Connor Rowe continued the solo home run parade for Texas by leading off the bottom of the seventh with the fifth Texas home run of the game. With that swing, Louis Colman left the game for LSU.
Only three outs away from winning the first game of the series, the Texas relievers ran into trouble. Taylor Jungmann came in for relief of Austin Wood and threw six straight balls. He was pulled in favor of Austin Dicharry, who gave up a double to DJ LeMahieu, scoring two runs and tying the game at six apiece.
Extra Innings
The bottom of the ninth started with Tim Maitland getting hit by a pitch, putting the winning run on base. Connor Rowe laid down a sacrifice bunt, moving the winning run into scoring position. Texas was unable to convert and the game went into extra innings,
the first extra-inning Championship game since 2003.
LSU gave Texas a scare by loading the bases with only one out in the top of the 10th but pitcher Brandon Workman came in and struck out the next two LSU batters, getting out of the jam.
Texas was unable to provide any offense in the bottom of the 10th and the game would continue to the 11th, where Mahtook’s single proved enough to seal the victory for LSU.
LSU and Texas combined for seven solo home runs in the game, a College World Series Record.
LSU will try for its sixth title tomorrow against Texas at 6pm CST at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Nebraska; Texas is going for its seventh title.
If Texas manages a win today, a third Championship game will be played on Wednesday.
This is Texas’ thirty-third CWS appearance - the most all time - and the fifteenth appearance for LSU.
