Those who call Omaha home, say today is one of the hottest days they can remember. Hot and humid. I'm sure those fans from south Louisiana who thought they were getting away from the heat are a little shocked that Omaha can get this muggy. I am. How hot is it? Ran into four students from LSU who told me they had to stop drinking beer and down a few a bottles of water in order to make it to first pitch. That's hot!
Watch how patient the LSU hitters will be. Paul Mainieri has said he doesn't like his team to take strikes, but every arm on the Texas staff can put tons of movement on every pitch, especially Chance Ruffin. The first time through the lineup, LSU could watch several called strikes.
Texas starter Chance Ruffin said in yesterday press conference, he noticed that LSU "smashes the ball." He saw first hand just how much. Ryan Schimpf blasts the fourth pitch of the game over the right field wall. Middle of 1st - LSU 1, Texas 0
The humid conditions seemed to add a little extra something to Louis Coleman's fastball. He was hitting 93 mph on the gun. End of 1: LSU 1, Texas 0
Coleman allows a leadoff hit... but then gets a line out, a pop out and strikeout to end the inning. After 2 - LSU 1, Texas 0
LSU wastes another leadoff single. But Coleman keeps Texas off the bases completely. End of 3 - LSU 1, Texas 0
Coleman leaves one out and a dude who had just two home runs all season goes deep. That's what makes Texas scary. They just chip away and stick around. Texas adds two more solo shots in the inning. It's the first crooked number of the game. But LSU only trails 3-1 heading into the 5th.
LSU strands another base runner. Coleman spins his way out the 5th with a great slider. End of 5 - Texas 3 LSU 1
Texas head coach Augie Garrido pulls his starter, brings in lefty specialist Austin Wood. This is the same guy who threw 13 1/3 hitless innings back in the regional against Wake Forest. Mitchell has been popping Ruffin pretty good. The move makes a little more sense now. I still don't agree with it. But what do I know? Garrido has won more than 1700 career games.
Jared Mitchell doubles home two off of Wood. Garrido's move backfires. He has also lost more than 780 games. Middle of the 6th - LSU 3, Texas 3
Huge inning for Texas in the 6th. They take out their starter who was mowing down LSU, give up the lead, take the lead back and LSU up against the ropes heading into the 7th. When trailing after 6 innings this year, LSU is 5-14. End of 6th Texas 5, LSU 3
DJ LeMahieu flips his wrists and puts one out to get LSU to within one, 5-4. Coleman back on teh mound for the 7th. He needs a quick inning and some more run support.
Instead, Coleman quickly gave up another jack and is pulled for Chad Jones. The LSU safety/lefty specialist goes three up, three down. But another answer for Texas. End of 7 - Texas 6, LSU 4
LSU is down to one more at bat. They get a walk in the top fo the 8th... but then nothing else. Chad Jones will stay on to pitch the 8th. Jones was pulled, however, before he made a pitch. Paul Bertuccini is now in. He keeps Texas off the board. End of 8th - Texas 6, LSU 4
LSU gets the go-ahead run to the plate in the top of the 9th. DJ LeMahieu ties the game with a two-out, 2 RBI double. Augie Garrido then elected to walk Ryan Schimpf to get to one of the most clutch hitters in LSU history, Blake Dean. The gamble worked. Mid 9th - Texas 6, LSU 6
Texas has had an answer every time LSU had gained the momentum. Not this time. Matty Ott hits a batter but then shuts UT down. End of 9th - tied at 6
LSU has now left nine runners on base. The three biggest came in the top of the 10th. Bases loaded, 1 out... no runs for the Tigers. Advantage: Texas
Matty Ott shuts down UT in the 10th. Mike Mahtook singles home DJ LeMahieu to give LSU a 7-6 lead heading into the bottom of the 11th.
Matty Ott threw like a big leaguer that final inning. Confident and sharp. LSU is one winaway from the program's 6th national title.
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