LSU completes the Sunday sweep of Wofford and North Carolina, pulling out an 8-4 win over the Tar Heels to stay alive and force a winner-take-all game seven in the Chapel Hill Regional. With the win, LSU improved to 43-22 on the season, while the Tar Heels fell to 44-14.
Monday’s game will be at 5 p.m. CT to decide who advances out of the region and into the Super Regional round.
Left fielder Josh Pearson carried over his outstanding performance on Sunday afternoon against Wofford into the game against North Carolina with a two-RBI home run, while Hayden Travinski also homered in the win. The Tigers’ bats were in total control throughout the game against UNC, ending with 11 hits from eight different players. Steven Milam ended the game with three hits and two RBIs, further showing he’s one of the hottest bats on the team this postseason.
On the mound, it was a quality outing from Thatcher Hurd, going 5.2 innings allowing six hits and two runs with six strikeouts and zero walks. Fidel Ulloa, Kade Anderson, and Gavin Guidry all stepped up to pitch the final three innings in the win. Guidry was able to get out of tough situations at the end of the eighth and ninth innings to help seal the win.
Now, the challenge for the Tigers comes in piecing together a game seven tomorrow having already played four games. Of course, Gage Jump, Luke Holman, Griffin Herring, and Thatcher Hurd are all unavailable, leaving Nate Ackenhausen and Kade Anderson, as the only two pitchers who have thrown more than 25 innings this year available. With Christian Little out, the task of piecing together one final game becomes challenging, but at this point in the year, it’s all hands on deck.
“This is a great regional.” Jay Johnson said on Saturday Long Island, hats off to them with how they played last night. The other three teams are really good teams. There’s no carpet ride to the supers anymore. Home or on the road, doesn’t matter.”
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