LSU baseball got a good night's sleep, then didn't miss a beat as they returned to Charles Schwab Field Tuesday morning to take down UCLA 9-5 and move just one win away from a trip to the title series.
The game began Monday evening with 7 combined runs in the first inning between both teams. The Bruins kicked things off with 3 runs, followed by a 4-spot from LSU in the bottle of the frame, highlighted by a three-run blast from Jared Jones. The skies opened up midway through the third inning and the game was suspended until 10 a.m. Tuesday.
Anthony Eyanson drew the start for LSU and held UCLA without a hit for three innings following the difficult opening frame. Casan Evans took over Tuesday and went 4 innings with 2 earned runs and 5 strikeouts. while largely quieting the UCLA bats and saving the bullpen. Both runs were allowed after he left the game. Chase Shores came on in a bases loaded jam with 2 outs in the 8th inning and got out of it on one pitch, then got the Bruins 1-2-3 to close things out in the 9th.
“Coach (Jay) Johnson had told me that once we got out of the delay that I would be on the mound, and then it got rolled over to today,” Evans said. “Just went back to the hotel and got ready for today. Woke up early. The mindset stays the same no matter when I come in the game, if I start or if I close. I was just going out there and doing my best to help my team win.”
Bruins starter Landon Stump was chased early in the third inning and LSU again feasted on bullpen arms.
“Just seemed like we were swimming upstream a little bit most of the game,” UCLA coach John Savage said. “Continuation game. We put up three and then they put up four. Then they come out and do a good job with two outs in the fourth, and they got two there. And it seemed like we were just trailing a little bit from the mound, mostly.”
Jones’ 21st homer of the season barely cleared the fence in right center and was the 63rd in his career, third most in program history.
“Offensively we just wanted to start the game on the right note,” Jones said. “We talk about winning every inning. Obviously they put up a three spot in the top half, so to win the inning we’ve got to put up at least four. And it just so happened.
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The win means LSU gets some very helpful rest before a rematch with either UCLA or Arkansas, with those teams scheduled for a 6 p.m. first pitch in an elimination game. The Razorbacks have the significant rest advantage, coming off Gage Wood's no-hitter of Murray State, the first at the CWS in 65 years.
Whichever team LSU faces, they will have two chances to advance. That game will be played on Wednesday in Omaha.
The Associated Press contributed to this report