The LSU Tigers notched a 9–5 win over the UCLA Bruins in the College World Series, moving within one victory of the championship series. The Tuesday night showdown — delayed by Monday’s thunderstorm— keeps LSU undefeated in the tournament and firmly positioned to advance.
Freshman pitcher Casan Evans delivered a standout performance, contributing significantly to LSU’s success. The Tigers’ offense was bolstered by key hits from players such as Tommy White, who drove in multiple runs.
MLB.com breaks down Tuesday’s long-awaited win in Omaha:
UCLA and LSU completed three innings Monday before their game was suspended by rain until the next morning. Once play resumed at 10:03 a.m. in Omaha, the Tigers quickly added to their 5-3 lead thanks to two-out RBI singles by sophomores Steven Milan and Jake Brown in the bottom of the fourth.
After LSU’s Anthony Eyanson (MLB Pipeline’s No. 66 Draft prospect) covered the first three innings Monday, right-handed freshman Casan Evans took over on the mound Tuesday and held the Bruins scoreless into the eighth. He ended up allowing two earned runs over 4 1/3 innings and struck out five, and he admitted after the game that he did it on just three hours of sleep.
UCLA, trailing 8-5, eventually brought the tying run to the plate with two outs in the top of the eighth. That’s when the Tigers turned to 6-foot-8 Chase Shores, who induced a first-pitch groundout from UCLA’s Phoenix Call to quell the Bruins’ last threat.
Tigers first baseman and No. 99 Draft prospect Jared Jones, who clubbed a three-run homer back in the first inning, added a run-scoring single in the bottom of the eighth.
With today’s victory, LSU remains in the winner’s bracket and will face the winner of Wednesday’s elimination game between Arkansas and UCLA, scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. A win in that matchup would secure the Tigers a spot in the best-of-three championship series.
LSU’s consistent tournament performance reinforces their status as a top contender for the national title. Fans now eagerly await to see if the Tigers can keep their momentum alive and capture their eighth national championship.