Tigers 'slam' West Virginia in super regional opener
SUNDAY'S GAME — 5 p.m. / ESPN2
For all its thrills and chills over the years, LSU had never hit matching grand slams in the NCAA tournament's super regional era.
Mark another one off the bucket list as the Tigers used two of them — bases-loaded bombs by Steven Milam and Josh Pearson — to slam West Virginia 16-9 in the Baton Rouge super regional opener.
They came in handy as West Virginia actually out-hit LSU 11-8, but the Tigers took advantage of eight walks and five hit batters and scored 11 of their runs on just three big swings of the bat.
Derek Curiel's 3-run homer in the fourth inning — the Tigers first hit of the game — gave LSU the lead for good, 3-1, and Steven Milam and Josh Pearson hit their grand slams in the fifth and sixth innings respectively.
'I thought it was a complete performance,' LSU coach Jay Johnson said. 'The hits didn't come the first few innings, but made the pitcher work — that was really important.
'Those free bases helped … set the table … It's like turnovers in football, you want to captilalize on them and we certainly did today.'
It left the Tigers (47-15) one win away from reaching the College World Series for the 20th time in school history.
The Tigers will likely send their other ace, righthander Anthony Eyanson (10-2, 2.50), to the mound for Sunday's 5 p.m. game.
The Mountaineers (44-15) are in a super regional for just the second time and looking for a first-ever trip to Omaha.
With LSU's efficient use of eight hits, the Tigers didn't need a vintage performance from ace lefthander Kade Anderson.
It hardly mattered that he gave up season highs both with seven runs and nine hits.
'I wasn't commanding the fastball and working off of that as well,' said Anderson, who took a line drive off his forearm in the second inning but said it didn't bother him. 'They put up a couple of good at-bats but I don't think it was them, bit was just me not making the pitchers when I had to.'
He pitched seven innings and left with a 16-7 lead that allowed the Tigers to finish the game with the nether regions of the bullpen and not use any of the better arms that might be needed to finish the three-game series.
'Proud of Kate,' Johnson said. 'That was not easy. I think everybody can attest that watching the game wasn't easy. Giving everything he had on ever pitch was awesome.
'The sixth and seventh innings, just getting those two innings checked off without having to use somebody else out of the bullpen becomes very valuable, not just today, in tomorrow's game and the rest of the series.
'We won, he's happy we won. He's ticked off because he gave up some hits and runs. Those are usually your highest performers that have that competitive level.'
All 16 LSU runs were scored over the fourth, fifth and six innings. LSU led 10-1 after five innings and 16-5 after six innings.
Curiel added a pair of RBI singles to finish with five RBIs on a 3-for-3 day with three runs scored. Chris Stanfield added a late 2-run single.
At least one Mountaineer wasn't discouraged.
'They could have beat us 40-0 and tomorrow it's still 0-0 at first pitch,' said DH Sam White, who went 3-for-5 and scored three runs. 'It's a series. We don't have to crawl back like it's a regional and win four more. We just got to win two games.'
Johnson certainly isn't assuming anything.
But, he said, 'There's something I feel like I learned in the game today that we need to make some movement on to be better prepared for tomorrow. So use that time well.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
4 minutes ago
- USA Today
Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak praises Anthony Bradford
The Seattle Seahawks entered training camp holding competition at two positions on the offensive line. Olu Oluwatimi and Jalen Sundell were battling at center. Anthony Bradford and Christian Haynes were competing at right guard for a second straight offseason. With the regular season roughly one month away, both spots are all but settled. Bradford is the heavy in-house favorite to win the starting job. The Seahawks' coaching staff has consistently praised Bradford this offseason for the improvement he's displayed. Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak had great things to say about his third-year blocker during Tuesday's 17th training camp practice. "AB [Bradford] has made great strides," Kubiak said. "Obviously he's a physical presence, but you see more consistency in his game throughout camp, so I see a guy that's playing more confident." Bradford struggled mightily under then-OC Ryan Grubb at right guard last season. The former LSU blocker was benched on multiple occasions. Pro Football Focus assigned Bradford an overall offensive grade of 48.3. The hirings of Kubiak and offensive line coach John Benton have seemingly given Bradford new life. The 2023 fourth-round selection appears to finally be showcasing the improvement the Seahawks hoped he'd show last season. Bradford could be poised for a breakout year.
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
How many five-star recruits will LSU football sign in its 2026 class?
LSU football is aiming to sign the No. 1-ranked recruiting class in 2026. LSU already has two consensus five-star commits, but LSU will need a couple more to win the recruiting title. In 2025, LSU signed two recruits ranked as five-stars in the Rivals Industry Rankings. But LSU left talent on the table. Five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood and five-star wide receiver Dakorien Moore were both LSU commits at one point before flipping to Michigan and Oregon, respectively. LSU is looking for a stronger finish to the recruiting cycle in 2026. So, just how many five-stars will LSU sign in 2026? Let's start with the two five-stars already committed. Wide receiver Tristen Keys and defensive tackle Lamar Brown currently headline the LSU class. Per the Rivals Industry Rankings, Keys is the No. 7-ranked player in the class and No. 1 at his position. Brown sits No. 2 overall in the Industry Rankings, but ESPN slots the Louisiana product as the No. 1 player in the country. For LSU to gain another five-star, the Tigers don't have to add a new commitment. There's a good chance that at least one of LSU's current commits gets a bump. Defenders Richard Anderson and Trenton Henderson are the obvious candidates. Henderson ranks No. 36 in the Rivals Industry Rankings and already has a fifth-star from 247Sports. With a big senior year, Henderson could enter the consensus five-star status. The same could be said for Anderson, who has flirted with five-star status throughout his recruitment. Expect at least one of those players to earn star No. 5 by signing day. Then we have the players LSU still wants to add. The top uncommitted recruit left on LSU's board is five-star offensive lineman Darius Gray. The Tigers have gone back and forth with South Carolina for Gray's services, but South Carolina is trending. LSU is right there, though. Gray is the No. 1-ranked interior offensive lineman in the Rivals Industry Rankings. At quarterback, LSU is still pushing for Texas commit Dia Bell. Bell is the No. 1-ranked QB in the country and would be a massive addition to LSU's class, but the Tigers' chances of a flip are slim. Still, don't count LSU out. Verdict: How many five-star recruits will LSU football sign in 2026? I think LSU holds on to Keys and Brown, and both players retain five-star status throughout the recruitment process. The most likely scenario is LSU finishing with three five-stars. Whether it's a commitment from Gray or Henderson getting a rankings bump.
NBC Sports
2 hours ago
- NBC Sports
The college football season is here. Which matchups are must-watch?
The 2025 college football season kicks off with fireworks, featuring eye-catching Week 1 showdowns like No. 1 Texas vs. No. 3 Ohio State, No. 9 LSU vs. No. 4 Clemson and No. 10 Miami vs. No. 6 Notre Dame. Despite the excitement of preseason powerhouses and Heisman Trophy contenders going head-to-head, early stumbles in September rarely end postseason dreams, certainly not in the new 12-team playoff era of college football. The real pressure hits as the season progresses and playoff standings are on the line. Here are six high-stakes matchups that you won't want to miss (using preseason AP Top 25 rankings): No. 9 LSU at No. 8 Alabama (Nov. 8) After falling short of the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff, pressure is building for LSU's Brian Kelly and Alabama's Kalen DeBoer. Both historically successful programs are not far removed from recent title victories, with LSU in 2020 and Alabama the following year. Both are coming off matching 9-4 seasons, each with a 5-3 conference record in the rugged SEC. Alabama should be favored in every game ahead of this one except for a late September visit to No. 5 Georgia. If LSU can knock off Clemson, the Tigers should be favored in all their games too ahead of this tilt. Last fall, a two-interception game from Garrett Nussmeier hurt the Tigers, who struggled to stop Jalen Milroe and Co. Now Nussmeier is considered a Heisman contender and he will get a chance for a marquee conference road win over the Tide and DeBoer, who wants to distance himself from last year's 9-4 debut season, No. 1 Texas at No. 5 Georgia (Nov. 15) Texas and Georgia, the two highest-ranked SEC teams in the AP Top 25 preseason poll, square off in Athens less than a month before the league title game, which is where they last met (a 22-19 Bulldogs win in December). Texas has a new quarterback in charge in Arch Manning; he briefly entered both games against Georgia in 2024, completing 3 of 6 passes for 19 yards after a slow start by Quinn Ewers and a 20-point deficit in Week 8. Both teams have a lot of football to navigate before this one but it could be a dandy — and a precursor to another meeting or even two before the season ends? No. 2 Penn State at No. 3 Ohio State (Nov. 1) Penn State earned the No. 2 seed in the Top 25, surpassing the reigning national champions, Ohio State, who came in at No. 3. The Big Ten rivals meet on Nov. 1 in Columbus in a matchup likely to carry league title game and playoff implications. Drew Allar, a two-headed rushing attack and a stout defense should have the Nittany Lions favored in every game before this one, with all due respect to No. 7 Oregon (Sept. 27). Same for the Buckeyes, who are a 2.5-point favorite over the higher-ranked Longhorns in the opener. Ohio State is 24-8 against Penn State and has won eight in a row. Coach James Franklin's sole victory against the Buckeyes was in 2016 during his second year at the helm. This year, the playoff format shifts to straight seeding, meaning the top four teams will be rewarded with a bye. A good showing here might impress the CFP committee before its first rankings of the season, too. No. 16 SMU at No. 4 Clemson (Oct. 18) Expectations are high for Clemson, which is loaded. After LSU, the Tigers could be on cruise control when SMU comes calling for a game that matches two CFP teams from a year ago (both lost in the first round). Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik, a Heisman favorite, had a standout outing against the Mustangs in 2024, throwing for 262 yards and four touchdowns. Receiver Bryant Wesco Jr. had a career-high eight receptions, 143 yards and two TDs. The two are expected to pick up where they left off. SMU QB Kevin Jennings is back amid some question marks elsewhere, but the schedule isn't daunting ahead of the trip to Clemson. No. 11 Arizona State at No. 22 Iowa State (Nov. 1) The Sun Devils went 11-3 and grabbed an automatic bid to the College Football Playoff last season, thanks in part to a dominant 45-19 Big 12 championship game victory against ... Iowa State. The Cyclones have some challenging games ahead of this one but wins there set this up nicely for a chance to impress the CFP committee. Power Four conference champions still earn a spot in the 12-team bracket, but they won't have the luxury of a first-round bye unless they're ranked in the top four. The Sun Devils could be in the running either way, but every win counts for both teams in pursuit of a playoff berth. USC at No. 6 Notre Dame (Oct. 18) After consecutive underwhelming seasons, USC coach Lincoln Riley could use a major road win, and is there a bigger statement to make than against a storied rival? Notre Dame has beaten the Trojans seven times in the last eight meetings, including the last two in which the Fighting Irish averaged 48.5 points. USC last won a game in Notre Dame Stadium in 2011. The Irish have national title hopes. The Trojans have hopes that Riley is finding the right formula to turn things around in what could be one of the last games in this longstanding series. The contract for a rivalry that dates to 1926 expires after their game in 2026. Honorable mention No. 8 Alabama at No. 5 Georgia (Sept. 27), a chance for 'Bama to improve to 10-1 against the Bulldogs since 2008 or for Kirby Smart to cut into his 1-6 record as a head coach against the Crimson Tide ... No. 3 Ohio State at No. 14 Michigan (Nov. 29), a matchup of the last two national champions in a series that has seen the Wolverines win four straight ... No. 25 Boise State at No. 6 Notre Dame (Oct. 4), a rare shot for a top Group of Five team to put up a marquee midseason win on the road ... No. 3 Ohio State at No. 12 Illinois (Oct. 11), a chance for Bret Bielema's Illini to show if last year's 10-win season was a fluke.
