The LSU Tigers are one win away from a national title after another dramatic victory in the Men’s College World Series Saturday night in Omaha, Neb.
Cade Beloso’s leadoff home run in the top of the 11th lifted No. 5 LSU to a 4-3 victory over No. 2 Florida in Game 1 of the best-of-3 championship series.
The Tigers (53-16) can win their seventh national title with a victory in Game 2 at 2 Sunday. If the Gators (53-16) win, the title is scheduled to be decided Monday night at 6.
Tommy White, whose two-run home walk-off home run against Wake Forest Wednesday sent LSU into the finals, belted a solo home run with one out in the eighth to tie the game at 3.
Florida put runners at first and second with one out in the bottom of the 10th. But LSU left-handed reliever Riley Cooper induced a lineout and popup to end the threat.
As has been the case throughout the World Series, LSU got outstanding pitching,
Starter Ty Floyd tied a College World Series single-game record for a nine-inning game with 17 strikeouts in eight innings. He allowed five hits and walked only one. Floyd threw 122 pitches of which 89 were strikes.
The 17 strikeouts were also the most by any LSU pitcher in the CWS, breaking the record Brett Laxton set in the 1993 championship game.
“Ty was outstanding tonight,” LSU Head Coach Jay Johnson said. “Really hard to put into words what his performance meant to the outcome of the game and for our team.
“I think the turning point was the eighth and sending him out there again against their best hitters and striking out the side was amazing.”
Said Floyd: “I felt good. With as many people as were here tonight the adrenaline felt good and stuff. I just knew that throwing my fastball at the top of the zone, being able to mix in offspeed pitches enough to be able to get them off was the biggest key of the night.”
Cooper relieved him to start the ninth. He allowed just one hit and one walk with three strikeouts.
“Riley obviously did what Riley’s done here and executed at a high level,” Johnson said. “Really proud of him getting through that first and second with one out (in the 10th).”
The Tigers outhit the Gators 11-6.
Beloso went 3-for-5 with two RBI. He drove in the first run of the game with a two-out single in the first.
Gavin Dugas, who also went 3-for-5, gave the Tigers a 2-0 lead with a leadoff home run in the top of the third.
But Florida rallied. The Gators scored a run in the bottom of the third and one in the fifth to tie it.
BT Riopelle gave Florida a 3-2 lead with a two-out home run in the bottom of the sixth.
The Tigers went down in order in the seventh.
After fouling off three pitches, White tied it with his home run to about the same area in left field his homer landed against Wake Forest landed.
White and Tre’ Morgan finished with two hits each.
Florida starter Brandon Sproat left the game after giving up six hits and walking five in four innings.
Cade Fisher allowed four hits in 3 1/3 innings. Brandon Neely gave up only one in 3 2/3 but it was a big one.