The LSU Tigers are one win away from a spot in the national championship series.
LSU, the No. 5 seed, handed No. 1 Wake Forest its first loss in the Men’s College World Series, 5-2, Wednesday night in Omaha, Neb.
The Tigers (51-16) and Demon Deacons (54-11) face off again at 6 p.m. Thursday. The winner advances to play No. 2 Florida in the best-of-3 championship series.
The Gators (53-15) eliminated TCU 3-2 Wednesday afternoon.
Cade Beloso’s three-run home run with one out in the bottom of the third gave the Tigers the 5-2 lead.
Pitchers Griffin Herring, Gavin Guidry and Riley Cooper came up big.
Herring was especially effective. He gave up three hits, walked one and struck out six in 4 1/3 innings of relief.
LSU starter Javen Coleman lasted just 1 1/3 innings. After a giving up a single and two walks, he was relieved by Blake Money with one out in the top of the second.
Money allowed a two-RBI single before inducing a fielder’s choice.
LSU Head Coach Jay Johnson then brought in Herring with runners at first and third.
Herring struck out Nick Kurtz to limit the damage.
He retired seven straight before Tommy Hawke led off the fifth with a single. With runners at first and second and two outs, Herring struck out Justin Johnson.
Herring gave way to Guidry with one out in the top of the seventh and runners at the corners. Guidry struck out the next two batters.
After Guidry gave up back-to-back two-out singles in the eighth, Johnson brought in Cooper.
He induced a lineout and the Tigers maintained the three-run cushion.
Cooper walked the first batter in the ninth then retired the next three, two on strikeouts.
LSU had six hits against two Wake pitchers
Alex Milazzo went 2-for-4. Brayden Jobert had a two-put RBI double for LSU’s first run in the second.
The Tigers tied it in the top of the third on a Tre’ Morgan single, two walks and a wild pitch. Beloso then cleared the bases with his home run to right field.