College baseball fans were treated to an instant classic on Thursday night. Nine innings weren’t enough to decide whether LSU or Wake Forest would face Florida for the 2023 national championship. In 11 innings, LSU emerged victorious by a score of 2-0.

In the bottom of the 11th, LSU’s biggest bats got the job done. Dylan Crews singled to lead off and, after a pitching change, Tommy “Tanks” White delivered a bomb that will be celebrated in Baton Rouge for ages. The Tigers are going to the College World Series finals.

The pitching matchup of LSU’s Paul Skenes vs. Wake Forest’s Rhett Lowder had the hype of a heavyweight fight heading into Thursday night’s College World Series elimination game for a spot in the best-of-3 finals. The battle of the aces in Omaha did not disappoint. According to ESPN, Thursday was the first CWS game in the aluminum bat era (since 1974) in which both starters went 7+ innings and allowed 3 hits or less.

Lowder finished with a line of 7IP, 3 H, 6 K, 2 BB over 88 pitches, facing 25 batters. Lowder allowed just 1 extra-base hit. Cole Roland took over on the mound in the bottom of the 8th inning. Roland logged just 1 out before he was replaced by Michael Massey, who worked out of the inherited situation of a runner on 2nd with 1 out. Massey pitched 2.2 innings and was replaced by Camden Minacci after Crews’ lead-off single.

Skenes left after 120 pitches. He posted a final line of 8 IP, 2 H, 9 K, 1 BB, facing 28 batters. Like Lowder, he gave up just 1 extra-base hit. Thatcher Hurd replaced him for innings 9-11. In the 11th, the Demon Deacons had 2 base runners, but Hurd recorded the 3rd out without allowing a run.

The first base runner to reach 3rd base came in the top of the 8th. Skenes issued a rare leadoff walk to Justin Johnson. He was bunted over to 2nd for the 1st out of the inning. A wild pitch on a strikeout placed runners on 1st and 3rd base with 1 out.

Much like Monday’s matchup, there was a key plate at the plate. This time, things went LSU’s way as Tre’ Morgan made a sensational play for the Tigers to get the out at home and keep the run off the board.

It was only for a spot in the best-of-3 finals, but Thursday’s pitcher’s duel will be hard to top over the next 2-3 games.