LSU outlasts Tennessee behind 12 Ks from Paul Skenes in College World Series opening round victory
LSU ace Paul Skenes pitched another gem to carry the Tigers to a 6-3 win over Tennessee in the opening round of the College World Series on Saturday.
Skenes finished with a line of 7.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 12 K, 1 BB. He had a shutout going into the 8th inning as LSU led 5-0 before Tennessee put together a rally.
Skenes started throwing gas from the first pitch and kept it going late into the game. With 12 strikeouts, Skenes now has over 200 Ks for the 2023 season.
First 7 pitches of the College World Series for @LSUbaseball’s Paul Skenes, culminating in this K.
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102pic.twitter.com/KscNUV2hz3— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) June 17, 2023
Paul Skenes, 12th K.
100mph on his 115th Pitch. pic.twitter.com/oAVvP8wPlb
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 18, 2023
Skenes exited to a standing ovation with 2 outs in the 8th inning after Maui Ahuna’s RBI single plating Christian Scott.
LSU’s Paul Skenes left to a standing ovation after pitching 7 2/3 innings tonight. The future top 5 draft pick fanned 12 batters to give him an even 200 strikeouts this season. #MCWS #Geauxmaha pic.twitter.com/UGnPwf4IQZ
— Anthony Robinson (@ARobinson_) June 18, 2023
Gavin Guidry came in to pitch, and surrendered a 2-run home run to Hunter Ensley, cutting to 5-3.
HERE COME THE VOLS!!!!#MCWS x ? ESPN / @Vol_Baseball pic.twitter.com/RgSm9tpgdz
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 18, 2023
The first 3 College World Series games were decided by 1 run, and UT’s rally had it looking like the Vols and Tigers might make it 4-for-4. In the bottom of the 8th inning, however, LSU added an insurance run with a towering solo home run from Brayden Jobert.
JOBERT ?@braydenjobert | ESPN pic.twitter.com/7o3TpOcbhz
— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) June 18, 2023
Guidry was replaced by Riley Cooper, who picked up a 4-out save, allowing 1 hit.
TIGERS WIN! TIGERS WIN! pic.twitter.com/vNtAFvtDvj
— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) June 18, 2023
Gavin Dugas broke the scoring ice for LSU with a solo homer to left field in the 2nd inning.
Gavin Dugas LAUNCHED that one!#MCWS x ? ESPN / @LSUbaseball pic.twitter.com/G2Efmw5wOH
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 18, 2023
Jobert had an earlier highlight hit with a 2-out RBI triple.
Look at that man geaux@braydenjobert | ESPN pic.twitter.com/Q72zu0f4yN
— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) June 18, 2023
UT used 7 pitchers in the game. Starting pitcher Andrew Lindsey picked up the loss, allowing 2 earned runs over 5 hits with 4 strikeouts and a walk in 3.2 innings.
LSU moves onto a Monday winner’s bracket game against No. 1 national seed Wake Forest. Tennessee will play No. 8 seed Stanford in a loser’s bracket elimination game.