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.

Skenes exited to a standing ovation with 2 outs in the 8th inning after Maui Ahuna’s RBI single plating Christian Scott.

Gavin Guidry came in to pitch, and surrendered a 2-run home run to Hunter Ensley, cutting to 5-3.

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.

Guidry was replaced by Riley Cooper, who picked up a 4-out save, allowing 1 hit.

Gavin Dugas broke the scoring ice for LSU with a solo homer to left field in the 2nd inning.

Jobert had an earlier highlight hit with a 2-out RBI triple.

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.