Beloso, bullpen rise to the occasion as LSU forces deciding game with Wake Forest

BOX SCORE

All season long, LSU has relied on bashing the baseball, particularly the long ball.

Wednesday night in Omaha, the Tigers got a huge big-fly from former John Curtis Christian star Cade Beloso.

That has been the biggest part of the story for the 2023 LSU team.

Another big part of the story is pitching depth or, more appropriately, if LSU has any.

Running short on arms, Jay Johnson had to go to his bullpen early and often, using five pitchers in a do-or-die situation.

Johnson did.

LSU lives.

It was a long night and Tiger pitchers came up long, as in big in the biggest game of the year in a 5-2 win over Wake Forest.

The biggest of the big was Griffin Herring.

The freshman left-hander was called upon in the second inning as the third pitcher of the game for the Tigers after Javen Coleman could not throw strikes, walking four in 1.1 innings and after Blake Money was pulled after facing just two batters.

Herring was a beast, simply terrific, filling 4.2 shutout innings, allowing just three hits with a walk and six strikeouts.

Herring threw 80 pitches.

When Herring entered the game, LSU (56-11) was losing 2-0.

When Herring exited the game, the Tigers were leading 5-2.

The positive margin and eventual winning margin was provided by Beloso, who belted a 3-run homer as part of a four-run third inning. Former Northshore and Delgado star Brayden Jobert had an RBI double for the Tigers. The fifth run scored on a wild pitch.

That would turn out to be the final scoring done in the game.

Tommy Hawke had a 2-run single in the top of the second for the Demon Deacons (56-11).

Herring, Gavin Guidry and Riley Cooper combined to pitch 7.1 scoreless innings, defying the season-long narrative of LSU lacking pitching depth. Cooper picked up his third save of the year, all in the postseason and he did it one night after pitching three scoreless innings against Tennessee. It was pure guts, a tremendous effort by Cooper.

“I was really proud of the pitching staff,” said LSU coach Jay Johnson. “Everybody contributed tonight. Griffin really settled into the game and got us the length that we needed. And Riley finished off another one. So good performance and we’ll turn it over to tomorrow.”

LSU limited Wake Forest to seven hits, all singles. Tiger pitchers consistently made the big pitch when needed, stranding 12 Demon Deacon runners.

Ironically, the superb pitching performance by LSU came against the team with the top pitching staff and best ERA in the country.

The result is a third and deciding game to be played between the two titans is set for Thursday night.

Speaking of pitching, it does not get any better than what we are set to see. Paul Skenes is the best pitcher in the country at 13-2 with a 1.81 ERA. Rhett Lowder is one of the best pitchers in the nation and he is unbeaten at 15-0 with a 1.99 ERA.

It would be a shock if that is not the matchup. Something has to give.

LSU pitchers gave Johnson what he desperately needed. Now, we will see every pitch feel desperate Thursday night.

It was big Wednesday night. It will be bigger Thursday night. It would be biggest if LSU comes all the way back to win it.

We'll see you tomorrow night!#MCWS x @LSUbaseball pic.twitter.com/GctwoKUeil

— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 22, 2023

FINAL
WF 020 000 000 — 2 7 1, 12 LOB
LSU 014 000 000 — 5 6 0, 6 LOB
WP—Griffin Herring (5-2)
LP—Seth Keener (8-2)
SAVE—Riley Cooper (3)
2B—Brayden Jobert (10)
HR—Cade Beloso (15)

LSU Tigers (Jay Johnson, Griffin Herring, Riley Cooper, Cade Beloso) – Postgame Press Conference (PDF)

Wake Forest Demon Deacons (Tom Walter, Pierce Bennett, Sean Sullivan) – Postgame Press Conference (PDF)