Gonzaga blanks LSU, 3-0, at Eugene Regional

EUGENE, Ore. – Gonzaga right-hander Alek Jacob fired a complete-game shutout Friday night to lead the Bulldogs to a 3-0 win over LSU in the first round of the NCAA Eugene Regional at PK Park.

Gonzaga (34-17) will face Oregon at 9 p.m. CT Saturday in a winners’ bracke contest, while LSU (34-23) will meet Central Connecticut State in a elimination game at 3 p.m. CT Saturday on the SEC Network. The LSU-CCSU game will be also be streamed on ESPN3, and it will be broadcast on affiliates of the LSU Sports Radio Network.

Senior right-hander Ma’Khail Hilliard will be the starting pitcher fort the Tigers on Saturday, while Central Connecticut State will counter with senior left-hander Andrew Braun.

The winner of Saturday’s game will advance to play the loser of the Oregon-Gonzaga game at 5 p.m. CT Sunday.

Final. pic.twitter.com/JMVY3Kqfb5

— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) June 5, 2021

Jacob (8-1) limited the Tigers to four hits while recording one walk and four strikeouts. He threw 119 pitches in posting his second complete game of the season.

LSU starting pitcher Landon Marceaux (6-6) was charged with the loss as he allowed three runs on seven hits in 5.2 innings with three walks and three strikeouts.

“It was obviously a very disappointing outcome for our team,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “Of course, the story of the game was their pitcher; we just couldn’t solve him. He has such a unique style of pitching, and we haven’t faced a guy like that all year. We worked hard all week to try to prepare for this kid, but he’s done this to everyone he’s pitched against all year.

“Landon pitched his heart out, and they were very scrappy team offensively. They were very difficult to strike out, they put some balls in play, and they were able to scratch across a few runs.”

The Bulldogs scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning when rightfielder Grayson Sterling tripled and scored on centerfielder Guthrie Morrison’s single, and Morrison scored on a two-out RBI double by shortstop Ernie Yake.

Gonzaga added a run in the sixth on an RBI single by third baseman Brett Harris.