LSU beats Wake Forest to force another elimination game in CWS

OMAHA, Neb. (WAFB) - The LSU baseball team kept its championship hopes alive with an impressive win over Wake Forest in the College World Series on Wednesday, June 21.

The Tigers (51-16) battled their way to a 5-2 victory over the Demon Deacons (54-11). The two teams will go at it again on Thursday at 6 p.m. on ESPN2 with a trip to the MCWS Finals against Florida on the line.

Javen Coleman took the bump first and did not have the type of start he or head coach Jay Johnson expected. After walking two batters in the first inning and two more in the second, he was replaced by Blake Money. But Money was only on the mound for two batters before Griffin Herring (5-2) entered the game. He had a much better outing than the first two pitchers and earned the win. Herring gave up just three hits while striking out six and walking one in 4.2 innings of work. Gavin Guidry then took the bump with two on and one out in the top of the seventh and calmly struck out the next two batters to get out of the inning unscathed. But after giving up two hits in the top of the eighth, Riley Cooper was put on the mound on back-to-back nights and was able to deliver, picking up his third save of the season.

Wake Forest jumped out to the lead in the top of the second inning on a single up the middle with the bases loaded to go up 2-0. But those were the only runs the Demon Deacons could muster against the Tiger bullpen and defense.

LSU responded in the bottom of the inning on a double down the right field line by Brayden Jobert that scored Cade Beloso from second to make it 2-1.

The Tigers then roared to the lead in the bottom of the third inning. After Dylan Crews scored on a wild pitch with the bases loaded, Beloso blasted a three-run homer to right field to put LSU up 5-2.

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