LSU Rallies Back to Advance to Super Regionals

Just a normal Monday night, eh?

LSU and Oregon went full #Pac12AfterDark Monday night/Tuesday morning as the Tigers twice rallied back from being down multiple runs to win Game 7 of the Eugene Regional 9-8 and advance to the program’s 15th Super Regional.

Gavin Dugas kicked things off in the first with a two-run home run to centerfield.

But as soon as LSU got a 2-0 advantage, Ty Floyd gave it right back. Floyd took the mound in place of Ma’Khail Hilliard in the second inning and got roughed up, allowing two hits and two runs and threw 25 pitches. The stage looked to be a little too big for Floyd and he was replaced in the third by Michael Fowler.

Fowler wouldn’t fare much better, serving up a high fastball that Aaron Zavala, the Pac-12 Player off the Year, turned into a two-run home run. Fowler came back out in the fourth inning and had another tough inning. With two outs Fowler surrendered three straight base hits and Oregon pushed its lead to 5-2. It could have been worse but for a fantastic inning ending catch by Jordan Thompson.

LSU continued to battle just as they had all weekend long. Gavin Dugas hit his second home run of the night in the fourth inning to cut the Oregon lead to 5-3.

LSU would then manufacture its fourth run of the game. Drew Bianco reached on a base hit then swiped second base while just barely avoiding the tag. He’d then advance to third and score on back-to-back wild pitches. Bianco was the difference again two innings later as he smashed a ball to deep center for a go-ahead two-run homer, putting LSU up 6-5.

The lead didn’t last long though as new pitcher Garrett Edwards was hurt by a Jordan Thompson error on the first batter, then a two-run homer that gave Oregon a 7-6 lead. This would remain the score at the start of a wild 8th inning.

A Gavin Dugas walk and Cade Doughty double gave LSU two runners in scoring position, Bianco missed out on another chance to be the hero, brining Cade Beloso to the plate.

He got just enough of it to allow Dugas to score on a perfect slide.

Then after roughly 87 throws to first in an attempt to ward off notorious base stealer Cade Beloso, Oregon did something truly hilarious.

The balk was called because the first baseman was playing up the line anticipating a squeeze bunt from Thompson, who had flashed bunt a few throws earlier. Thompson then dropped a single into left to score what would become a very big insurance run.

After already pitching 1.1 innings Mainieri went back LSU’s ace Landon Marceaux to close the game out. A Cade doughty error, two singles and an RBI groundout cut the lead to 1 with two outs. An infield single put runners on the corners. Then this batshit insane game miraculously ended with Dylan Crews waving goodbye to the Oregon faithful.

Mainieri said he debated whether or not he’d allow Marceaux to pitch Monday prior to the game. Marceaux said he had been pleading to pitch in the game ever since he was pulled from the shutout loss against Gonzaga Friday night. Mainieri Ok’d the decision after speaking with Marceaux’s parents.

“I might’ve given a gazillion people a heart attack but we got it done.” Marceaux said.

Gavin Dugas was named MVP of the Eugene Regional, while Crews, Thompson, Zach Arnold, Javen Coleman and AJ Labas also mad the All-Tournament Team.

Paul Mainieri will coach at least two more games as LSU heads back to Knoxville where it lost three games by a total of four runs back in March. The dates and times will be announced tomorrow. We thankfully won’t have to worry about the Pacific Time Zone anymore.

Also here’s some memes.