LSU's thrilling 7-6 win in 11 innings is the perfection illustration of a team win. There were several players who stepped up and made clutch plays at critical points.
Tiger fans will be talking for a long time about freshman center fielder Mikie Mahtook's go-ahead single with two outs in the 11th. It started out as a tough night for the Lafayette native. He struck out three times and hit into a double-play, but that didn't matter when he singled to center field to score DJ LeMaheiu with the eventual game-winning run.
Mahtook's heroics wouldn't have been possible without LeMahieu's two-out two-run double in the top of the ninth to tie the game. Then in the 11th, LeMahieu drew a walk, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error. The junior from Michigan was 2-for-4 with 2 runs and 3 RBIs.
Right fielder Jared Mitchell also had a key role in this game. His two-run triple in the 6th inning tied it at three a piece.
You also have to give some credit to starting pitcher Louis Coleman. Yes, he gave up five home runs, but they were all solo and he kept the Tigers in the game.
LSU's bullpen was phenonomal. Matty Ott pitched three hitless innings to get his fourth win of the season. Chad Jones and Paul Bertuccini also kept Texas off the scoreboard as they each tossed scoreless innings. The linescore for the bullpen looks this way: 5 IP 0 Hits 0 Runs 2 Walks and 4 strikeouts. Who said LSU doesn't have enough pitching?
That leaves the Tigers just one win away from winning the program's 6th national championship. Texas won't lie down tonight, but LSU has that refuse to lose attitude, which makes it difficult to pick against them.
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