Southern Miss sends the Tigers packing in Game 7 of the Hattiesburg Regional

The Tigers’ season came to an end in the regional final on Monday evening.

Two of the best words in all of sports: Game 7.

It was do-or-die for LSU and Southern Miss as they squared off for the third time this weekend at the Hattiesburg Regional. Despite winning their first two games of the postseason, the Tigers couldn’t close things out and saw their season end in an 8-7 shootout.

[autotag]Ma’Khail Hillard[/autotag] got the start on the mound in the big game. Southen Miss got on the board early as the first batter of the game hit a solo shot to make it 1-0 Golden Eagles. LSU answered back with a big first inning of their own as the Tigers plated three runs thanks to a two-RBI single from [autotag]Tre Morgan[/autotag] and a bunt single for an RBI by [autotag]Jordan Thompson[/autotag] to make it 3-1 Tigers after one.

In the bottom of the third inning, [autotag]Cade Doughty[/autotag] made his presence felt as he hit a solo shot of his own to make it 4-1 LSU.

In the top of the fourth inning, [autotag]Paul Gervase[/autotag], the Tigers’ closer, came in to try and eat up some innings and retain the LSU lead. Southern Miss proceeded to score two runs and cut the lead to 4-3.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, LSU loaded the bases with two outs but they were unable to score any runs as [autotag]Drew Bianco[/autotag] struck out to end the inning. In the top of the seventh, Southern Miss loaded the bases on [autotag]Devin Fontenot[/autotag] and scored on a sacrifice fly to center field to tie the game at 4-4.

That brought [autotag]Bryce Collins[/autotag] out of the bullpen for LSU and the first hitter he faced ripped a single to left field to score the go-ahead run as the Golden Eagles took a 5-4 lead. After a four-pitch walk to load the bases, [autotag]Trent Vietmeier[/autotag] was brought out of the bullpen to try and get LSU out of the jam only down by one run.

The first batter Vietmeier faced hit a two-RBI single to right field to make it 7-4 Golden Eagles before the Tigers finally got out of the inning. In the bottom of the seventh inning with two outs, Berry walked, Doughty doubled, and [autotag]Tre Morgan[/autotag] hit an RBI single to cut the lead to 7-5. Thompson then grounded one up the middle to make it a one-run game.

Still two outs, runners on first and second for [autotag]Tyler McManus[/autotag]. McManus struck out, but the Tigers were able to score two runs and cut it to a one-run game as we headed to the eighth inning.

In the top of the eighth inning, [autotag]Eric Reyzelman[/autotag] entered the game looking to help the Tigers keep the momentum going from the bottom of the seventh. He did his job as he retired the Golden Eagles 1-2-3 and kept the momentum rolling for the Tigers.

Dugas, Bianco, and Pearson were due up for LSU. On a 3-1 count, Gavin Dugas hit a solo home run to tie the game at seven. With two outs, Crews drew a walk to put him on first base as Berry stepped into the box.

That elicited a pitching change from Southern Miss. Berry grounded out, and we went to the ninth inning tied 7-7. In the top of the ninth, Southern Miss scored a run on a sacrifice fly to take an 8-7 lead as we headed to the bottom of the ninth.

This was it, do-or-die. How would the Tigers respond?

Doughty, Morgan, and Thompson were due up for LSU. Doughty grounded out to third for out No. 1. Morgan grounded out to second, and Thompson struck out as the Tigers fell 8-7. With that, the season is over for LSU. Southern Miss will advance to the super regional as a host and will play Ole Miss.

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How to watch as LSU faces elimination in regional Game 7 vs. Southern Miss

The Tigers advance to the super regionals with a win. With a loss, their season ends.

The Tigers ran out of magic on Sunday night in the first game of the Hattiesburg Regional final against the host and No. 11 national seed Southern Mississippi.

LSU overcame late deficits in each of its first two games in the NCAA Tournament, including in the first matchup against the Golden Eagles on Saturday. But the Tigers couldn’t overcome a four-run gap in the ninth inning this time around as they fell 8-4, forcing a decisive Game 7 with a spot in the super regional round on the line.

These two teams are becoming very acquainted with each other, as this will be the third matchup between them in as many days. The Tigers will look to prevail and advance out of a regional on the road for the second straight season.

The game will begin at 3 p.m. CT on Monday, and it will be broadcast on ESPNU. Here’s everything you need to know to follow as LSU takes the diamond with its season on the line.

LSU falls to Southern Miss in regional final rematch, Game 7 set for Monday afternoon

The Tigers couldn’t pull off a third straight comeback and will play with their season on the line Monday.

The LSU Tigers entered Sunday night’s game just one win away from advancing to the super regionals.

Just like on Saturday night, they trailed heading into the ninth inning against Southern Miss. But this time, there was no late-inning magic to win the game as the Golden Eagles won 8-4 and sent the regional to a winner-take-all Game 7 tomorrow at 3 p.m. CT.

The Tigers started the game off strong with a two-run [autotag]Cade Doughty[/autotag] dinger in the top of the first inning before [autotag]Samuel Dutton[/autotag] took the mound. In the bottom of the second, Southern Miss tied the game 2-2 with a couple of runs before chasing Dutton from the mound after only 2.1 innings.

In the top of the third inning, [autotag]Dylan Crews[/autotag] scored on a Doughty single to give the Tigers the lead once again and Pearson scored on a passed ball to make it 4-2 LSU.

In the bottom of the third, the Golden Eagles scored two runs and tied the game once again. The 4-4 score would hold until the bottom of the sixth inning when [autotag]Eric Reyzelman[/autotag] came in to pitch after [autotag]Riley Cooper[/autotag] walked the first batter.

Southern Miss proceeded to score three runs and make it a 7-4 game. In the bottom of the eighth, [autotag]Blake Money[/autotag] came in out of the bullpen, and he was greeted with a Golden Eagles home run to make it 8-4 as we headed to the top of the ninth.

[autotag]Jack Merrifield[/autotag], Crews, and [autotag]Jacob Berry[/autotag] were due up for the Tigers. Merrifield struck out looking, Crews struck out looking, Berry singled, Pearson was hit by a pitch and Doughty grounded out as the Tigers lost 8-4.

Game 7 will be tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m. CT. The winner goes to the super regional to take on the winner of Miami and Ole Miss, and the loser goes home.

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How to watch LSU baseball’s rematch vs. Southern Miss in the regional finals

The Tigers advance to the super regional round with a win.

The Tigers have captured lightning in a bottle in Hattiesburg this weekend in the regional round of the NCAA Tournament.

In the opener against Kennesaw State, it overcame an 11-4 deficit in the eighth to win 14-11, and facing host and No. 11 national seed Southern Mississippi in the winner’s bracket on Saturday night, it found itself in a hole once again.

This time, the Tigers trailed 6-2 in the bottom of the ninth, but a four-run rally sent it to extras, where they walked it off in the bottom of the 10th. LSU is just the second team since 1999 to win its first two tournament games while trailing in the seventh inning.

Now in the regional final, it will face the Golden Eagles — who survived an extra-innings game in the elimination contest against Kennesaw State — in a rematch on Sunday night with a spot in the super regionals on the line. The Tigers would advance with a win, while a loss would force a decisive game on Monday afternoon.

Here’s everything you need to know to follow this one, which begins at 6 p.m. CT and will be streamed on ESPN+.

Another late-inning rally lifts Tigers past Southern Miss, into regional finals

The Tigers came back to beat Kennesaw State late on Friday night, and they pulled the same magic on Saturday against top-seeded Southern Miss.

After the dramatic win against Kennesaw State on Friday night, LSU moved on in the winner’s bracket to face the host and No. 11 national seed in the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles.

Just like the prior night, LSU pulled off some late-inning magic as it rallied from being down 6-2 in the ninth inning to win the game 7-6 in extra innings.

[autotag]Ty Floyd[/autotag] got the start on the mound, and he pitched six innings, allowing four runs on six hits and four strikeouts. The Tigers scored the first run in the bottom of the first inning as [autotag]Tre Morgan[/autotag] hit an RBI single to score [autotag]Dylan Crews[/autotag] and make it 1-0.

In the top of the second, Southern Miss struck back with a two-run homer to take a 2-1 lead. In the bottom of the inning, [autotag]Tyler McManus[/autotag] hit a solo shot to tie it at two runs each.

Southern Miss tacked on four more runs before the Tigers got to bat in the bottom of the ninth inning trailing 6-2. [autotag]Josh Stevenson[/autotag] hit a fly ball for out No. 1, but Crews then launched a Crews Missile to cut the lead to 6-3.

[autotag]Jacob Berry[/autotag] flew out for out No. 2, but [autotag]Josh Pearson[/autotag] kept the game alive with a single to bring up [autotag]Cade Doughty[/autotag], who hit a two-run blast to cut the lead to 6-5.

Still with two outs, Morgan stepped up and was hit by a pitch. So, the tying run was on first base as [autotag]Jordan Thompson[/autotag] stepped into the box. [autotag]Drew Bianco[/autotag] came in to pinch run for Morgan as Southern Miss made a call to the bullpen for a new pitcher.

Bianco stole second, and Thompson hit an RBI single to tie the game at six. The Tigers clawed their way back after being down 6-2 at the start of the inning to tie it up, and we headed to extra innings in Hattiesburg.

[autotag]Paul Gervase[/autotag] came in to pitch the top of the 10th inning as the Tigers looked to try to get three quick outs and get back to swinging the bats. Gervase retired the Golden Eagles 1-2-3, and we went to the bottom of the 10th with a chance for LSU to walk it off. McManus, Stevenson, and Crews were the three Tigers due up.

T-Mac started it off with a single to right field and just like that, the winning run was at first base for Stevenson. [autotag]Jay Johnson[/autotag] brought in [autotag]Collier Cranford[/autotag] to run for McManus as he pushed all of his chips in on trying to win in that frame.

Stevenson was hit by a pitch as he tried to bunt, and now there were two runners on base for Crews, who took a four-pitch walk to load the bases with no one out. The winning run was now only 90 feet away for Berry.

He reached on a fielder’s choice, but Cranford was out at home. Now with one out, bases were still loaded for Pearson. He hit into a fielder’s choice, but the Golden Eagles were unable to make the play at home as the Tigers earned an improbable walk-off.

With the win, LSU moves on to the regional final on Sunday. That game will be on Sunday at 6 p.m. CT, and it will play the winner of the elimination game between Southern Miss and Kennesaw State, who survived elimination against Army on Saturday. That game will be played earlier in the day.

If the Tigers win Sunday night, they will be heading to the super regional round. With a loss, they would play a winner-take-all rematch on Monday.

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Tigers stun Kennesaw State with 10-run rally in eighth inning to open NCAA Tournament

LSU pulled off one of the wildest comebacks you’ll see all season to begin the Hattiesburg Regional.

Sometimes you’re the windshield, sometimes you’re the bug.

For the first seven innings of Friday night’s NCAA Tournament opener, LSU was definitely the bug as it was manhandled by the Kennesaw State Owls 11-4 — that is until an incredible comeback happened.

The Tigers scored 10 runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to come back and win 14-11 in Game 1 of the Hattiesburg Regional.

[autotag]Ma’Khail Hilliard[/autotag] got the start on the mound, and he had his shortest start of the year, going only 2.2 innings allowing five runs on five hits, two walks and two strikeouts. The Owls drew first blood as they scored on an RBI single in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead.

In the bottom of the inning, [autotag]Jordan Thompson[/autotag] tied the game with an RBI double that scored [autotag]Josh Pearson[/autotag]. In the bottom of the second, [autotag]Dylan Crews[/autotag] hit an RBI single to give the Tigers their only lead of the ball game as they led 2-1 heading into the third inning.

In the top of the third, the Owls would rally for four runs of their own and take a 5-2 lead over LSU. In the bottom of the third, [autotag]Brayden Jobert[/autotag] got two of those runs back with a two-run homer to right field to cut the lead to 5-4.

Kennesaw State added two runs in the fourth and four runs in the fifth to build a lead of 11-4 and that score held until the bottom of the eighth inning. In the bottom of the eighth, [autotag]Jacob Berry[/autotag] hit an RBI single up the middle to score [autotag]Josh Stevenson[/autotag] and give the Tigers some hope as they had runners on the corners with zero outs.

Pearson followed that with an RBI single of his own to make it 11-6 Owls. There were still no outs and runners on first and second as Thompson stepped into the box and he proceeded to hit an RBI double to score Berry and put two runners in scoring position with no one out. The Owls opted to bring in a new pitcher before facing [autotag]Tre Morgan[/autotag].

It was a golden opportunity for the Tigers to possibly make a miraculous comeback: two runners in scoring position, no outs, Morgan at the plate, and an 11-7 ball game. What would the talented sophomore do?

Morgan hit a two-RBI single to center field and brought both Pearson and Thompson home, and just like that, it was a two-run game.

At this point, it was a battle at the bat rack as everyone wanted a turn. [autotag]Cade Doughty[/autotag] stepped in and hit a single before [autotag]Tyler McManus[/autotag] stepped up to the plate. McManus drew a walk and loaded the bases with no one out.

Jobert grounded into a fielder’s choice, but a run scored in the process to make it 11-10 Owls. Stevenson stepped into the box with runners on the corners and one out. The tying run was only 90 feet away at third base.

Stevenson walked, and the bases were loaded once again. This time, Crews was the man stepping into the batter’s box with a chance to tie the game or take the lead. Crews hit a two-RBI double to left-center field, and the Tigers have the lead.

Pearson stepped in and hit a two-RBI single of his own to extend LSU’s lead to 14-11. Thompson grounded into a double play to end the inning, but not before the Tigers plated 10 runs and took a three-run lead heading into the ninth.

[autotag]Paul Gervase[/autotag] came in to close the game out in the top of the ninth inning. He got the first batter to line out and the second one to strike out before the Owls got a runner on base with a single. Gervase got the next batter to fly out, and the Tigers secured the win. LSU moves on in the winner’s bracket to face regional host Southern Miss on Saturday at 6 p.m. CT.

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LSU’s Jacob Berry and Dylan Crews named Collegiate Baseball All-Americans

The duo has been a major part of LSU’s success this season, and each received postseason honors on Thursday.

On Thursday, sophomore outfielder [autotag]Dylan Crews[/autotag] and sophomore third baseman [autotag]Jacob Berry[/autotag] were honored as Collegiate Baseball All-Americans.

For an LSU baseball team that is ranked No. 21 and enters regional play as a No. 2 seed, this dynamic duo has been a huge reason why LSU has been so good at times this season. Crews is currently hitting .345 with 21 homers and 68 RBI and has a fielding percentage of 99%. Berry is currently hitting .381 with 15 homers and 47 RBI and has a fielding percentage of 91%.

Berry broke his finger and has been out for a few games this year, but that hasn’t dampened his impact or his production. He and [autotag]Cade Doughty[/autotag] were both held out of the SEC Tournament to try and get them as healthy as possible for regional play.

That starts Friday night with a game against the Kennesaw State Owls. For a recap of that game, check back at LSU Wire for a full breakdown.

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How to watch, preview for LSU baseball’s NCAA Tournament opener against Kennesaw State

The Tigers begin their postseason against the No. 3-seeded Owls at the Hattiesburg Regional on Friday night.

The Tigers are hitting the road for the regional round of the 2022 NCAA Baseball Tournament, but they won’t have to go very far.

LSU will take the approximately three-hour trek east to Hattiesburg, Mississippi, for a regional hosted by Southern Miss, the No. 11 national seed. First up for the No. 2-seeded Tigers is a matchup against the region’s No. 3 seed, the Kennesaw State Owls.

The Owls are just 35-26 on the season but made the tournament by virtue of a phenomenal run in the Atlantic Sun Tournament as the third-seeded team. After dropping the first two games, KSU won out and captured the league’s autobid with an upset against Liberty in the championship.

LSU, meanwhile, is coming off a disappointing performance in the SEC Tournament. As the No. 4 seed, it won its first game against Kentucky but dropped the next two matchups, ultimately being eliminated in a rematch against the Wildcats.

The Tigers will hopefully have two of its key players back in infielders [autotag]Jacob Berry[/autotag] and [autotag]Cade Doughty[/autotag], who were held out of SEC Tournament competition last week as a precaution.

We could see LSU’s Day 1 starter on the mound in [autotag]Ma’Khail Hilliard[/autotag], but coach [autotag]Jay Johnson[/autotag] may choose to save his arm for a potential matchup against the top-seeded Golden Eagles on Saturday. If that’s the case, we would likely see [autotag]Ty Floyd[/autotag] or [autotag]Samuel Dutton[/autotag] take the bump.

The Tigers will look to emerge out of the regional as an underdog, and that run will begin with Friday night’s opener at 6 p.m. CT.

Here’s how you can catch the action in this one.

How to watch LSU baseball’s SEC Tournament opener against the Kentucky Wildcats

LSU is set to begin its postseason on Thursday afternoon, weather permitting.

The Tigers had a first-round bye at the SEC Tournament in Hoover this week thanks to a sweep in the final regular-season series that secured a No. 4 seed.

They’re probably very grateful for that, as there have been upsets aplenty through the first couple of days of single-elimination competition in Hoover, Alabama. The bottom two seeds in the field won, including a Kentucky Wildcats squad that became the first No. 12 seed to win a game in the tournament with a 3-1 upset over five-seeded Auburn.

Now, No. 4-seeded LSU will open its postseason on Thursday against that same Wildcats team in the double-elimination portion of the tournament. When exactly that game will happen remains to be determined, as Mother Nature has thrown a wrench into the plans this week with quite a few rain delays.

First pitch will take place at approximately 1 p.m. CT, as things currently stand. It will be the second game of the day, coming 30 minutes after the conclusion of a matchup between No. 8 Vanderbilt and top-seeded Tennessee at 9:30 a.m. CT.

With a win over Kentucky, the Tigers would draw the victor of that one in the winner’s bracket. With a loss, they would face the loser in an elimination game.

A strong showing could pay dividends for coach Jay Johnson’s team, which remains in the race to host a regional at the NCAA Tournament, which begins next week.

Here’s everything you need to know to follow the beginning of LSU’s postseason journey.

LSU’s Dylan Crews and Jacob Berry named Golden Spikes Award semifinalists

The Tigers are one of just five teams with multiple semifinalists.

LSU has already seen several players take home individual honors. Outfielder [autotag]Dylan Crews[/autotag] was named SEC Co-Player of the Year in addition to selections to the First-Team All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive Team lists.

Third baseman [autotag]Jacob Berry[/autotag], meanwhile, was named to the Second-Team All-SEC list while first baseman [autotag]Tre’ Morgan[/autotag] was also named to the All-Defensive Team. The Tigers may not be done yet, though.

On Tuesday afternoon, both Crews and Berry were named as semifinalists for the Golden Spikes Award, which is given annually to the top amateur player in the country. This is Crews’ first time as a semifinalist, while Berry — who some see as a potential first-overall pick — was also a semifinalist at Arizona last season.

Berry’s .381 batting average ranks third in the SEC, and he also has 15 home runs, eight doubles and 47 RBI. Crews is batting .345 and leads the conference with 21 home runs, the most for an LSU player since 2009. He also ranks second in triples (4), total bases (155) and RBI (67).

LSU is one of five schools to have multiple players on the semifinalist list, joining Cal Poly, Tennessee, Virginia Tech and Oregon State. The list of semifinalists will be trimmed to three players on June 8 with the winner being announced at the 44th Golden Spikes Awards ceremony on June 24, which will be televised on ESPN.

Here’s the full list of semifinalists.

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