The LSU Tigers advanced to the semifinals of the College World Series with a 9-5 victory over the UCLA Bruins Tuesday in Omaha, Neb.
LSU (50-15) will face the winner of Tuesday night’s Arkansas-UCLA game Wednesday at 6. If the Tigers win, they will advance to the best-of-3 championship series. If they lose, they will play the winner again Thursday for a spot in the championship series.
The LSU-UCLA game was suspended by inclement weather Monday night. It resumed at 10 a.m. with the Tigers on top 5-2 after three innings.
LSU quickly added to the lead with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Steven Milam and Jake Brown both had RBI singles with two outs.
The Tigers added another run in the seventh. Jared Jones walked, advanced to third on two groundouts and scored on a single by Daniel Dickinson.
UCLA cut the lead to 8-5 with two runs on two hits in the top of the eighth. The Bruins had the bases loaded with two outs. But Chase Shores replaced Cooper Williams on the mound and induced a groundout to end the threat.
LSU tacked on one more run in the ninth thanks to a walk and back-to-back two-out singles by Brown and Jared Jones.
The Tigers finished with 12 hits. Brown went 3-for-5 with two RBI. Jones, who hit a three-run home run Monday night, went 2-for-4 with four RBI. Milam went 2-for-4.
Casan Evans replaced Anthony Ayanson on the mound for LSU when the game resumed
He allowed four hits and two runs with no walks in 4 1/3 innings for the win.
Williams replaced Evans with one out in the seventh. After allowing a hit and issuing two walks he was replaced by Shores.
After getting the out with the bases loaded, Shores pitched a perfect ninth.
Ayanson allowed four hits and three runs in his three innings.