LSU Athletics
By Hunt Palmer
OMAHA, Neb.—Once Mother Nature pulled Anthony Eyanson off the mound Monday night, Jay Johnson’s mind was made up.
As the tarp was pulled to cover the Charles Schwab Field dirt and ominous skies crept closer, LSU’s head coach told Casan Evans to lock in.
“Yeah, Coach Johnson had told me once we got out of the delay that I would be on the mound,” Evans said. “And then it got rolled into (Tuesday). Just got back to the hotel and got ready for (Tuesday). I woke up early. The mindset stays the same no matter when I come into the game, whether I start or whether I close.”
This was neither, but it was vital.
LSU’s primary advantage on the College World Series bracket was its two front line starters who have left the SEC and LSU’s postseason challengers in their wake over the last two months.
Kade Anderson lived up to his billing on Saturday, plowing through a potent Arkansas lineup and allowing just one run in seven innings. Eyanson scuffled in the first inning Monday but settled in to hand a pair of zeros in the second and third before the rains came and put LSU’s pitching plans in the shredder.
Johnson decision, sleeping on a 5-3 lead entering the fourth, was to go to his best arm as opposed to trying to save Evans for a potential Wednesday game that could put the Tigers in the championship series.
Battling out of the losers’ bracket at Arizona in 2016 and two years ago at LSU can leave an impression. It’s no fun. So, Johnson did what he thought provided the path of least resistance. That meant Evans.
The freshman didn’t allow a runner to reach second base until the eighth, his fifth inning. He finished with 4.1 innings of two-run baseball with five strikeouts and no walks. LSU stretched its lead from two to five while he was on the mound.
“Never look too far down the road in this tournament,” Johnson said. “I think you can get yourself in trouble with that. I think if you win the first two with maybe only three guys unavailable for the next game, then you’ve probably done a pretty good job. That’s probably where we’re at. I need to look at it a little closer.”
Translated, LSU will face the Arkansas-UCLA winner Wednesday with likely everyone but Anderson, Eyanson and Evans available. Chase Shores would be the other question mark as he has thrown in both Tiger wins in Omaha.
That does mean LSU will have to win a game without those any of four participating which hasn’t happened since a run-ruling of Southeastern Louisiana on April 29. However, should LSU lose Wednesday, Anderson and Eyanson could and likely would be ready for Thursday. If LSU only used one of them in that game, the other would be set up to start the championship series opener.
These next three days tax college pitching staffs harder than any three days outside of smaller conference tournaments where the stakes are significantly lower.
Relievers often have to work back-to-back days. Starters return on short rest.
Anderson and Evans made sure that LSU had as many fresh arms as any team left in the bracket.
Johnson said a decision had not been made about a starting pitcher for Wednesday, but some combination of Jaden Noot, Zac Cowan, Jacob Mayers, Mavrick Rizy, DJ Primeaux, Cooper Williams, Conner Ware and William Schmidt will need to earn 27 outs.
Win or lose, the more proven hurlers will emerge for the next game.
LSU is in the driver’s seat for the first time since 2009 and has won six national titles in seven tries when starting 2-0 in Omaha. It’s nearly as good a spot as the Tigers could have hoped. Considering the weather delay, this is as good as it gets.
That said, this program and its coach know how quickly the driver’s seat can turn into the bus to the airport home. The Tigers did it to No. 1 overall seeds in 2017 and 2023, and Johnson pulled it off with Arizona in 2016.
It’s an advantage and an opportunity, it’s not a cake walk. And LSU is prepared.
“I met with Nate (Yeskie) and Jamie (Tutko) last night once we got back to the hotel and mapped out the bracket and all scenarios and how we were going to attack it,” Johnson said. “Because, again, it’s a double-elimination tournament. It’s not a death sentence to lose a game….It was important (to win the game), but me adding that to our team is not going to help them play the way they’re capable.”
If LSU does that again Wednesday, only one team will stand between LSU and national title No. 8.
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