LSU baseball: College World Series path after the Wake Forest loss

The LSU baseball path to the College World Series Final is rougher after Monday’s loss. However, the Tigers’ season isn’t over just yet.

The LSU baseball team must run the elimination game gauntlet to remain in Omaha and chase a College World Series title. The gauntlet begins tomorrow night in a ‘loser goes home’ game against Tennessee. If the Tigers win, they must conquer two more elimination games to reach the CWS Final. If they lost, it’s season over.

Unfortunately, LSU’s backs are against the wall after Monday’s 3-2 loss against Wake Forest.

Only two teams held the No. 1 ranking during the regular season, the Tigers and Demon Deacons. Suffice it to say their CWS clash on Monday lived up to the billing. However, LSU baseball fans are understandably frustrated by the result.

Ty Floyd was awesome for LSU tonight. The junior right-hander surrendered only two hits and struck out ten batters across five innings. Thatcher Hurd spelled Floyd in relief, giving up one run and striking out five Deacons in three innings.

The LSU baseball offense was unable to find their power stroke on Monday. Such isn’t surprising, considering Wake Forest’s strength is in their rotation. As such, sophomore lefty Josh Hartle muzzled the Tigers’ offense to the tune of two runs and nine strikeouts over six innings. Moreover, one of Hartle’s allowed runs resulted from Wake’s inability to put sunglasses over their eyes instead of caps.

A lot of discussion within LSU baseball fan inner circles centers on Tre Morgan’s baserunning. Indeed, the slugger was thrown out at home plate in the 8th inning after Cade Beloso grounded into a fielder’s choice to Wake Forest’s third baseman. In his defense, Morgan was caught in a ‘damned if you do, damned if don’t’ situation.

Morgan’s only blunder in the spot was his half slide, half dive toward the plate. However, Morgan’s flop to the plate wasn’t why the LSU Tigers lost the game. But it felt as though the LSU dugout lost all its mojo after replay upheld the ‘out’ call at home.

Tennessee will enter Tuesday’s game riding a high following their comeback win against Stanford this afternoon. Moreover, LSU baseball fans are rightfully concerned about the Tigers’ lack of reliable arms after Paul Skenes and Floyd.