ESPN College Baseball Blog

Posted by Mark Schlabach

OMAHA, Neb. -- After a nine-year wait, LSU is back on top in college baseball.

The Tigers won their sixth national championship Wednesday night, defeating Texas 11-4 in the deciding game of the College World Series championship series at Rosenblatt Stadium.

After striking out Texas center fielder Connor Rowe to end the game, LSU pitcher Louis Coleman threw his glove high into the air and was tackled by catcher Micah Gibbs. It didn't take long for the rest of the LSU players to join the dog pile on the mound.

It is the first national championship for LSU coach Paul Mainieri, a former Tigers player, who was hired in 2006 to return the program to prominence.

The Tigers blew a 4-0 lead against the Longhorns, but scored five runs in the sixth inning to blow the game open.

Posted by Mark Schlabach

OMAHA, Neb. -- LSU is three outs away from winning its sixth national championship and first since 2000.

The Tigers added a run in the eighth inning on Ryan Schimpf's sacrifice fly, giving them a 10-4 lead over Texas in the deciding game of the College World Series championship series at Rosenblatt Stadium.

The Tigers' sixth national title would tie the Longhorns for second on the all-time list. USC has won 12 national championships.

Posted by Mark Schlabach

OMAHA, Neb. -- Things are falling apart for Texas at Rosenblatt Stadium, as LSU scored five runs on only two hits in the top of the sixth inning.

After freshman Mikie Mahtook's RBI double gave LSU a 5-4 lead with no outs, Texas coach Augie Garrido replaced reliever Brandon Workman with freshman Austin Dicharry. On the next at-bat, catcher Micah Gibbs bunted to move Mahtook to third, but Dicharry threw wildly to first and Gibbs was safe.

Mathook scored on Derek Helenihi's sacrifice fly to left to make it 6-4, and then shortstop Austin Nola grounded out to second for the second out.

But Dicharry walked DJ LeMahieu to put runners at first and second, and then reliever Austin Wood hit Ryan Schimpf with a pitch to load the bases.

Wood then hit Blake Dean with another pitch, allowing Gibbs to score from third for a 7-4 lead.

LSU first baseman Sean Ochinko delivered the big hit in the inning with a two-run single to left to make it 9-4.

Posted by Mark Schlabach

OMAHA, Neb. -- LSU freshman Mikie Mahtook, who had the game-winning hit in the 11th inning of the Tigers' 7-6 win over Texas on Monday night, delivered another big hit in Wednesday night's deciding game of the CWS championship series.

Mahtook hit Texas reliever Brandon Workman's full-count pitch into the right-center gap for a double, scoring Jared Mitchell from second for a 5-4 lead in the top of the sixth inning at Rosenblatt Stadium. Mitchell, whose three-run homer put LSU ahead 3-0, led off the inning with a walk and moved to second on a passed ball.

Mahtook's RBI double chased Workman, who had been pretty solid the previous three innings. He was replaced by Austin Dicharry.

Posted by Mark Schlabach

OMAHA, Neb. -- Texas right fielder Kevin Keyes, who left the bases loaded by striking out in the first inning, belted a two-run homer to left to tie the score at 4-4 in the fifth inning of the deciding game of the College World Series championship series.

After catcher Cameron Rupp led off the fifth with a sharp single to left, Keyes ripped LSU starter Anthony Ranaudo's first pitch over the left-field wall. It was Keyes' ninth homer of the season and second at the CWS.

The Longhorns have gotten a solid effort from relief pitcher Brandon Workman, who replaced starter Cole Green in the third inning. Workman, who was the losing pitcher in LSU's 7-6 win in 11 innings on Monday night, allowed Sean Ochinko's single to open the third, before retiring the next nine LSU hitters.

Posted by Mark Schlabach

OMAHA, Neb. -- Texas cut LSU's lead to 4-2 with two runs in the bottom of the third inning in the deciding game of the CWS championship series at Rosenblatt Stadium.

After the Longhorns loaded the bases with two outs, LSU starter Anthony Ranaudo walked left fielder Preston Clark on a 10-pitch at-bat. Brandon Belt scored to make it 4-2.

Ranaudo got out of the bases-loaded jam when shortstop Brandon Loy grounded out to short with two outs.

The Longhorns made it 4-1 when Travis Tucker scored on catcher Cameron Rupp's grounder to short with one out.

Ranaudo walked four batters in the inning. The sophomore threw 43 pitches in the inning, putting his pitch count at 77 through three innings.

LSU freshman Mikie Mahtook, who had the game-winning hit in LSU's 7-6 win on Monday night, saved what could have been two runs in the inning with a running catch in deep center field. With runners at first and second, Texas DH Russell Moldenhauer hit a screaming liner in the left-center gap. Mahtook ran to his left and leaped to make the catch.

The Longhorns have stranded seven runners in the first three innings, leaving the bases loaded in the first and third.

Posted by Mark Schlabach

OMAHA, Neb. -- Texas sophomore Brandon Workman has replaced starting pitcher Cole Green in the top of the third inning in the deciding game of the CWS championship series.

The Longhorns trail the Tigers 4-0 after two innings. Green allowed five hits and four earned runs in two innings with no walks and one strikeout.

Workman pitched 1 2/3 innings and was the losing pitcher in LSU's 7-6 win in 11 innings in Game 1 on Monday night.

Posted by Mark Schlabach

OMAHA, Neb. -- LSU left fielder Ryan Schimpf hit an RBI single up the middle to make it 4-0 going in the bottom of the second inning in the deciding game of the CWS championship series at Rosenblatt Stadium.

The Tigers already have five hits off Texas starter Cole Green, who seems to be in pretty big trouble after only two innings. Texas' bullpen was up during the top of the second inning, and Longhorns coach Augie Garrido is going to have a pretty quick hook with so much on the line.

Green, who pitched well in his previous two CWS starts, just doesn't seem to be fooling the Tigers' hitters very often.

Posted by Mark Schlabach

OMAHA, Neb. -- LSU sophomore Anthony Ranaudo just blew a high fastball past Texas right fielder Kevin Keyes to get out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the first inning.

The Tigers take a 3-0 lead into the second inning of the deciding game of the CWS championship at Rosenblatt Stadium.

Texas third baseman Michael Torres led off the bottom of the first with a single up the middle. After second baseman Travis Tucker failed to get down a sacrifice bunt and then struck out, Brandon Belt flew out to deep center for the second out.

But hot-hitting DH Russell Moldenhauer singled to left, and Ranaudo walked catcher Cameron Rupp to load the bases.

Ranaudo didn't waste any time with Keyes, who quickly fell behind on a 1-2 count.

Posted by Mark Schlabach

OMAHA, Neb. -- LSU right fielder Jared Mitchell, a first-round pick of the Chicago White Sox in this month's amateur baseball draft, belted a three-run homer to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead over Texas in the top of the first inning in the deciding game of the College World Series championship at Rosenblatt Stadium.

Longhorns starter Cole Green seemed to be in pretty good shape, recording two quick outs to start the game. But then Green hit designated hitter Blake Dean with a pitch (he was awarded first base only after umpires had a conference on the mound), and Sean Ochinko ripped a single to left.

Mitchell, who also is a wide receiver on LSU's football team, belted Green's 2-2 pitch just inside the right-field foul pole. LSU coach Paul Mainieri tinkered with his team's batting order before the game, moving Mitchell up a spot to No. 5. The move paid off in the first inning.

Tigers football coach Les Miles was in the stands watching the game. Miles attended last night's game, then flew back to Baton Rouge before returning to Omaha today.

Posted by Mark Schlabach

OMAHA, Neb. -- We're less than an hour from the start of the championship game of the College World Series, and I'm happy to report the skies above Rosenblatt Stadium are sunny and clear.

The weather forecast calls for about a 40-percent chance of thunderstorms around 7 p.m. CT, and it's awfully hot again. But as of right now, there are no signs of pending bad weather and radar shows most of the storms are to the south of Omaha. That's certainly good news after last night's game was delayed 1 hour, 34 minutes because of heavy storms.

The LSU Tigers just finished up batting practice, and Texas' players are beginning to take the field.

The winner of tonight's game will win the national championship. LSU is aiming for its sixth title (and first since 2000); the Longhorns are trying for their seventh championship (and first since 2005).

The starting lineups are out, and Texas coach Augie Garrido is sticking with the same lineup he used in Tuesday night's 5-1 victory over the Tigers.

LSU coach Paul Mainieri has made a few noticeable changes. Ryan Schimpf, who started at first base last night, is back in left field. Speedy Leon Landry is back on the bench, and Sean Ochinko is back at first base. Right fielder Jared Mitchell has moved up a spot to No. 5 in the batting order, and freshman Mikie Mahtook has dropped a spot to No. 6.

The Tigers will start right-handed sophomore Anthony Ranaudo, who will be making his third start at the CWS. He is 1-0 in his previous two starts in Omaha with a 1.93 ERA in 9 1/3 innings.

The Longhorns will start sophomore Cole Green, who is also making his third start of the CWS. He pitched seven innings against Southern Miss, allowing six hits and three earned runs. Green pitched six innings in the 4-3 victory over Arizona State, allowing eight hits and two earned runs.

Here are the starting lineups for tonight's championship game of the College World Series:

LSU Tigers (55-17)
2B DJ LeMahieu (.348, 5 HR, 43 RBI)
LF Ryan Schimpf (.336, 22 HR, 68 RBI)
DH Blake Dean (.332, 17 HR, 70 RBI)
1B Sean Ochinko (.323, 8 HR, 54 RBI)
RF Jared Mitchell (.329, 10 HR, 47 RBI)
CF Mikie Mahtook (.319, 7 HR, 37 RBI)
C Micah Gibbs (.291, 6 HR, 42 RBI)
3B Derek Helenihi (.265, 4 HR, 22 RBI)
SS Austin Nola (.239, 3 HR, 17 RBI)

RHP Anthony Ranaudo (11-3, 2.87 ERA)

Texas Longhorns (50-15-1)
3B Michael Torres (.296, 5 HR, 33 RBI)
2B Travis Tucker (.295, 3 HR, 30 RBI)
1B Brandon Belt (.329, 8 HR, 43 RBI)
DH Russell Moldenhauer (.262, 4 HR, 14 RBI)
C Cameron Rupp (.292, 11 HR, 45 RBI)
RF Kevin Keyes (.305, 8 HR, 44 RBI)
CF Connor Rowe (.277, 8 HR, 40 RBI)
LF Preston Clark (.278, 3 HR, 26 RBI)
SS Brandon Loy (.293, 0 HR, 30 RBI)

RHP Cole Green (5-3, 3.07 ERA)