LSU Beats Oregon State- Forces Saturday Showdown at CWS

The LSU Tigers get a big win over powerhouse Oregon State at the College World Series in Omaha.
The Bayou Bengals beat the Beavers 3-1 in a game that turned into a pitching duel.

Tiger starter Alex Lange and freshman reliever Zack Hess combined to throw a two-hitter and push LSU into a showdown with Oregon State Saturday afternoon. The winner of that game will make it into the College World Series final.

The LSU Sports Network reports on the game:

Lange (10-5), a first-round draft pick, put together another special performance, pitching into the eighth inning while allowing only one run on two hits against the Beavers. He struck out eight on the afternoon to bump his career total to 406, two shy of the LSU record set by Scott Schultz.

Freshman right-hander Zack Hess entered with the bases empty and one out in the bottom of the eighth and struck out the Nos. 2 and 3 Beavers hitters. In the bottom of the ninth, Hess struck out the cleanup hitter, then got a pop-up to left field and a strikeout to earn his third save of the CWS.

It was LSU's first two-hitter in its College World Series history. Josh Smith also smashed a homer for the Tigers for a bonus run.

In the other half of the bracket, TCU and Florida are still fighting for a spot in the finals. If TCU defeats Florida on Friday, LSU and Oregon State will play at 2 p.m.; if Florida wins and eliminates TCU, the Tigers and Beavers will play at 7 p.m. The Tigers will be the home team on Saturday.

LSU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the 2nd inning against Beavers started Jake Thompson (14-1). Big props to Zach Watson, who's 8 for his last 12 in Omaha, led the Tigers at the plate with a perfect 3-for-3 afternoon that included a walk and run scored.