By Bill Franques, LSU Senior Associate Communications Director
BATON ROUGE — Shortstop Steven Milam and rightfielder Jake Brown each drove in four runs Sunday night to lead LSU to a 12-5 win over West Virginia in Game 2 of the NCAA Super Regional at Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field.
The victory secured a berth in the College World Series for LSU, which will participate in the CWS for the 20th time in its illustrious baseball history, and for the second time in three seasons. LSU has won seven College World Series championships, most recently claiming the title in 2023.
The Tigers will face Arkansas in their opening CWS game on either Friday or Saturday at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb. The NCAA will announce dates and game times for the CWS on Monday.
LSU improved to 48-15 with Sunday’s victory, while West Virginia completed its season with a 44-16 mark.
“I told the team after the game, I’m super proud of them because the rewards of ‘tough and together’ were out there on the field tonight,” said LSU coach Jay Johnson. “I can’t wait to go chase a national championship with them.
“It’s so fun and exciting and rewarding to see all the people so passionate about LSU Baseball, and I’m so thankful for the effort from everybody in this program. And it was an awesome night. I have a lot of gratitude, and I’m just very thankful.”
Milam was 2-for-4 with two doubles and four RBI, and Brown was 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and four RBI to highlight LSU’s offensive output.
LSU starting pitcher Anthony Eyanson (11-2) earned the win, as he worked 5.0 innings and limited the Mountaineers to four runs on five hits with three walks and seven strikeouts, firing 104 pitches.
West Virginia starter Jack Kartsonas (6-4) was charged with the loss, as he surrendered six runs on five hits in 2.0 innings with four walks and one strikeout.
LSU grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Brown delivered an RBI groundout, and the Tigers struck for five runs in the second to extend the margin to 6-0.
The second-inning rally featured a three-run double by Milam, and RBI singles by Brown and first baseman Jared Jones.
The Mountaineers narrowed the gap to 6-3 in the fourth as designated hitter Sam White launched a solo homer and first baseman Ben Lumsden unloaded a two-run dinger.
West Virginia added another run in the fifth when White provided an RBI single.
LSU, however, erupted for six runs in the seventh inning as centerfielder Chris Stanfield slapped a two-run single, Milam lined an RBI double, and Brown smashed a two-run homer – his eighth dinger of the season – to highlight the outburst.
The Tigers received outstanding relief pitching behind Eyanson from left-hander Cooper Williams and right-hander Chase Shores. Williams worked 2.2 innings and allowed just one run on one hit with one strikeout, and Shores worked 1.1 perfect innings with three strikeouts to close the game.
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