OMAHA, Neb. — South Carolina erupted for a six-run sixth inning Monday to erase a 3-1 deficit and the third-ranked Gamecocks went on to a 15-4 College World Series victory over sixth-ranked LSU at Rosenblatt Stadium.
The loss eliminated LSU from the CWS, as the Tigers completed the season with a 46-19.
“It’s not fun,” said LSU centerfielder J.C. Holt when asked about the Tigers’ exit from the CWS. “It doesn’t make you a bad team. Unfortunately, we couldn’t put anything together up here. We were still able to finish as one of the top eight teams in the nation.”
South Carolina (51-16) will play the loser of tonight’s Cal State Fullerton-Miami (Fla.) game at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
The teams combined for 35 hits in the contest — South Carolina had 19 singles and one double while all of LSU’s 16 hits were singles.
The Tigers committed four errors which led to seven unearned runs, including four in the six-run sixth inning.
“We didn’t defend the field well for a few innings,” said LSU coach Smoke Laval. “We usually avoid the big inning, but this time we didn’t, and it seemed to snowball on us. We just needed a few more timely hits as well.”
LSU starter Lane Mestepey took a 3-1 lead into the sixth before running into difficulty. Steve Pearce led off the inning with an infield single, but was erased at second base on Landon Powell’s ground ball.
Kevin Mellilo followed with another infield single before Brendan Winn walked to load the bases.
Mestepey retired Michael Campbell on a liner to third base, but Nick Gardiner delivered a sharp single to right field to score two runs and tie the game at 3-3.
Davy Gregg then grounded to Will Harris at first base, but Harris’ throw sailed out of Mestepey’s reach, allowing two more runs to score.
Mestepey walked Bryan Triplett and Steven Tolleson slapped an RBI single to give the Gamecocks at 6-3 lead.
Jordan Faircloth relieved Mestepey, but his errant pick-off attempt at first base gave South Carolina its sixth run of the inning.
The Gamecocks put the game out of reach in the eighth with six more runs, sending 11 batters to the plate. South Carolina collected just three singles in the inning, but the Gamecocks benefited from an LSU error, a hit batsman and three walks to take a 13-3 lead.
South Carolina starter Aaron Rawl (13-4) earned the victory, scattering 11 singles over 6.2 innings. Rawl picked up his second win this season against LSU, allowing three runs with one walks and five strikeouts.
Mestepey (7-4) was charged with the loss, surrendering seven runs (three earned) on 10 hits in 5.2 innings with two walks and one strikeout.
South Carolina grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first against Mestepey, but the Tigers tied the contest in the third on Ivan Naccarata’s RBI single.
LSU struck for two runs in the fourth to take a 3-1 lead as Ryan Patterson lifted a sacrifice fly and Blake Gill lined a run-scoring single.
South Carolina 15, LSU 4 (Jun 21, 2004 at Omaha, Neb.)
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South Carolina…… 100 006 062 – 15 19 1 (51-16)
LSU…………….. 001 200 010 – 4 16 4 (46-19)
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Pitchers: South Carolina – Rawl; Blackwell(7); Donald(9).
LSU – Mestepey; Faircloth(6); Meier(8); Dirks(8); Bonura(9).
Win-Rawl(13-4) Loss-Mestepey(7-4)
T-3:15 A-19000
Meier faced 5 batters in the 8th.
Dirks faced 4 batters in the 9th.