Swampcast previews Gators in College World Series
The Sun's Kevin Brockway and David Whitley are joined by Daily Advertiser LSU beat writer Koki Riley to discuss Florida and LSU in the MCWS.
Gator Sports
OMAHA, Neb. -- It will be an All-SEC final at the College World Series as No. 2 national seed Florida baseball will face the No. 5 national seed LSU Tigers in the best-of-three series beginning Saturday night at Charles Schwab Field (7 p.m., ESPN).
LSU eliminated No. 1 national seed Wake Forest with a 2-0 win in 11 innings, a game decided on a two-run, walk off home run by third baseman Tommy White.
It will be a rematch of the 2017 CWS Finals, which Florida won in two games over LSU for its first national baseball title in school history. Despite being SEC rivals, Florida and LSU will play against each other for the first time Saturday night, as the two schools didn't meet in the regular season and were at opposite ends of the bracket the SEC Tournament.
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Here's more information about LSU heading into the three-game series:
Like Florida, LSU features a talented, slugging lineup
LSU is batting an SEC-high .307 on the season with 139 home runs, compared to 136 home runs for the Gators. The top two hitters in LSU's lineup include center fielder Dylan Crews (.423, 18 home runs, 69 RBIs), the projected number one overall pick the June amateur draft, and White (.368, 23 home runs, 100 RBIs), a North Carolina State transfer who ranks second in the country in RBIs.
Three more players in LSU's starting lineup -- first baseman Tre' Morgan (.319, 9 HRs, 50 RBIs), designated hitter Cade Beloso (.324, 15 homers, 45 RBIs) and right fielder Brayden Jobert (.301, 12 HRs, 45 RBIs) are batting over .300.
With five home runs in five games so far in the College World Series, LSU hasn't been intimidated by the big ballpark and swirling winds in Omaha.
LSU ace Paul Skenes won't be available to start in the series
LSU's pitching will be tested as ace Paul Skenes (13-2) won't be available to start this weekend after throwing 8 shutout innings and 120 pitches on Thursday. Skenes could possibly come out of the bullpen on Sunday or Monday.
Righty Ty Floyd (7-0, 4.45 ERA) will likely start Game 1 of the series, and in Game 2, LSU could turn to junior Nate Ackenhausen (3-0, 2,86 ERA), who pitched 6 shutout innings and struck out 7 with the season on the line in an elimination game against Tennessee.
LSU's bullpen is deep led by junior lefty Riley Cooper (4-3, 4.53 ERA, 3 saves), freshman righty Gavin Guidry (3-0, 3.60 ERA, 3 saves) and sophomore righty Thatcher Hurd (7-3) a converted starter who pitched three scoreless innings to pick up the win against Wake Forest on Thursday night.
Prediction: Florida wins series in two games
The Gators have their pitching lined up with ace Brandon Sproat and co-ace Hurston Waldrep available to start the first two games. LSU's pitching has been stressed playing four straight games Monday through Thursday to avoid elimination, and not having to face Skenes will be a bonus for a UF lineup that's slugged seven home runs in three College World Series games.
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