’Noles’ mistakes launch Tigers
OMAHA — Two bizarre plays undid Florida State Saturday night.
LSU (49-17) rallied for two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to beat the Seminoles 5-4 on the opening night of the College World Series. Florida State (45-22) will play CalState Fullerton in an elimination game Monday at 2 p.m.
Adley Rutschman hit the tie-breaking single in the eighth inning, Jake Mulholland pitched 41⁄3 innings of no-hit relief and No. 1 Oregon State rallied to beat Cal State Fullerton 6-5 in the College World Series early game Saturday.
LSU tied the evening game against FSU when Antoine Duplantis singled with Cole Freeman on first base. Florida State right fielder Steven Wells missed the ball, enabling Freeman to advance.
Wells’ throw to second was off, which sent Freeman home.
The next throw, to home, was in time, but the ball popped out of catcher Cal Raleigh’s glove. The Seminoles were charged with three errors on the critical play.
Greg Deichmann followed with a single just past diving second baseman Matt Henderson to plate the go-ahead run.
Florida State took the lead four minutes into the game when Dylan Busby drilled a ball over the center-field fence of TD Ameritrade Park for a two-run homer.
Busby, who has 10 RBI during eight NCAA Tournament games, also drovein Taylor Walls with a single up the middle in the third.
Henderson singled to lead off the Florida State ninth but was stranded on second base when Busby struck out looking to end the game.
As strange as the tying run was, it could not top Louisiana State’s tally in the bottom of the first.
With two outs and Duplantis on first base, Deichmann attempted to checkswing on a curveball in the dirt, but the home plate umpire called strike three. Then the fun began. The ball caromed off Raleigh’s left shin guard and bounced to the backstop. Deichmann initially didn’t run, giving Raleigh a chance to throw out Deichmann at first. The ball, slippery after a roll through rain-soaked grass, squirted out of Raleigh’s hand as he threw. Duplantis never stopped and came home unabated as no Seminole covered home plate.
The ball used for the first pitch will be eventually presented to Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise.
The Congressman was seriously injured during a mass shooting earlier this week while preparing for the annual congressional baseball game.
Scalise, who graduated from LSU in 1989, was upgraded from critical to serious condition Saturday night, according to CNN.
Opposing coaches Mike Martin and LSU’s Paul Mainieri have combined for 3,316 victories. Martin is first all-time with 1,943, while Mainieri is fifth with 1,373.
Taylor Walls set a Florida State record by reaching base 14 consecutive times. His streak ended with a ground out in the seventh inning Saturday night against LSU.