When LSU and UNC meet this afternoon in TD Ameritrade Park, the crowd in Omaha will look down on two similar squads that will be fighting for another chance in the 2013 College World Series.
The Tigers (57-10) were haunted by errors against a small-ball-style UCLA club Sunday night in a 2-1 loss.
Two defensive miscues by the LSU defense resulted in two unearned runs for sophomore starter Aaron Nola, moving the squad to the loser’s bracket.
UNC (57-11) suffered a more brutal loss in the opening round of the CWS, as NC State left-hander Carlos Rodon stifled the Tar Heels’ batters in an 8-1 blowout Sunday afternoon.
Both squads are renowned for their prolific offenses. UNC has six batters hitting over the .300 mark, and senior outfielder Chaz Frank is sitting right on the cusp at .299. The Tar Heels have pounded out 48 home runs this season, including 13 from junior third baseman Colin Moran.
“We know they’ve got a good lineup,” said senior first baseman Mason Katz. “Colin Moran was the sixth pick in the draft, and their other guys are very good hitters. We’ve been wanting to play them…”
They’ll match up against an LSU offense that scored only one run, a solo home run by Katz, against UCLA junior starter Adam Plutko. The Tigers feasted off opposing pitchers in 2013, and they’ll be looking to rebound in Tuesday’s elimination game.
The large dimensions of TD Ameritrade Park proved to be a problem for LSU against the Bruins, as three flyouts by junior third baseman Christian Ibarra and freshman center fielder Andrew Stevenson all died at the warning track.
“It’s just so hard to hit a home run,” LSU coach Paul Mainieri said. “You just can’t play for extra-base hits in this park. You’ve got to scratch one across here and there. It’s just a tough ball park to create offense in.”
Mainieri announced Monday that sophomore left hander Cody Glenn will get the start for the Tigers today. Glenn hasn’t pitched in a game for LSU since May 22, as he missed the Regional and Super Regional round of the postseason after being suspended for violating team rules.
“I’m going to catch my groove, and I’m going to try to catch it as soon as possible,” Glenn said. “I’m excited to get back on the mound and get my blood pumping. I miss it.”
The Tar Heels will counter with freshman right-hander Trent Thornton, who went 11-1 with a 1.28 ERA in 84 and two-thirds innings pitched. Thornton, traditionally understood to be UNC’s closer in 2013, recorded eight saves, but he also made five midweek starts during the season.
LSU’s lineup understands fully that it’s a win-or-go-home scenario, and they appear to have no intention of going back to Baton Rouge.
“Everybody wanted to see [this matchup], and here it is,” Katz said. “Whether it was North Carolina or NC State, it wouldn’t really matter, because either way it was potentially our last game of the season, so everybody will be the same way no matter what.”
