COLLEGE BASEBALL : LSU Wins, Advances to Omaha

Pat Garrity drove in three runs, leading Louisiana State past Southwestern Louisiana, 8-5, at Baton Rouge, La., Tuesday night for the NCAA South Regional championship and the finalberth in the College World Series.

LSU (51-18) reached the Series for the third consecutive year and the fifth time in the last six years.

The Tigers are seeded fourth at Omaha, Neb., and will play Friday night against fifth-seeded Florida, which beat LSU in the Southeastern Conference tournament.

Southwestern Louisiana got to the regional championship game by beating Texas A&M;, 13-10, earlier in the day.

In the first game, Andy Fox hit a first-inning grand slam for Southwestern Louisiana (49-20). Texas A&M; finished at (44-23).

Florida State was given the No. 1 seeding and will play No. 8 Fresno State in Friday’s opening game, followed by LSU-Florida.

Saturday’s games will pit No. 2 Clemson against host Creighton and No. 3 Wichita State against No. 6 Cal State Long Beach.

DIVISION II

Jim Radler and Rex McMackin each drove in two runs and Daren Kirkreit pitched a complete game as UC Riverside kept alive its hopes of winning the NCAA Division II College World Series by defeating Shippensburg (Pa.), 8-3, in an elimination game at Montgomery, Ala.

The Highlanders (36-24-1) will play Southern Illinois Edwardsville (43-16) in an elimination game today.