COLLEGE BASEBALL WORLD SERIES : LSU Routs Florida, 19-8, Advances to Title Game

Gary Hymel had two three-run homers and Louisiana State blasted its way into the championship game of the College World Series with a 19-8 victory over Florida on Wednesday night.

The fourth-seeded Tigers, who had 14 hits against five pitchers, reached the title game for the first time after being in the College World Series five of the past six years.

LSU will face either Creighton or Wichita State for the championship Saturday. Creighton would have to beat Wichita State twice today to reach the title game.

The Tigers (54-19) also earned bragging rights in the Southeastern Conference with their second victory over Florida (51-21) in the double-elimination series. LSU won the regular-season SEC title, but Florida won the conference tournament.

“We were fortunate to catch Florida in this bracket, out of the losers’ bracket,” said LSU Coach Skip Bertman, whose team did not have to face Florida’s top pitcher.

Creighton and Wichita State is another matchup of conference opponents. Both play in the Missouri Valley. Wichita State has won all seven meetings between them this season.

Hymel homered in the first and ninth to sandwich an impressive string of middle innings in which the Tigers scored five runs in the fourth, five in the fifth and three in the sixth.

Lyle Mouton tied a College World Series record with his two-run homer in the sixth, his fourth career homer in the College World Series.

“I think this was an excellent team win. Pitching did its job and our hitting was there,” Moulton said.

Florida’s Mario Linares had two home runs, a two-run shot in the fifth and a three-run shot in the seventh.

“I’m proud of my ballclub,” Florida Coach Joe Arnold said. “To be 11-11 at one time and then get to the College World Series and finish in the top four--I’m very proud.”

Paul Byrd (8-3) was the winning pitcher. Cord Corbitt (2-1) took the loss.

“I didn’t think I had my good stuff, but I could tell we were going to hit the hell out of the ball,” Byrd said.