LSU Ends UCLA’s Season

Louisiana State pounded out 15 hits and made the most of four UCLA errors to advance to the College World Series with a 14-8 NCAA Super Regional win Saturday.

Playing in front of an Alex Box Stadium record crowd of 7,667, the Tigers (48-17) jumped on UCLA starter Josh Karp (10-2) for two runs in the first and third innings, before adding six more in the fourth.

The 10-0 lead seemed insurmountable until the Bruins’ Bill Scott tripled home Garrett Atkins in the fourth inning, and Randall Shelley came through with a three-run homer later in the inning to cut the lead to 10-5.

That’s when LSU sophomore right-hander Billy Brian closed the door on UCLA. He pitched four innings and retired the first 10 batters he faced before UCLA second baseman Chase Utley hit a two-run homer in the seventh.

Brian (6-2), with relief help from Shane Youman and Weylin Guidry, earned the win after taking over for LSU starter Hunter Gomez.

UCLA (38-26), which lost the first game of the best-of-three series, 8-2, on Friday night, was eliminated from the super-regional.