Under the bright lights of Alex Box Stadium, history unfolded once again. LSU, a titan in college baseball, punched its ticket to Omaha for a record-tying 20th College World Series appearance with a commanding 12-5 victory over West Virginia on Sunday night. The Tigers swept the best-of-three Baton Rouge Super Regional in dominant fashion, putting on a show for a raucous home crowd that never stopped roaring.
Jake Brown, the freshman phenom, delivered the kind of performance legends are built on. With a thunderous swing in the third inning, he launched a two-run home run deep over the right-field fence, electrifying the stadium. But he wasn’t done. Brown added two more RBIs with a line-drive single in the sixth, bringing his total to four for the night. His poise and power belied his age, cementing his role as a key figure in LSU’s postseason run.
Right beside him in the spotlight was Steven Milam, LSU’s steady second baseman and emotional anchor. Milam ripped two doubles into the gaps, each one sending runners scrambling home. He matched Brown’s RBI total with four of his own, showcasing not only his bat control but his clutch timing. Milam’s second double in the seventh broke the game open, driving in two and putting LSU ahead 10-4 — a blow from which the Mountaineers could not recover.
On the mound, LSU pieced together a solid performance. Starter Gage Jump battled through early trouble, scattering seven hits and allowing three earned runs over five innings. He struck out six and walked none, showing precision when it mattered most. The bullpen, anchored by right-hander Gavin Guidry, slammed the door. Guidry hurled three scoreless innings, striking out four, and quieted a West Virginia offense that had rallied late in Game 1.
West Virginia, making its first-ever Super Regional appearance, fought valiantly but was ultimately outmatched. JJ Wetherholt, the Big 12 Player of the Year, collected two hits and scored twice, doing everything he could to spark a comeback. But LSU’s relentless lineup and depth proved too much.
When the final out was recorded — a fly ball snagged in left by Josh Pearson — gloves flew into the air, and the dogpile began near the pitcher’s mound. Head coach Jay Johnson, soaked from a postgame Gatorade bath, raised his fists skyward as fans chanted “Omaha! Omaha!” from the bleachers.
“Getting to Omaha never gets old,” Johnson said afterward, his voice cracking with emotion. “This team earned it. Every bit of it.”
With the win, LSU reclaims its place among college baseball’s elite, headed back to the College World Series with confidence, power, and the kind of momentum that can carry a team all the way to a national
