The No. 3-seed Arkansas Razorbacks (48-14, 20-10 SEC) lost Game 1 of the College World Series to the 6-seed LSU Tigers (49-15, 19-11 SEC) on Saturday, 4-1, at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska.
Ace left-hander Zach Root's day ended before it really began, as the southpaw made it through just 1.2 innings before getting pulled. After a 1-2-3 top of the first, LSU got two hits, two walks and a hit-by-pitch to scratch across three earned runs against Root in the second.
Right-hander Gabe Gaeckle was electric in relief, as he racked up 10 strikeouts, one walk and only allowed three hits and one run in 6.0 innings pitched.
Arkansas' offense, on the other hand, was less-than-stellar. The team finished 4-for-29 at the plate with 10 punchouts, with the only run of the game coming on a Reese Robinett solo blast in the sixth inning.
Freshman lefty Cole Gibler entered in the eighth and completed one inning with three strikeouts, a walk and a hit before giving way to righty Christian Foutch to finish the game.
RECAP
First Inning:
Arkansas starter Zach Root's first pitch of the College World Series landed in for a strike. Five pitches later, LSU leadoff man Josh Pearson grounded out to Cam Kozeal at second base for out No. 1. The second out came via flyball to center field, and Root completed his debut frame with a strikeout swinging.
Charles Davalan flied out to center field on LSU starter Kade Anderson's third pitch, then Wehiwa Aloy worked a walk. Logan Maxwell was retired on a left-field flyout and Ryder Helfrick grounded out back to Anderson to end the inning.
Second Inning:
A four-pitch strikeout got Root off to a good start in the second, but a four-pitch walk gave the Tigers a baserunner. A full-count walk turned the pressure up, and pitching coach Matt Hobbs went out for a chat. A picture-perfect bunt attempt to the left side of the infield loaded the bases for LSU. A hard-hit single to left gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead and reloaded the bases, then a hit-by-pitch made it 2-0, LSU. A fielder's choice out made it 3-0, which ended Root's day in favor righty Gabe Gaeckle, who drew a groundout to end the frame.
Kuhio Aloy watched five pitches for a leadoff walk in the bottom of the second, but Anderson bounced back with a strikeout against Kozeal. Brent Iredale grounded into a double play to cap the inning off.
Third Inning:
With a clean slate, Gaeckle started the third with back-to-back strikeouts. A single that was just out of reach of Kozeal gave LSU a baserunner, then a walk amped up the pressure again. Gaeckle escaped with a fielder's choice groundout.
Reese Robinett quickly went down 0-2 in the leadoff at-bat against Anderson, who got the lefty to pop-up in the infield. Justin Thomas Jr. flied out to left field and Davalan grounded out to end the inning.
Fourth Inning:
Gaeckle got a much-needed one-pitch flyball out to get the fourth started, then a nasty slider notched another strikeout. A long at-bat resulted in another strikeout for Gaeckle.
Wehiwa Aloy smashed an oppo-single in a full-count to leadoff the bottom of the fourth. Maxwell followed up with a three-pitch strikeout swinging and Helfrick ended the inning with a groundball double play.
Fifth Inning:
A first-base groundout got the fifth started for Gaeckle, who picked up his fifth strikeout in the next at-bat. After a shoe-lace replacement delay, Gaeckle got tagged with a single up the middle. A flyout ended the frame.
Kuhio Aloy got up 2-0 against Anderson in the fifth, but struckout after three straight strikes. Kozeal grounded out on the first pitch he saw and then Iredale struck out on a breaking ball in the dirt.
Sixth Inning:
Gaeckle cruised in the sixth behind two groundouts and a strikeout swinging.
The shutout was finally broken in the bottom of the sixth, when Robinett worked the count full and then launched a ball into the right-field bleachers for a solo homer. Thomas struck out on a low offspeed, then Davalan grounded out. Wehiwa Aloy struckout looking in a full count to end the inning.
Seventh Inning:
Gaeckle continued to dominate in the seventh, as he struck out the side to up his K total to nine for the day.
The Hogs' offense failed to use that momentum up to bat, as they went down in order with two first-base groundouts and a strikeout.
Eighth Inning:
To officially log his longing outing of the season, Gaeckle notched his 10th strikeout of the day to begin the eighth. Then, a poor read by Maxwell in right field allowed LSU to put a man on second base. Helfrick secured an infield pop-up for a huge out No. 2, which prompted Arkansas to make a pitching change to freshman lefty Cole Gibler.
After getting ahead 0-2, Gibler gave up a left-field single, which allowed the baserunner at second to come around and score for a 4-1 LSU lead.
Kozeal earned a much-needed leadoff single for the Hogs in the bottom of the eighth. LSU then made a pitching change to righty Chase Shores, who allowed the runner to move to second with a wild pitch. Iredale watched strike three on the edge for the first out and Robinett struck out swinging at 100 MPH cheese for out No. 2. Thomas lined out to center field to end the inning.
Ninth Inning:
Gibler took the mound again in the ninth and picked up back-to-back strikeouts before getting a walk. Arkansas then turned to Christian Foutch, who plunked his first batter to give LSU two baserunners. Foutch got out of the jam with a strikeout swinging.
LSU turned to righty Casan Evans to get the final three outs of the game. Davalan got the inning started right with a single to center field, but Wehiwa Aloy struck out swinging. Maxwell's groundout moved Davalan to second, and Helfrick grounded out to end the game.
