The Pitching Matchup: LSU Baseball vs. North Carolina Options (Chapel Hill Regional)

The Tigers have rolled with their aces in Chapel Hill with a few options remaining. Who will Jay Johnson give the ball to?

With their backs against the wall, the reigning National Champion LSU Tigers kept their 2024 season alive on Sunday night after back-to-back elimination game victories.

Jay Johnson and Co. took down Wofford to kick off the action-packed day followed by a Sunday night win over the North Carolina Tar Heels.

LSU sent Nate Ackenhausen to the mound as the starting pitcher against Wofford, but after a difficult first inning showing, Johnson pulled his starter with only two outs in the opening frame.

It was Griffin Herring who came out of the bullpen to save the Tigers after delivering 6.1 innings of masterclass baseball.

Herring stabilized LSU when they needed him most; propelling the Bayou Bengals to a critical rematch with North Carolina.

From there, Thatcher Hurd received the ball in another "win or go home" showdown.

Now, with Herring and Hurd's talents utilized, alongside Jump, Holman and freshman Kade Anderson, where will LSU go in Monday's NCAA Regional Final?

The Utilized Arms: Jump, Holman, Herring and Anderson

LSU rolled with aces Gage Jump and Luke Holman to start off the Chapel Hill Regional on Friday and Saturday. With both stars performing accordingly, it's unlikely either sees the mound on Monday night.

Clearly, Holman won't see the field on Monday, but what Johnson does with Jump could be interesting. Will he use him if needed? It could be up in the air, but again, unlikely.

Herring and Hurd are out of the equation here. After two heroic performances on Sunday to lift LSU to a winner-take-all showdown on Monday, they're out of commission against North Carolina.

Herring (6-1) earned the win against Wofford, limiting the Terriers to one run on five hits in 6.1 innings with no walks and seven strikeouts.

Hurd (3-4) pitched a season-high 5.2 innings on Sunday, limiting North Carolina to two runs on six hits with no walks and six strikeouts.

For Anderson, he totaled 46 pitches in two separate outings on Sunday after coming out of the bullpen against both Wofford and North Carolina.

Now, all eyes will be on who Johnson rolls with on Monday.

The Likely Starters: Sam Dutton, Javen Coleman or Nate Ackenhausen

Many believed Coleman would be handed the ball on Monday in the winner-take-all contest, but it'll be a night where the bullpen is used in a myriad of ways.

Coleman has started seven games on the season while also coming in as a relief pitcher in four separate games. He's totaled 24.2 innings of work with a 3-1 record. Coleman has a 5.47 ERA, 27 strikeouts, 19 walks, and four home runs allowed.

For Ackenhausen, he struggled on Sunday, but his arm is still available after tossing just 27 pitches against Wofford.

When it comes to Dutton, the savvy right-handed pitcher is a viable option on Monday and will be one to keep tabs on.

He's has made19 appearances on the season with a 5.2 ERA and 29 strikeouts to just six walks.

The Bullpen Options: Fidel Ulloa, Gavin Guidry, Sam Dutton, Justin Loer, Aiden Moffett and Will Hellmers

Ulloa has asserted himself as an X-factor for the Tigers after coming up in a big way on Sunday night against the Tar Heels. After throwing just 22 pitches, he's available on Monday with Johnson clearly trusting his veteran.

Ullua has made 19 appearances on the season with 23.1 innings pitched. In those innings, he has 26 strikeouts with 11 walks and a 4.63 ERA.

For Guidry, the confident, swagger-filled sophomore came in to close things out for the Tigers on Sunday night. There's a question mark when looking at his availability on Monday night. He threw 40 pitches with his status up in the air.

Loer, Hellmers and Moffett pitched on Saturday against thee Tar Heels but nobody exceeded 10 pitches on the day. They'll be available to come in as relievers.

Here's what Johnson said on Sunday night:

“I think they believe in themselves at a high level,” Johnson said. “Playing as well as we have for the past month and a half, they should believe in themselves. As I said last night after a tough loss, today was going to be our best day. We’re going to put everything in the middle and go for it and these guys did that. In this tournament, you have to have great individual performances to win and we got that today.”

Monday night will be a battle, but Johnson and Co. are prepared for the challenge with a chance to punch their ticket to Super Regionals.

Other LSU News:

Staying Alive: LSU Defeats North Carolina 8-4 to Remain Alive in Chapel Hill

The Recap: LSU Takes Down Wofford in Pivotal Elimination Game

The Bracket: The Updated Chapel Hill Regional Bracket

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Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and LSU Country: @LSUCountry_FN for all coverage surrounding the LSU program.