College World Series Finals: LSU Takes First Game Of Championship Series

The Tigers defeated Florida in extra innings on Saturday night for the early lead in the finals series.

© Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

After a week of some of the best baseball during the "The Greatest Show on Dirt," the Men's College World Series is down to the final two teams. Saturday night was the first game of a best-two-out-of-three series to determine the 2023 national champion.

It took extra innings to get there. No. 5 LSU has the advantage going into Sunday's second game after they beat No. 2 Florida by a score of 4-3 on Saturday.

College World Series Finals - Game One

No. 5 LSU (1-0) 4 - No. 2 Florida (0-1) 3

LSU left fielder and lead-off hitter Dylan Crews was hit by a pitch on the fourth pitch of the game. A couple of batters later, he crossed the plate on a base hit by Cade Beloso to give the Tigers the 1-0 advantage. 

LSU would add another run in the top of the 3rd. Florida got on the board in the bottom of the 3rd and tie it at 2-2 in the bottom of the 5th. Florida would take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the 6th with a solo homer by catcher BT Riopelle. LSU would counter with a solo homer of their own in the top of the 8th with a bomb to left field by Tommy "Tanks" White. 

LSU starting pitcher Ty Floyd was on fire all night. He had 17 strikeouts, the most of any game in college baseball this season. 

LSU would get three home runs in this game. None were more important than the solo bomb by Beloso to lead off the top of the 11th. That would put the Tigers up 4-3. Florida would not be able to score in the bottom of the 11th, giving LSU the win. 

Winning Pitcher: Riley Cooper; Losing Pitcher: Brandon Neely

LSU takes a 1-0 lead in the finals series. Game Two will be Sunday, June 25, at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN. 

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