OMAHA, NE. — Tennessee left fielder Jared Dickey roped a line drive right at third baseman Tommy White for out number two in the first inning.
Five feet to the left or the right and Dickey might have given Tennessee a first inning lead with a double. But instead, LSU ace Paul Skenes got out of the first inning unscathed and into a rhythm.
“I wouldn’t call it pressure but there is an extra bit of tension there,” Dickey said of the necessity of jumping on Skenes when there’s a chance.
The junior proceeded to dominate for the next two hours. Skenes struck out the side in the second inning and added two more strikeouts in third inning.
A Maui Ahuna RBI single up the middle ended his day in the eighth inning and the ensuing Hunter Ensley home run made it two earned runs surrendered, but Skenes was even better than that.
“He was on his A game,” outfielder Christian Scott said. “He looked really good out there— props to him. He’s always a tough pitcher to face.”
“Obviously Paul’s really good,” designated hitter Griffin Merritt said. “There’s no other way to put it. And he was on his game tonight. And he was executing his game plan. And when you face a guy like that you need a couple of breaks to go your way.”
Skenes was really good against Tennessee in the regular season. He was even better in the College World Series opener.
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The Air Force transfer’s ability to throw off speed pitches, especially his changeup, is what made his outing distinct from the regular season and so special.
“Tonight the big thing for him was his changeup was in the zone,” Dickey said. “It’s in the zone like 30% of the time during the regular season and other games in the postseason so him having that hurt us a lot so credit to him. He had a great outing.”
“He threw backwards,” Vitello said. “Throws a hundred miles an hour and he threw backwards on our guys. From his end you’re doing anything you can to advance in the situation in the bracket where you’re in the winner’s side. And he mixed it up.”
Skenes allowed just six baserunners and two earned runs in 7.2 innings while striking out 12 batters. LSU’s offense wasn’t dominant but produced enough run support to back up its ace.
“He’s probably the best pitcher in college baseball right now,” Dickey said. “He’s got special stuff.”
