The LSU Tigers (47-15) truck the West Virginia Mountaineers (44-15) 16-9 to take game 1 of the Baton Rouge Super Regional.
The Tigers get big home runs from left fielder Derek Curiel, shortstop Steven Milam and right fielder Josh Pearson.
West Virginia pitcher Griffin Kirn held LSU hitless going into the fourth inning but that would change quickly.
Curiel slices a three-run homer to left field to give the Tigers the 3-1 lead.
Kirn went 4 innings, allowing 2 hits , 4 earned runs, hit 3 batters, 1 walk and struck out 3 Tigers.
The Tigers bats would come alive in the fifth inning, putting up seven runs in the frame.
Milam steps up to the plate with the bases loaded and smashes a grand slam to right field to make it 7-1.
Curiel continues the hit parade with a single to centerfield to drive in another run to give the Tigers the 7-1 advantage.
Centerfielder Chris Stanfield follows that up with a 2-RBI single to left center, pushing LSU’s lead to 10-1.
The Mountaineers battled back in the sixth inning to score four runs to cut the deficit to 10-5.
The Tigers respond with a six spot in the bottom of the sixth, capped off by a grand slam by Pearson to make it 16-5.
LSU starting pitcher Kade Anderson struggled for the first time this season.
The former St. Paul’s star went 7 innings, allowing 9 hits, 7 runs (6 earned), 2 walks and struck out 7 Mountaineers.
The 6 earned runs are the most he’s given up in his LSU career.
Game two between West Virginia and LSU will take place Sunday at 5 p.m.
With a win, LSU will advance to the College World Series for the 20th time in program history.
READ MORE:Monster homers lift LSU to win over West Virginia in game 1 of Baton Rouge Super Regional
