Kade Anderson allowed just three hits in seven innings and No. 6 national seed LSU defeated No. 3 national seed Arkansas 4-1 in a Men’s College World Series opener on Saturday night in Omaha, Neb.
On Monday, the Tigers (49-15) will face UCLA, which defeated Murray State, 6-4, earlier Saturday, and the Razorbacks (48-14) will face Murray State in an elimination game.
The Razorbacks didn’t get a hit until Wehiwa Aloy led off the bottom of the fourth with a single, but Anderson held them scoreless until Reese Robinett led off the bottom of the sixth with his third home run of the season.
Anderson left after allowing a lead-off single in the eighth. Chase Shores replaced him and retired the next three batters. Casan Evans then pitched a scoreless ninth.
LSU knocked Arkansas ace Zach Root from the game while taking a 3-0 lead in the top of the second. Chris Stanfield had an RBI single, Michael Braswell III was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Josh Pearson’s RBI grounder finished Root.
Gabe Gaeckle relieved and held the Tigers scoreless into the eighth, but he allowed a one-out double to Steven Milam and, one out later, Cole Gibler relieved and gave up an RBI single to Derek Curiel.
–Field Level Media