OMAHA, Neb. — Adam Plutko and two relievers limited LSU to five hits, and UCLA turned both of the Tigers’ errors into runs in a tense 2-1 victory at the College World Series last night.
The Bruins (45-17) will play North Carolina State tomorrow. The No. 4 national seed Tigers (57-10) will meet North Carolina in an elimination game.
LSU scored its only run on Mason Katz’s fourth-inning homer. The Tigers had defensive breakdowns that allowed the Bruins to tie it in the sixth and take the lead in the eighth.
Plutko (9-3) allowed four hits in seven innings for the win. David Berg worked out of trouble in the ninth to earn his 22nd save.
Aaron Nola (12-1) gave up five singles in eight innings, and both runs against him were unearned.
N.C. State 8, N. Carolina 1
North Carolina State’s Carlos Rodon pitched eight shutout innings to continue his mastery of North Carolina, and the Wolfpack knocked out ACC pitcher of the year Kent Emanuel early.
Rodon held the No. 1 national seed Tar Heels hitless into the fifth inning. He allowed five hits and struck out eight.
It was the sophomore left-hander’s second straight dominating performance against the Tar Heels. The result was more satisfying this time. Three weeks ago he allowed one hit and struck out 14 in 10 innings but got no decision in a 2-1, 18-inning loss in the ACC tournament.
Brett Williams, Bryan Adametz and Logan Ratledge had two hits apiece for the Wolfpack (50-14), with Ratledge driving in two runs out of the No. 9 hole.