An All SEC battle for the ages | Previewing Arkansas v. LSU in College World Series

Arkansas and LSU will go head to head for the 4th time this season this time in Omaha with everything on the line

OMAHA, Neb. — The Arkansas Razorbacks will take on the Lousiana State University (LSU) Tigers on Saturday, June 14. 

So far this season, the Tigers went 2-1 this season against Arkansas. That series took place in mid May in Baton rouge. The first game was tight the entire way even going to extra innings, however LSU would take it on a walk off sac fly in the bottom of the 10th. Game 2 however was not as close as LSU dominated from start to finish taking it 13-3 in just 7 innings. Arkansas would respond in game 3 as they used a late push to top LSU 7-4 avoiding the sweep. However now, none of those matter as all their focus is on Saturday night.

Here’s a breakdown of each team’s history and what to know before the high-stakes SEC teams battle it out.

Coach Jay Johnson (185-77 in 4 seasons at LSU; 502-249 in 13 seasons overall)

Won Baton Rouge Regional: beat Little Rock 7-0, beat Dallas Baptist 12-0, lost to Little Rock 10-4, beat Little Rock 10-6. Won Baton Rouge Super Regional: beat West Virginia 16-9, beat West Virginia 12-5.

C Luis Hernandez (.272, 9 HRs, 30 RBIs), 1B Jared Jones (.328, 20, 70), 2B Daniel Dickinson (.312, 12, 48), SS Steven Milam (.290, 11, 55), 3B Michael Braswell III (.201, 2, 17) or Tanner Reaves (.266, 3, 12), LF Derek Curiel (.347, 7, 52), CF Chris Stanfield (.309, 1, 28), RF Josh Pearson (.297, 7, 32) or Jake Brown (.315, 8, 44), DH Ethan Frey (.340, 13, 49). Starting pitchers: LHP Kade Anderson (10-1, 3.58 ERA), RHP Anthony Eyanson (11-2, 2.74), RHP Jaden Noot (2-1, 4.26). Relievers: LHP DJ Primeaux (0-0, 3.86), RHP William Schmidt (7-0, 4.73), RHP Maverick Ritzy (0-0, 4.74), LHP Cooper Williams (0-1, 1.83), RHP Chase Shores (5-3, 5.24), RHP Casan Evans (4-1, 1.90), RHP Zac Cowan (3-3, 3.09), LHP Conner Ware (4-1, 5.48).

MLB alumni: Joe Adcock, DJ LeMahieu, Aaron Hill, Albert Belle, Todd Walker, Ben McDonald, Alex Bregman, Brad Hawpe, Ryan Theriot, Russ Springer, Kevin Gausman, Jason Vargas, Warren Morris, Austin Nola, Paul Byrd, Aaron Nola, Mark Guthrie.

Tigers have second-highest all-time NCAA Tournament winning percentage (.708, 182-75). Anderson’s 163 strikeouts are most among CWS pitchers and rank second nationally. Eyanson’s 135 Ks rank third.

Pitching staff is in top 10 nationally in ERA (3.80), hits allowed per nine innings (7.34) and strikeouts per nine innings (11.9).

Quotable: “Everyone just plays for each other. We know we’re a team and if we don’t get the job done, the guys behind us or the guy in front of us is going to protect us and get it done for us. Everyone genuinely cares about each other.” — Eyanson.

Coach Dave Van Horn (931-470 in 23 seasons at Arkansas; 1,516-710 in 38 seasons overall).

Won Fayetteville Regional: beat North Dakota State 62, beat Creighton 12-1, beat Creighton 8-3. Won Fayetteville Super Regional: beat Tennessee 4-3, beat Tennessee 11-4.

C Ryder Helfrick (.320, 14 HRs, 36 RBIs), 1B Reese Robinett (.276, 2, 12), 2B Cam Kozeal (.346, 15, 62), SS Wehiwa Aloy (.348, 20, 64), 3B Brent Iredale (.289, 14, 56), LF Charles Davalan (.355, 14, 59), CF Justin Thomas Jr. (.278, 9, 35), RF Logan Maxwell (.360, 13, 35), DH Kuhio Aloy (.330, 13, 70). Starting pitchers: LHP Zach Root (8-5, 3.59 ERA), RHP Aiden Jimenez (4-1, 3.66), RHP Gage Wood (3-1, 5.02). Relievers: RHP Ben Bybee (3-0, 4.38), RHP Steele Eaves (1-0, 1.86), LHP Colin Fisher (3-0, 4.62), RHP Gabe Gaeckle (4-2, 4.76), LHP Parker Coil (3-0, 1.27), LHP Landon Beidelschies (4-0, 4.92), RHP Will McEntire (1-0, 2.59), RHP Dylan Carter (6-0, 2.18).

MLB alumni: Kevin McReynolds, Eric Hinske, Jeff King, Andrew Benintendi, Les Lancaster, Tom Pagnozzi, Ryne Stanek, Blake Parker, Drew Smyly, Cliff Lee, Dallas Keuchel, Colin Poche, Jalen Beeks, Robert Person, Tim Lollar.

The No. 3 Razorbacks are the highest remaining national seed. Wehiwa Aloy is the SEC player of the year. His first name means “prized one” in Hawaiian. He leads the team with 20 homers and is among seven Arkansas players with double-digit homers.

Hogs’ 123 homers are program record and fifth in the country.

Arkansas has had at least one player selected in each of the past 50 MLB drafts dating back to 1975.

Quotable: “We want to win a natty bad for him. He deserves it. So yeah, we’ll give it all we got in Omaha for him, for sure,” Davalan, on Van Horn.

On Saturday night the Hogs will roll out their Ace Zach Root. Root is 8-5 on the year with an ERA of 3.59. In 17 appearances this year Root has 117 strike outs and give up just 7 home runs.

As for LSU, they will also have their Ace out there Kade Anderson. Anderson is an impressive 10-1 on the year with an ERA simialr to Root of 3.58. He also has 17 appearances this season and has given up 15 home runs with 163 strike outs on the year.

These two both started game one of their series in May where Arkansas fell 5-4 in extra innings. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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