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Cade Beloso shares emotions of being one game from national championship series

On3-Social-Profile_GRAYby:On3 Staff Report•06/22/23
Cade Beloso, LSU Tigers designated hitter
LSU designated hitter Cade Beloso celebrates with teammate Tre' Morgan after hitting a three-run homer in a game against Wake Forest at the College World Series on June 21, 2023. (Steven Branscombe / USA TODAY Sports)

In what has been a thrilling College World Series so far, LSU forced perhaps the most interesting game yet, a winner-take-all showdown with Wake Forest on Thursday night for the right to advance to the national championship series.

The Tigers had to beat the Demon Deacons twice to advance out of the loser’s bracket. Well, they’ve got one down after a convincing 5-2 victory on Wednesday night.

But LSU players aren’t treating Thursday’s contest as anything other than the next game.

“It’s just another game,” designated hitter Cade Beloso said. “We’re not going to make it anything bigger than it is. It’s the same game we’ve been playing since February.”

Beloso was the hero in Wednesday night’s win over Wake Forest. He blasted a three-run homer to right field in the bottom of the third inning, helping stretch LSU’s lead out to 5-2.

It was a lead the Tigers’ bullpen would protect the rest of the way, handing the Demon Deacons their first loss in Omaha and, at least for a day, preventing them from reaching the national championship series.

Knowing that it has already won one game, why would LSU approach the third meeting with Wake Forest any differently than the first two? The Tigers were even competitive in their loss to the Demon Deacons, a thrilling 3-2 contest on Monday night that came down to the wire.

Beloso and company plan to just get out there and play some baseball.

“We’re going to go out there, have fun, we’re going to compete to the best of our abilities and let the rest take care of itself,” he said. “But we’re not going to make it some massive thing. Today, everybody knows the scenario. But you don’t have to put any more pressure on yourself. Just go out there and have fun.”

LSU and Wake Forest will meet at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday with a spot in the national championship series on the line and a broadcast on ESPN2.

Though no official pitching decisions have been announced, the Tigers are widely expected to throw ace Paul Skenes on slightly shorter-than-normal rest, while the Demon Deacons could toss ace Rhett Lowder.

Both are among college baseball’s best pitchers.