Tommy White says he was 'super confident' despite struggles

LSU slugger Tommy White delivered the biggest hit of the Tigers’ season to date during the 11th inning of Thursday’s 2-0 win over Wake Forest.

The sophomore blasted a two-run home run over the wall in left field to give LSU a walk-off win and advance the Tigers to the College World Series final.

White was 4-for-17 at the College World Series through his first four games but was still confident as he stepped to the plate in the 11th inning.

“I’m always confident in the box. That’s just how I play the game,” White said. “I don’t think I was struggling. I thought I was doing all right.”

LSU coach Jay Johnson agreed.

“You’re not,” Johnson jumped in and said.

Whether White was struggling or not can be debated. After entering the CWS with 97 RBIs, he had only one in five games in Omaha prior to his at bat in the 11th inning.

But what can’t be debated is that White was confident and ready as he stepped into the box in the 11th inning. He jumped on the first pitch he saw from Wake Forest reliever Camden Minacci and didn’t miss it.

“I was super confident. Just doing my deal. That’s about it,” White said.

Now Tommy White and the Tigers will face Florida in an all-SEC College World Series final. Game 1 is set for Saturday at 7 p.m.

LSU slugger Tommy White talks about walk-off HR

LSU slugger Tommy White was the hero on Thursday night for the Tigers in what was arguably the best games of the 2023 College World Series thus far.

The two-run home run in the 11th inning was his 23rd of the season and it couldn’t have come at a better time. 

The CWS Final appearance marks the first time since 2017 the Tigers will be playing for the national title. Following his late game heroics, ESPN’s Kris Budden spoke with White about the magical moment.

As you might imagine, his heart was still racing on the field. How was his heartbeat?

“A thousand, million, miles an hour. I don’t know, I’m gassed,” White said, still winded from the postgame celebrations.

The former N.C. State star knew exactly what kind of pitch he was looking for from Wake Forest’s Camden Minacci.

“Fastball. I was gonna get a fastball, but I was so amped up that I just threw my hands at it,” White said.

It was in fact, not a fastball, but White swung away and put himself in the LSU history books in the process.

He talked about the dominant pitching performance the Tigers got from their star, Paul Skenes. “An unreal performance as always. You know we’re gonna have a chance to win every time he’s on the mound. Yeah, he’s something different,” the LSU slugger said.