Jay Johnson reveals Paul Skenes 'will probably be in this game at some point' in CWS game 3

LSU head coach Jay Johnson provided clarity about Paul Skenes availability for Tuesday’s winner-take-all Game 3 of the Men’s College World Series.

“He’ll probably be in this game at some point,” Johnson told Kris Budden during his mid-game interview with the ESPN broadcast crew.

Skenes is the best pitcher in the country but he pitched Thursday, which means he entered Monday on just three days of rest. That would be the least amount of rest he would have pitched on all season.

The potential No. 1 pick in the draft threw eight shutout innings Thursday against Wake Forest in a game that has already been called one of the best games in Men’s College World Series history. The Tigers won 2-0 in extra innings to advance to the Men’s College World Series finals.

Skenes is 12-2 on the season with a 1.69 ERA in 19 starts. He has an SEC record 209 strikeouts on the year in 122.2 innings.

He has not pitched out of the bullpen since his freshman year at Air Force when he pitched in 18 games out of the bullpen and notched 11 saves.

The Tigers got off to a bad start in Game 3 with Wyatt Langford hitting a two-run homer in the bottom of the first off Thatcher Hurd. But LSU responded with six runs in the second inning, running superstar two-way player Jac Caglianone from the mound. Cade Fisher replaced him and Ryan Slater replaced him for the final out of the third inning after the Tigers got runners on base again.

After getting trounced Sunday, Johnson explained the difference between Game 2 and Game 3 so far.

“The quality of the at-bats,” Johnson said. “Did a nice job with Caglianone and made a good adjustment to Fisher. Now we’re gonna have to do that to Slater and really like what I’m seeing out of Thatcher so far.”

Outside of the first inning home run, Hurd has been exactly what the Tigers ordered. He did not allow a run after that first inning as LSU broke out to a 10-2 lead.

“He’s had a really good season outside of a couple outings,” said Johnson, who is looking to become the third LSU coach to lead the Tigers to a national championship in Omaha. “He’s thrown his breaking ball for a strike, he’s located his fastball and the poise is really good and that’s what we need tonight.”