Jay Johnson reacts to Jared Jones home run, pitching during Chapel Hill Regional Final

LSU is in the midst of a winner-take-all championship final in the Chapel Hill Regional against North Carolina after forcing a Game 7 following an 8-4 win over the Tar Heels on Sunday. With the winner advancing to the Super Regional and the loser having to close the book on their postseason dreams.

The Tigers find themselves up early with a narrow 3-2 lead over the Tar Heels thanks to a pair of long balls. With Jake Brown blasting a solo homer in the second inning only for Jared Jones to follow that up with a solo home run of his own in the next inning.

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ESPN’s broadcast crew spoke with LSU head coach Jay Johnson ahead of the fourth inning, asking him about Jones’ homer and impact on the Tigers’ play during the postseason.

“He’s had a really good season, but taking it to another level here in the last two weeks and changes our team when he takes at-bats like that,” Johnson said.

The solo homer is Jones’ 28th of the season, who since the start of the SEC Tournament has recorded 11 hits, six home runs, and 12 RBIs as a key part of the Tigers’ late-season surge. Highlighted by five hits and two RBIs in the Regionals against Wofford alone and a five-game home run streak starting against Kentucky in the conference tournament.

LSU has also gotten it done on the mound as well, specifically senior right-handed pitcher Will Hellmers, who has delivered and came up big so far against North Carolina on Monday.

“Well Will’s actually done more than we were gonna ask him to do and I feel very comfortable with him right now,” Johnson said. “We got a good stable down there, we feel good if they just execute what they plan is.”

Hellmers took over in the second inning after Samuel Dutton and Javen Coleman both made appearances on the bump for LSU. With the Tigers giving up two runs in the first inning and none since, with Hellmers allowing just one hit and striking out four batters in his 4.2 innings pitched so far. As the Tigers continue to hold onto a 3-2 lead heading into the seventh inning.