LSU pitchers share mentality of intense pitchers duel against Wake Forest

LSU pitchers Paul Skenes and Thatcher Hurd were lights out against Wake Forest, holding the Demon Deacons scoreless for 11 innings, before the Tigers eventually came out on top with a 2-0 win.

LSU started the game with its ace in Skenes, who struck out nine batters while allowing only two hits in eight innings of work. It then turned to Hurd, who allowed only one hit, while also putting together a scoreless outing over three innings.

However, as good as Skenes and Hurd were, the Wake Forest pitching staff matched them pitch for pitch, before Tommy White blasted a two-run walk-off home run in the 11th inning.

Following the game, Hurd discussed what it was like being a part of the pitchers duel.

“Like coach says all the time, it’s just about execution,” Hurd said. “And I was going to do anything to get that win for us. I wasn’t going to let us down.”

Skenes added that he was in Hurd’s ear throughout the latter part of the game, offering advice.

“I was with him in between innings. Super level headed. And he knew it just came down to what he went out there and did or what he was going to go out and do,” Skenes said. “If you keep it simple and make it about executing, it’s a really simple game.”

That philosophy worked out great for the Tigers, who advanced to the College World Series finals against Florida and are now two wins away from a national title.

Paul Skenes describes emotions of playing in intense win over Wake Forest

LSU ace Paul Skenes delivered another gem on the bump for the Tigers on Thursday night, stymying the Wake Forest offense in an elimination game. And for all the tension of a scoreless elimination game carrying into the late inning, Skenes was nonplussed.

Standing on the rubber 60-plus feet from home plate, Skenes doesn’t have the mental space to be caught up in the emotions or the moment. He’s focused on his own pitching, not even watching much of Wake Forest ace Rhett Lowder.

“To be honest, I think it was, it might have been cooler for the people in the stands than it was for me just because all it comes down to is just executing. I didn’t watch a whole lot of Lowder’s outing. Obviously he did really well, executed really well,” Skenes said.

Lowder threw 88 pitches in seven innings of work, giving up no runs and three hits while striking out six LSU batters.

But Skenes did one better. The LSU star went through eight innings, giving up just two hits and striking out nine. He threw 120 pitches and was still flirting with triple digits on the gun late into the game. And with Lowder silencing the LSU bats, Skenes did his part to return the favor.

And it all set up for Tommy White to walk it off with a two-run home run in the bottom of the 11th inning, sending LSU to the championship series and a matchup with Florida.

“But just comes down to slowing the game down and going out there and executing,” Skenes said.