OMAHA—Texas catcher Cameron Rupp led off the fifth inning with a single up the middle, and Kirk Kenney leaned over and said, "Someone’s gonna go yard and tie this one up."

Not five seconds later, Kevin Keyes made Kirk look prophetic. Keyes blasted a first-pitch 90 mph fastball from Anthony Ranaudo into the left-center-field bleachers for a game-tying home run. Brand new ballgame—but still no action in the LSU bullpen, though Ranaudo is about to throw his 100th pitch.