Hell of a game, even when LSU made contact on ground balls they lacked the speed to make them hits. Good job saving Renaudo, but I would have like a rested Bradshaw for Wednesday.

Not so fast Jim, I think LSU knew they were throwing their 3 or lower pitcher and Jungmann was really on tonight. To say the matchup will be a bit more even if not lean LSU is fair. Renaudo will have to live to his billing in this one for LSU but whoever Texas pitches will fit the mold of someone who LSU has done well against all year.

I think Mainieri did what any coach would do in his situation. He had the choice of pitching Ranaudo on just three days rest (something he hasn’t done all season if I am correct) or give him a full day more and see if Ross and the Tiger bullpen could hold Texas to a relatively low run count and that the offense would put them in a position to win. Cain and Bradshaw kept LSU within striking distance, but with Jungmann’s performance five runs were more than enough. He most definitely made the right pitching decision to give the Tigers their best shot at winning the championship. Texas has been outstanding in the hitter friendly confines of Rosenblatt, and they will have to stay hot if they look to beat Ranaudo. They have been great against high profile pitchers so far at the CWS, getting to McInnis of So.Miss, eighth pick Leake of ASU (not just once but twice), and All-American Louis Coleman. Hopefully they can keep it up. I think Cole Green is a nice counter-part against Ranaudo, but LSU’s offense is just so explosive and talented. Green will really have to be on his game and mix his pitches well; especially against the lefties. I’m really hoping this game will be one for the ages. Both teams deserve to win. Good luck to each!

“The momentum now shifts to Texas.”

That’s just ridiculous. How can you say “momentum shifts”, and then think that momentum means anything? It shifted once, it can shift again.

Aren’t you the same guy that said, before the championship series began, that Texas had the advantage over LSU because LSU hadn’t faced any “pressure” in the tournament, and Texas had? I guess after game 1 proved you wrong on the “pressure” thing, you had to come up with ANOTHER reason to maintain hope that your horns can somehow beat LSU twice. And I guess, after LSU scores 8 runs in the first two innings tonight, permanently taking back the “momentum”, you’ll default to that lame “Texas is the team of destiny” false hope.

Me, I don’t have to cling to false hopes. LSU has won more games than any team in the country. They have two excellent starting pitchers (neither of which was on the mound last night) and the best offensive team in the nation. Last night was a fluke. A rare bad pitching performance combined with an even rarer bad hitting performance. If either of those hadn’t occurred, LSU sweeps UT in 2 games. But the stars aligned for Texas last night, and they lived to die another day. Because tonight, you’re not going to get both of those in your favor. Maybe one (like Monday night’s bad hitting performance, or last Saturday’s bad pitching performance against UVA). But not both.

Another thing: LSU has lost back to back games only once all season. The Tigers are 15-1 in games immediately following a loss, including 8-1 against the team that beat them the previous day. Looks like LSU doesn’t much care about momentum, huh?