OMAHA, Neb. - Louis Coleman of Schlater will be on the mound Monday when two collegiate baseball powerhouses collide.
The former Pillow Academy standout brings a 14-2 record and 2.68 ERA to the mound for LSU in the opening game of the championship series of the College World Series against Texas. The game is set for 6 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN.
Right-handed ace Chance Ruffin (10-2, 3.27 ERA) will start for Texas.
The Tigers are looking for their sixth NCAA title, which would tie them with Texas for second behind Southern California (12).
LSU is the only team unbeaten (8-0) in the NCAA Tournament and bring a 13-game win streak into Monday.
Coleman says the Tigers are peaking at the right time.
"I think everything seems to be coming together at just the right time," he said Saturday during a telephone interview. "We are pleased to be where we're at, but we still have some unfinished business. We came here for a national championship and nothing less will do."
On Monday, Coleman threw six innings in a 9-1 win over Arkansas, allowing one run on six hits while walking three and striking out seven.
If the Tigers get another strong outing from the PA product, they'll have a good chance to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three championship series.
"I am really looking forward to starting the first game. This is something that every kid who has every played the game dreams of one day doing," Coleman said. "I might be a little nervous - more anxious than anything. But that will go away once I start getting warmed up."
On Friday, LSU whipped Arkansas 14-5, while rallied in the bottom of the ninth inning for a 4-3 victory against Arizona state with solo home runs in the ninth inning by Cameron Rupp and Connor Rowe.
On the surface the championship series looks like power ball vs. small ball. LSU has hit nine home runs in three games and has 103 for the season. Texas hit three home runs Friday, giving the Longhorns 45 for the season and six in the CWS.
Rupp
