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Sunday, June 8
Updated: June 10, 9:12 AM ET
 
Harris' grand slam sparks LSU rout

Associated Press

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Clay Harris had the biggest hit, but it ended up being just one of many for LSU.

Harris hit a grand slam in the top of the sixth inning, sparking an 11-run spree that sent LSU back to the College World Series with a 20-5 victory over Baylor on Sunday.

Jake Tompkins
LSU will carry its banner to Omaha for the 12th time since 1986.
"I got fortunate because the swing before that I popped one up and the wind blew it around and the first baseman missed it,'' Harris said. "He tried to come back with the same pitch and left it up and in a little bit and I was able to get around on it.''

The Bears went through five pitchers and walked six batters before they got out of the inning.

LSU (45-20-1), which has won five titles, will make its 12th trip to Omaha since 1986, the first since the Tigers' 2000 national championship. LSU will play Friday against Cal State-Fullerton, which also advanced to the College World Series on Sunday with a 7-1 victory over Arizona State.

"I really am at a loss for words because I do not think that it's really hit me yet,'' said LSU short stop Aaron Hill. "I can't wait for next week.''

The other bracket was set on Saturday when South Carolina (44-20) and Stanford (46-15) completed two-game sweeps of their respective Super Regionals.

Baylor (45-23) was attempting to get to the series for the first time since 1978. But the Bears surrendered their second-highest run total of the season. They lost to Missouri 23-18 in April.

"The game came down to one inning,'' said Baylor coach Steve Smith.

Baylor starter Mark McCormick was pulled after he struck out the first batter of the sixth inning and walked Bruce Sprowl. Andy Pape came in and walked J.C. Holt and Aaron Hill to load the bases.

Pape was pulled for Abe Woody, who let a run score on a wild pitch and walked a batter before being pulled for Andy Schnizer.

Harris then drove 1-2 pitch high over the left field wall for the Tigers' first grand slam of the season and a 10-3 LSU lead. Ryan Patterson added a solo homer to make it 11-3.

Schnizer then struck out one, walked one and gave up a single before being replaced by Tyler Bullock, who gave up three hits as the Tigers added five more runs before Harris was called out on strikes to end the inning.

The lopsided loss for Baylor came despite a promising start. McCormick struck out three in the top of the first inning, then Chris Durbin drove the second LSU pitch of the game over the left field wall. David Murphy walked and Mark Saccomanno brought him home with a homer down the left field line to make it 3-0 Baylor.

"That three-run first inning, that was pretty frustrating,'' said LSU pitcher Justin Meier. "We've had a lot of games where we got behind and came back.''

And just as quickly as the Bears had taken the lead, they fell behind for good in the top of the second. Jon Zeringue tied it with a three-run, opposite field homer. Then Aaron Hill singled in a run to make it 4-3.

The Tigers went up 5-3 on a sacrifice fly by Blake Gill in the fourth.

Meier (8-3) -- a freshman making his first appearance since losing the Southeastern Conference tournament championship game against Alabama on May 25 -- threw his second complete game of the year. McCormick (6-3) was the loser.





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