LSU 16 beats West Virginia 9 in Game 1 of Baton Rouge Super Regional

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The opening game of the 2025 NCAA Baton Rouge Super Regional delivered fireworks and offensive theatrics as the LSU Tigers overpowered the West Virginia Mountaineers, 16-9, at Alex Box Stadium. The win gives LSU a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series, moving them one step closer to a return trip to the College World Series1 3 7.

Game Overview

Final Score: LSU 16, West Virginia 9
Location: Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field, Baton Rouge, LA
Attendance: Over 10,000 (capacity crowd)
Series: LSU leads 1-0

Pitching Matchup

Team	Starting Pitcher	Line
LSU	Kade Anderson	7.0 IP, 7 K, 2 BB, Win
West Virginia	Griffin Kirn	4.0+ IP, 3 K, 2 HBP, Loss

Kade Anderson anchored the Tigers with a solid seven-inning start, striking out seven and limiting walks, while West Virginia’s Griffin Kirn struggled with control, hitting two batters and exiting in the fifth after a high pitch count1 3 9.

Scoring Summary

Early Innings

West Virginia struck first in the top of the second. Sam White led off with a single, advanced on a bunt, and scored on a groundout by Jace Rinehart, giving the Mountaineers a 1-0 lead3.

LSU responded in the fourth. After two hit batters by Kirn, freshman Derek Curiel launched a three-run homer to the opposite field, flipping the score to 3-1 in favor of the Tigers3.

LSU’s Explosive Fifth Inning

The fifth inning proved decisive. Kirn allowed a leadoff single before being relieved. West Virginia’s bullpen faltered, walking the bases loaded. Sophomore Stephen Milam then delivered the first of LSU’s two grand slams on the day, blowing the game open. RBI singles by Curiel and Chris Stanfield capped a seven-run outburst, pushing LSU’s lead to 10-13 4.

West Virginia’s Rally Attempt

The Mountaineers clawed back in the sixth, stringing together hits and capitalizing on an LSU error to score four runs, trimming the deficit to 10-5. Skylar King’s two-RBI single and Chase Swain’s RBI single highlighted the rally3 7.

Tigers Respond with Another Grand Slam

LSU’s offense was relentless. In the bottom of the sixth, after loading the bases with a double, walk, and fielder’s choice, West Virginia’s bullpen again unraveled. Two bases-loaded walks forced in runs, and Josh Pearson hammered a grand slam—the Tigers’ second of the game—making it 16-53 4.

Mountaineers Add Late Runs

West Virginia showed fight in the final innings. Gavin Kelly hit a two-run homer in the seventh, and Kyle West added a solo shot in the ninth, but the deficit was too great to overcome. LSU closed out the 16-9 victory3 7.

Key Performers

LSU Tigers:

Derek Curiel: 3-run HR, multiple RBIs3
Stephen Milam: Grand slam (5th inning)3 4
Josh Pearson: Grand slam (6th inning)3 4
Chris Stanfield: 2-RBI single (5th inning)3
Kade Anderson: 7 IP, 7 K, 2 BB (Win)1

West Virginia Mountaineers:

Sam White: 2 hits, 2 runs scored3
Skylar King: 2-RBI single (6th inning)3
Gavin Kelly: 2-run HR (7th inning)3
Kyle West: Solo HR (9th inning)3

Turning Points

LSU’s Double Grand Slams: The Tigers became the story of the day with grand slams from Milam and Pearson, marking a rare feat in postseason play and accounting for eight of LSU’s 16 runs2 3 4.
West Virginia’s Pitching Woes: The Mountaineers’ staff issued multiple walks and hit batters, putting 13 LSU hitters on base via free passes, which proved costly3.
LSU’s Fifth and Sixth Innings: Back-to-back seven- and six-run frames buried West Virginia, despite their late offensive push3 4.

Statistical Comparison

Statistic	LSU	West Virginia
Runs	16	9
Hits	13	14
Home Runs	3	2
Walks Drawn	7	3
Hit Batters	3	0
Errors	1	1

Quotes and Reactions

“West Virginia is a championship-level team with a lot of very talented and experienced players, and they will present a number of challenges for our team. Our players gained a lot of confidence from enjoying success in the high-stakes environment last week’s regional provided. They responded in an appropriate fashion last week when faced with adversity, and that should give them great confidence. The most important factor is how we play, and when we play in character, we can be very good.”
— LSU Head Coach Jay Johnson6

Implications and What’s Next

LSU’s emphatic Game 1 win puts them in the driver’s seat, needing just one more victory to clinch a berth in the College World Series. The Tigers’ offense, which has been potent all season, showcased its depth and power with two grand slams and timely hitting throughout the lineup1 2 4.

West Virginia, now facing elimination, will need a much sharper performance from its pitching staff and must find a way to contain LSU’s relentless bats. The Mountaineers have shown resilience all postseason but will need to regroup quickly for Game 23 7.

Game 2 is scheduled for Sunday, June 8, at 5 p.m. CT, with the Tigers aiming to punch their ticket to Omaha and the Mountaineers fighting to extend their season1 8.

Notable Facts

This is the first-ever meeting between LSU and West Virginia in baseball6.
LSU is seeking its eighth College World Series title and has a storied history of postseason success at home6.
The Tigers’ two grand slams in a single Super Regional game is a rare postseason achievement2 4.

Summary

LSU’s 16-9 victory over West Virginia in Game 1 of the Baton Rouge Super Regional was defined by explosive offense, highlighted by two grand slams and a dominant middle-inning surge. The Tigers’ ability to capitalize on free passes and deliver in clutch situations overwhelmed the Mountaineers, who now face a must-win scenario in Game 2. LSU’s pitching, led by Kade Anderson, held strong through early adversity, while West Virginia’s late-inning homers proved too little, too late. The Tigers are now one win away from a return to Omaha, while the Mountaineers must regroup and hope to force a decisive Game 3.

AI Disclaimer

This post was generated with the assistance of AI using available game summaries, box scores, and official team reports as of June 7, 2025. For the most up-to-date information and official statistics, please refer to NCAA and team sources.