OMAHA -LSU almost pulled it off.
Using three bullpen pitchers vs. a possible 2018 No. 1 overall Major League Draft pick, the Tigers nearly manufactured an opening game College World Series finals victory Monday night.
But in the end, when Florida finally escaped with a 4-3 victory at Baton Rouge North, a.k.a. TD Ameritrade Park, minute things kept the 52-19 Tigers from battling back from a 3-0 deficit against Florida's almost-untouchable starting pitcher Brady Singer.
Such as LSU coach Paul Mainieri admitting he waited an inning too long to remove starting pitcher Russell Reynolds, a rarely used five-year senior who delivered a better performance than imagined.