CHAPEL HILL, N.C.— LSU baseball is on the verge of pulling off a massive comeback.
The No. 2 seeded Tigers are one win away from earning three victories in two days to advance to the super regionals, where they would host No. 3 West Virginia after the Mountaineers clinched the Tuscon regional title on Sunday.
But first LSU must take down No. 1 North Carolina for a second time after defeating the Tar Heels on Sunday 8-4. LSU lost 6-2 to UNC on Saturday before beating UNC Sunday night and No. 3 Wofford for a second time on Sunday afternoon.
The Tigers head into Monday's game having won 21 of their last 28 games. Meanwhile, the Tar Heels' loss on Sunday was only their third defeat at Boshamer Stadium this season.
LSU would advance to its 17th super regional with a win on Monday.
LSU baseball score vs. North Carolina: Live updates from Boshamer Stadium, Chapel Hill regional final
Pregame update: LSU baseball right-hander Sam Dutton will start for the Tigers on Monday, an LSU spokesperson confirmed to The Advocate.
First inning:Dutton's first pitch is a strike and we're off.
UNC kicks off the game with a pair of singles. A third single then loads the bases with nobody out. Left-hander Javen Coleman is now replacing Dutton.
Coleman walks the first batter he faces. 1-0 Tar Heels. He then forces a double play for the first outs of the inning, although another run scores. 2-0 UNC.
A fly out then ends the inning. LSU escapes the inning trailing just 2-0.
Tommy White singles and Jared Jones gets hit by a pitch to put two on with one out for Josh Pearson. A wild pitch then puts both runners in scoring position.
Pearson grounds out to second base but a run scores. 2-1 Tar Heels. Michael Braswell then flies out to center field to end the inning.
Second inning: Coleman gets a strikeout before walking a batter and hitting another to put two runners on. Right-hander Will Hellmers is now replacing him to face the righty Vance Honeycutt.
Hellmers strikes out Honeycutt for the second out. He then walks Casey Cook to load the bases.
Hellmers escapes the jam by forcing a deep fly out to left field. LSU still trails by just one.
Jake Brown takes the first pitch he sees from UNC right-handed starter Jason DeCaro and deposits it over the right-center fence. It's a solo shot to tie the game at two.
Third inning: Hellmers surrenders a single but that's all. Top of the order is up for LSU. Tar Heels bring in a new pitcher, right-hander Matthew Matthijs.
Tigers then take the lead on a solo home run from Jared Jones. 3-2 LSU.
LSU puts two runners on with two out after a Josh Pearson and a Michael Braswell hit by pitch after the homer. But Brady Neal grounded out to end the inning.
Fourth inning: Hellmers continues to manufacture outs. He's allowed just one hit and no runs in 2⅔ innings after finishing off the Tar Heels in the fourth.
Tigers also go down in order in the fourth.
Fifth inning: Hellmers has retired nine straight batters through five innings. He's only allowed one hit.
LSU is retired in order for a second consecutive inning.
Sixth inning: Hellmers retires the Tar Heels in order again.
LSU also goes down in order.
Seventh inning: UNC cracks a leadoff single off Hellmers but he retires the next three to maintain LSU's lead. He's retired 15 of the last 16 batters.
UNC right-handed reliever Matthew Matthijs comes out after recording the first out of the inning for left-hander Dalton Pence.
Tigers go down in order despite the pitching change.
Eighth inning: Hellmers walks the leadoff man before coming out of the game for left-hander Nate Ackenhausen.
Ackenhausen strikes out the side after the walk.
Josh Pearson hits a single, getting two runners on base. Michael Braswell III hits a fly to right field, and UNC catches to end the inning.
Tigers go down in order.
Ninth inning:Gates Jump pitchesa leadoff double for UNC. UNC's Wilkerson singles to left field, Gallagher scores to tie it up in the ninth. UNC Cook singles, Haskin grounded out to end the top of the inning.
LSU goes into the bottom of the ninth tied 3-3.
Neal strikes out to start the bottom of the inning. Hayden Travinski singles to right field, Bringham switches in to pinch run. Brown flies out to centerfield, Kling strikes out swinging to end the inning.
LSU goes to extra innings.
Tenth inning: UNC flies out to left field for the first out of the inning. Gates Jump strikes out Osuna for the second out. Jump pitches a double to right field for UNC.
LSU intentionally walks UNC's Gallhager. UNC singles up the middle, scores to lead 4-3 with one out remaining. Jump strikes out Wilkerson to end the inning.
LSU starts the bottom of the tenth down by one. Tommy White is first up to bat.
White flies out to right field. Milam flies out to right field. Jones walks. Jones steals second. Pearson flies out to centerfield.
UNC wins 4-3 in extra innings.
