Kade Anderson pitched a gem on Saturday night in Omaha, throwing a complete nine frames to shut out Coastal Carolina 1-0 in Game 1 of the Men’s College World Series finals. Here are nine facts to know about LSU and Anderson after his historic performance:
1. Anderson is the third pitcher to throw a shutout in the MCWS Finals, joining Oregon State’s Kevin Abel (2018 vs Arkansas) and Arizona’s JC Cloney (2016 vs Coastal Carolina), since the best-of-three finals were introduced in 2003.
2. Anderson’s shutout snapped Coastal’s 26-game win streak — the longest streak in MCWS history. The Tigers have now snapped the two longest win streaks in MCWS history after ending Oregon State’s 23-game streak in 2017 on the way to the MCWS finals.
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3. LSU is now one win away from its eighth national championship. The Tigers have won the title each of the previous seven times they were one win from the title. Their only series loss in the championship round was a sweep by Florida in the 2017 finals.
4. Coastal is the sixth team to be shut out in a game in the MCWS finals. Only one of the previous five bounced back to win the national championship — the Chanticleers did so in 2016 after losing 3-0 to Arizona in Game 1.
5. Anderson handed the Chanticleers just their fourth shutout of the season, and their first since April 6.
6. The two teams combined for nine hits, matching the fewest in an MCWS finals game. Anderson only allowed three.
7. Tonight marked Anderson’s 11th start with 100-plus pitches this season. His 130 pitches are the second most he’s tossed this season, behind 135 against Oklahoma in his only other complete game.
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8. Although he set a career high with five walks all in the first four innings (3 BB, 2 HBP), five of Anderson’s six strikeouts in the first four were with runners in scoring position.
9. This marked Anderson’s fourth-straight start of seven or more innings. He only went seven innings twice in his first 15 starts of the season.
