LSU eliminates Tennessee from College World Series behind Nate Ackenhausen's six shutout innings

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Jay Johnson texted Nate Ackenhausen at 8:56 a.m. Tuesday to let him know he would make his first start for LSU less than 12 hours later in a game against Tennessee with the Tigers' season on the line.

Ackenhausen said he slept in and didn't get back to his coach until shortly after 11.

"I texted him that I would give it all I've got," the big left-hander said.

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LSU Nate Ackenhausen throws a pitch in the fourth inning against Tennessee in a baseball game at the NCAA College World Series in Omaha, Neb., Tuesday, June 20, 2023.  (AP Photo/John Peterson)

Ackenhausen did that and then some, pitching six innings and combining with Riley Cooper for the Tigers' nation-leading 11th shutout of the season, a 5-0 victory in the College World Series.

"When you’re on this side of the bracket, you need that," Johnson said. "If you're going to do something here, you need a performance like Nate gave us."

LSU (50-16) beat its Southeastern Conference rival for the fourth time in five meetings — and the second time in Omaha — and will play No. 1 national seed Wake Forest on Wednesday night. The Tigers would have to beat the Demon Deacons in that game and again Thursday to reach the CWS finals.

Tennessee (44-22) was eliminated after it failed to score for the first time in 133 games since a 6-0 loss to Virginia in the 2021 CWS.

Ackenhausen came into the game having logged 22 1/3 innings over 15 relief appearances. He had not gone more than 3 2/3 innings since he was a starter for Eastern Oklahoma State last year.

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