Baseball
    Baseball Loses Slugfest at CWS
    Eight LSU home runs doom the Trojans.
    Wes Rachels makes a <BR> tag at the CWS.
    Wes Rachels makes a
    tag at the CWS.

    May 30, 1998

    OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Brad Cresse hit two of LSU's record eight home runs and the Tigers began their quest for a third straight College World Series title with a 12-10 victory over Southern Cal on Saturday.

    Cresse's second homer tie it 10-10, a towering seventh-inning shot that passed high above the left field bleachers.

    The fifth-seeded Tigers (47-17) rallied with power but went ahead for good with an infield hit and a bloop single.

    With two outs in the top of the eighth, Josh Dalton beat out an infield dribbler on a play on which USC reliever Jason Lane (8-2) was charged with a throwing error.

    Cedrick Harris, who had reached on a fielder's choice, moved to third on the play. Moments later, Trey McClure's soft shot over the head of second baseman Wes Rachels scored both runners.

    Doug Thompson (12-4), the third of three LSU pitchers, pitched the last three innings for the victory. After allowing USC's Morgan Ensberg to reach third in the bottom of the ninth, Thompson struck out two batters to end the game.

    The fourth-seeded Trojans (44-17) had a seemingly safe 9-5 lead after Robb Gorr's grand slam in the sixth inning. USC added another run in the sixth when Ensberg scored on a sacrifice by Eric Munson.

    It didn't stand up, as Harris, Danny Higgins and McClure each homered to pull LSU within 10-8 in the top of the seventh.

    Southern Cal starter Seth Etherton, who pitched into the sixth inning, allowed nine hits and seven earned runs, striking out 10 and walking one.

    LSU's eight homers broke the World Series record of five shared by several teams. With the Trojans adding two, the teams also set a record for most homers in a game by both teams.