Pair of potential openers for LSU, Hogs in first game of semifinals

Neither starter has had a heavy workload in the NCAA Tournament for Razorbacks, Tigers

Arkansas Razorbacks pitcher Landon Beidelschies throws to the plate against the Texas A&M Aggies at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. / Nilsen Roman-Hogs on SI Images

OMAHA, Neb. — A pair of potential openers for both teams will be in action against each other in the national semifinal between LSU and Arkansas.

Our starter: LHP Landon Beidelschies pic.twitter.com/rzpHQVWxIy

— Arkansas Baseball (@RazorbackBSB) June 18, 2025

The Razorbacks will start lefty Landon Beidelschies and LSU will start righty Zac Cowan.

Zac Cowan pitches as the LSU Tigers take on Little Rock in game 7 of the 2025 NCAA Div 1 Regional Baseball Championship at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, LA. Monday, June 2, 2025. / SCOTT CLAUSE / USATODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Cowan is starting just his second game of the year, while Beidelschies is making his first start since May 11. Neither has pitched in the past two weeks. 

The leash on Beidelschies should be short; his past three outings and four of his last five have all lasted 2 ⅓ innings or shorter. The bullpen for Arkansas is also well-rested, even though Arkansas played an extra game compared to LSU.

Beidelschies is also prone to allowing the extra base hit. LSU has 130 doubles on the season and 102 homers. Beidelschies has allowed 29 extra-base hits in 56 ⅔ innings of work this year. including two homers in two innings against LSU in his last start, a 7-4 win.

Cowan, who pitched three scoreless innings against the Hogs in the regular season on May 10, has allowed seven earned runs in his last three innings of work.

Three outings with length, six innings from Gabe Gaeckle and a no-hitter from Gage Wood have neutralized most of LSU’s pitching advantage, but make no mistake, the Tiger bullpen is still better rested. 

Here’s the state of play entering tonight’s game. The Razorbacks need to win twice in order to advance to the championship finals against Coastal Carolina.

So... What to do? What to do? This is the state of play for the staff. pic.twitter.com/VQrZtYbqtq

— daniel shi (@dshi12) June 18, 2025

Lurking in the bullpen is starter Anthony Eyanson, who has already made one relief appearance in the NCAA Tournament, closing the regional against Arkansas-Little Rock. 

In all but two games this season when Arkansas faced a starter that lasted longer than four innings, they’ve been able to scratch across at least a run. It’s a remarkable level of consistency for an offense that is yet to be shut out this season.

One of those two instances came on opening day against Washington State in 40 degree weather and a lineup that looks completely different to the one the Hogs have rolled with for the home stretch of the season.

The other was against Eyanson, who dominated the Razorbacks in its only run-rule loss of the season with six scoreless innings and 11 strikeouts, 13-3. 

Eyanson scattered five singles and a walk across his 93 pitches of work.

The junior has looked slightly more mortal in his past two outings in the NCAA Tournament, allowing four earned runs in five innings against West Virginia in the Super Regionals and giving up a three-spot to UCLA in the first inning in Omaha.

Eyanson bounced back and threw two scoreless innings after the first on 44 pitches Monday before rain in the area forced the game to be suspended and resumed the next morning.

Prior to the previous two outings, Eyanson had gone on an extended run of good form. Across six outings (including the Arkansas game), he allowed just three runs in 34 ⅓ innings for an ERA over that stretch of 0.78.

First pitch between Arkansas and LSU is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN.

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