The Preview: LSU Baseball vs. UCLA Bruins in College World Series on Monday

Jay Johnson and the LSU Tigers will return to Charles Schwab Field on Monday night in a College World Series clash against the UCLA Bruins.

The Tigers are fresh off of taking down the Arkansas Razorbacks to open play in Omaha behind a masterful performance from ace Kade Anderson.

Now, LSU will get back to action with a showdown against the Bruins locked in for Monday night with a chance to reach the College World Series semifinals.

What's the latest on the matchup in Omaha?

A look into the Monday preview, broadcast information and players to know heading into the showdown.

The Preview: UCLA Bruins (48-16) vs. LSU Tigers (49-15)

DATE/TIME
• Monday, June 16 at 6 p.m. CT (ESPN)
STADIUM
• Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb. (24,500)
RANKINGS
• LSU – No. 6 NCAA Tournament National Seed
• UCLA – No. 15 NCAA Tournament National Seed
RADIO
• LSU Sports Radio Network affiliates
• Live audio at www.LSUsports.net/live; Live stats at www.LSUstats.com
TELEVISION
• Saturday’s game will be televised on ESPN

LSU SERIES HISTORY VS. UCLA
LSU has a 3-2 lead in the all-time series versus UCLA … the teams last met in the opening round of the 2013 College World Series, when the Bruins posted a 2-1 win over the Tigers.

UCLA also defeated LSU, 6-3, in the second round of the 2010 NCAA Los Angeles Regional at Jackie Robinson Stadium … LSU swept two games from the Bruins to win the 2000 NCAA Super Regional at the original Alex Box Stadium.

The first meeting between the schools occurred in 1988, when the Tigers posted a 7-1 win over UCLA in the Busch Challenge at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, La.

PITCHING MATCHUP
LSU – Jr. RH Anthony Eyanson (11-2, 2.74 ERA, 98.2 IP, 35 BB, 142 SO)
UCLA – So. RH Landon Stump (6-1, 4.54 ERA, 73.1 IP, 37 BB, 62 SO)

QUOTING COACH JAY JOHNSON
“UCLA is a great team and has been one of the most consistent teams in the country this year. With the schedule that we play, we’ve actually seen some teams like them along the way. They play a really good brand of baseball and have some of the best players in the country. They have a very strong identity on offense, a style of play that they’re committed to.

“Our preparation and execution have been excellent throughout our time in Omaha, and the vibe of our team has been very good. Our players have a sense of who they need to be and when they need to be it. It’s all about execution, and execution is a direct reflection of your preparation and focus.”

ABOUT THE TIGERS
LSU is 49-15 overall and the Tigers are the No. 6 National Seed in the NCAA Tournament … LSU is ranked No. 1 in the nation by Baseball America, and No. 3 by D1 Baseball and USA Today in their most recent polls.

The Tigers posted a 19-11 SEC regular-season record and finished in third place in the 2025 conference standings … LSU won at least 19 league games for the 19th time in school history and for the second time in the past three seasons.

LSU opened the 2025 College World Series Saturday night with a 4-1 win over No. 3 National Seed Arkansas … sophomore left-hander Kade Anderson (11-1) worked 7.0 innings Saturday night and limited Arkansas to one run on three hits with two walks and seven strikeouts, firing 100 pitches.

Freshman right-hander Casan Evans earned his seventh save of the season, pitching around a lead-off single in the ninth to retire the final three Arkansas hitters, and redshirt sophomore right-hander Chase Shores worked a scoreless eighth inning with two strikeouts.

The Tigers grabbed a 3-0 lead in the top of the second inning on Saturday versus Arkansas, as centerfielder Chris Stanfield lined an RBI single, third baseman Michael Braswell III was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and rightfielder Josh Pearson provided an RBI groundout.

An Arkansas homer narrowed the gap to 3-1 in the sixth, but LSU added an insurance run in the ninth when leftfielder Derek Curiel smacked a two-out, two-strike RBI single … Curiel’s hit scored shortstop Steven Milam, who had drilled a one-out double to spark the rally.

The LSU pitching staff enters Monday’s game versus UCLA ranked in the Top 10 in the nation in three major statistical categories – the Tigers are No. 4 in the nation in strikeouts per nine innings (11.8), No. 6 in hits allowed per nine innings (7.27) and No. 9 in team ERA (3.77).

LSU is No. 5 in the SEC in team batting average (.297), and the Tigers are No. 2 in the league in on-base percentage (.412), No. 2 in doubles (130), No. 3 in runs scored (515) and No. 3 in hits (633).

The LSU pitching staff is No. 1 in the SEC in opponent batting average (.219), No. 2 in the league in strikeouts (720) and No. 3 in the SEC in team ERA (3.77).

LSU junior first baseman Jared Jones, a semifinalist for the 2025 Dick Howser Trophy, has moved into sole possession of third place on the LSU career homers list.

He has 62 homers in three seasons, trailing only catcher Brad Cresse (78 HR, 1997-2000) and first baseman Eddy Furniss (80 HR, 1995-98).

Sophomore left-hander Kade Anderson, a 2025 Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy semifinalist, is No. 1 in the nation in strikeouts this season with 170.

He is also No. 7 in the nation in strikeouts per nine innings (14.24) and No. 14 in strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.67).

Kade Anderson’s total of 170 Ks this season is No. 3 on the LSU single-season strikeouts list; he trails only Ben McDonald (202 Ks, 1989) and Paul Skenes (209 Ks, 2023).

Anderson is No. 1 this season in the SEC in strikeouts, No. 1 in the league in innings pitched (110.0), No. 1 in wins (11), No. 9 in ERA (3.44) and No. 10 in opponent batting average (.218).

Junior right-hander Anthony Eyanson, a semifinalist for the College Baseball Foundation National Pitcher of the Year Award, is No. 3 in the nation in strikeouts with 142, and he is No. 9 in the nation in strikeouts per nine innings (12.95).

Eyanson is No. 1 in the SEC in wins (11), No. 3 in the league in ERA (2.74), No. 2 in innings pitched (98.2), No. 3 in strikeouts (142) and No. 7 in opponent batting average (.211).

Junior first baseman Jared Jones is No. 2 in the SEC this season in RBI (70), No. 3 in hits (84), No. 4 in total bases (159) and No. 5 in home runs (20).

Freshman outfielder Derek Curiel is No. 1 in the SEC in doubles (19), No. 3 in the league in walks (52), No. 3 in hits (84), No. 2 in on-base percentage (.477) and No. 10 in batting average (.347) … junior second baseman Daniel Dickinson is No. 8 in the SEC in on-base percentage (.460).

LSU freshman right-hander Casan Evans was one of 13 finalists for the NCBWA 2025 Stopper of the Year award … Evans, a product of Houston, Texas, is 4-1 on the year with a 1.86 ERA and seven saves in 48.1 innings (18 appearances).

He has logged 19 walks and 66 strikeouts, and opponents are hitting just .226 against him.

LSU junior centerfielder Chris Stanfield was named on Friday the recipient of the inaugural Tony Gwynn Trophy, honoring NCAA baseball student-athletes who exemplify the Gwynn legacy of philanthropy.

He launched his “Be The 1” campaign at LSU, where he donates $100 to the Miracle League in Baton Rouge for every game in which he produces an extra-base hit or stolen base. He is actively involved with the Miracle League, which gives children with any type of disability or special needs the opportunity to play baseball as part of a team.

ABOUT THE BRUINS
UCLA defeated Murray State, 6-4, in its CWS first-round game on Saturday … the Bruins finished in a tie for first place with Oregon in the Big 10 regular-season standings with a 22-8 league mark.

As the NCAA Tournament No. 15 National Seed, the Bruins captured regional and super regional titles in their home stadium … the Bruins won the 2013 College World Series title and are appearing in the CWS for the first time since the ’13 championship season.

UCLA is hitting .298 as a team with 112 doubles, 12 triples, 78 homers and 62 steals in 80 attempts … the Bruins are led at the plate by Big 10 Player of the Year Roch Cholowsky, a shortstop batting .362 with 19 doubles, one triple, 23 homers and 74 RBI.

Infielder Roman Martin is batting .320 with 14 doubles, one triple, nine homers and 60 RBI, and first baseman Mulivai Levu is hitting .319 with 15 doubles, one triple, 12 homers and 85 RBI.

The Bruins’ pitching staff has a 4.40 cumulative ERA with 502 strikeouts in 562 innings, and UCLA is allowing a .244 opponent batting average … 15 different UCLA pitchers have logged at least 17.0 innings on the season.

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