What He Said: LSU Baseball's Kade Anderson Reacts to Game 1 Win Over Coastal Carolina

LSU left-handed pitcher Kade Anderson propelled the Tigers to a 1-0 victory over the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers on Saturday night in Game 1 of the College World Series Finals.

Anderson (12-1) fired his second complete-game shutout of the season, as he also accomplished the feat at Oklahoma on April 4.

He limited Coastal Carolina to just three hits while recording five walks and 10 strikeouts over 130 pitches.

“I was just really focusing on the next pitch throughout the night,” Anderson said. “It wasn’t pretty, but got the job done. Just putting the team in a situation to win was my goal.

"Sometimes with the staff we have, all you need is one run. And Coach (Jay) Johnson prepares us to be one-run ready.”

Now, LSU has taken a 1-0 series lead over the Chanticleers with the Tigers one victory away from a National Championship.

Anderson and LSU shortstop Steven Milam took the podium following the matchup on Saturday night to break down the Game 1 win.

What They Said: Anderson and Milam Take the Podium

Q. Steven, you were 2-for-3 with a walk off Flukey and he had a really great game as well as Kade did. What did you see from him that made you so effective tonight?

STEVEN MILAM: He made a couple of mistakes to me in my at-bats. First at-bat, he got three heaters and I was to get one down and put a swing at it.

Second at-bat, he hung three spinners and I was able to put another good swing on it.

He walked me the last at-bat. I just saw him well. Just stuck to my plan and was able to execute it.

Kade Anderson, take a bow.#LSU’s ace with a heroic performance on Saturday night to give the Tigers a 1-0 series lead in the College World Series Final.

9.0 IP
3 hits allowed
0 earned runs
10 strikeouts
130 total pitches
82 strikes thrown

LSU is one win away from a title. pic.twitter.com/pj3QLffaDE
— Zack Nagy (@znagy20) June 22, 2025

Q. Top of the third inning felt like a huge frame tonight. First two runners get on base, they lay down a bunt. You make the play, get the out at third. How much time did you guys have to be practice PFPs it the two off days in this final series? PFPs are pretty routine at this point, right?

KADE ANDERSON: I think we've practiced over 10,000 PFPs in our season. We had the plan for what Coastal is all about and just to go execute and field your position. Simple as that.

Q. Kade, talk about pitching in the heat tonight. And how badly did you want to finish this game off tonight?

KADE ANDERSON: Yeah, I think that's the real benefit in playing in Louisiana. Growing up there, this was honestly not nearly as bad as it was in the super regional. And it wasn't even comparable, honestly.

And just like Coach Johnson does, he prepares you for every element. Preparation is a key to our success and it really showed today.

Q. Kade, how many times in your life do you think you were throwing in a game or practice saying, this is to win the College World Series, this is to win a game for LSU like this? I mean, how many times did you live moment before you got the complete game?

KADE ANDERSON: Probably every night. And really just putting my team in the situation to win. I mean, we got a loaded bullpen now. That necessarily wasn't to end the College World Series. We've got one more that we're preparing for. We'll go back to the hotel and start preparing for that one as well.

Q. Kade, that was the most walks you had this year and you hit a couple of guys. Both out of character. How were you able to gather yourself and pitch out of trouble so often?

KADE ANDERSON: Yeah, just really focusing on the next pitch. It wasn't pretty, but got the job done. Just like I said, just putting the team in a situation to win.

Sometimes the staff we have is just -- all you need is one run sometimes. And Coach Johnson prepares us to be one-run ready.

Q. Steven, that first inning, Coach kind of mentioned it, Derek drawing that walk. What does that do for you having a hitter ahead of you like that who can draw so many, especially in that circumstance? And talk me through your at-bat, down 2-0, swung and missed those first couple and then lined one up the middle.

STEVEN MILAM: Derek getting on base puts a lot of pressure on the defense. My first two fastballs I swung at, I feel I got out of my plan. Got back to my focal point and was able put a good swing on it and shorten up.

It happened to be the difference maker. I was just trying to get up there, pass it to the next guy and be a tough out.

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