OMAHA, Neb. -- One way or another, LSU will face a hard-throwing right-hander in a 2 p.m. Friday semifinal against Oregon State at the College World Series.
The Beavers will start either Jake Thompson or Drew Rasmussen, both of whom are capable of throwing into the mid-90 mph range, coach Pat Casey said Thursday.
Both pitched in the College World Series opener against Cal State Fullerton, with the starter Thompson throwing 78 pitches before leaving with a 5-1 deficit after 3-2/3 innings. Rasmussen pitched a shutdown ninth to earn a save in a 6-5 comeback win.
Picking a Friday starter could be a matter of which pitcher feels most rested.