OMAHA, Neb. -- After being overshadowed all season by the best pitcher in college baseball, Ty Floyd basked in the spotlight Saturday night.
He earned it.
Floyd struck out a career-high 17 for the most in a College World Series game in 51 years and Cade Beloso hit the tiebreaking homer in the top of the 11th inning to lift LSU over Florida 4-3 in Game 1 of the CWS finals.
"We aren't sitting here without Ty Floyd," LSU coach Jay Johnson said. "He's one of the most underappreciated players in college baseball this year."
The Tigers (53-16) can wrap up their seventh national championship, and first since 2009, with another win over the Gators (53-16) on Sunday.