### LSU's Freshman Pitcher Casan Evans Shines in Crucial Win Over Little Rock

In a thrilling contest at Alex Box Stadium, LSU's baseball team pulled off a crucial 10-6 victory against No. 4-seeded Little Rock on Monday night, thanks largely to a stellar pitching performance from freshman Casan Evans. The victory propels the top-seeded Tigers to the super regionals, where they will host West Virginia.

Evans had not pitched in 17 days before taking the mound in this do-or-die game. Despite the gap, LSU coach Jay Johnson entrusted the young right-hander to turn the tide when the Tigers were trailing 3-1 early in the second inning. Unfortunately, an error and a bloop single extended the Trojans' lead to 5-1, but Evans stunningly recovered.

The Texas native showcased near-invincible form, retiring 15 of the next 16 batters he faced. At one stretch, spanning from the fourth inning into the seventh, Evans struck out nine consecutive batters. “This dude is a superstar,” Coach Johnson praised. “There haven’t been many better performances on that pitcher’s mound in championship games than what you just saw by Casan.”

Evans tallied 12 strikeouts over 109 pitches, consistently locating the ball in the bottom half of the strike zone. Despite running into jams in the seventh and eighth innings, he managed to escape with minimal damage, demonstrating remarkable composure and skill under pressure.

In the seventh inning, Evans loaded the bases with three walks but struck out Little Rock’s Cooper Chaplain to end the threat. The eighth inning saw him exit after two singles, handing over to junior Anthony Eyanson, who ensured minimal impact by striking out the next batter and ending the inning with a groundout.

Offensively, the Tigers rallied from a slow start. Junior Ethan Frey was instrumental, beginning the game with a solo home run and later delivering a bases-clearing double to cut the deficit to 5-4. Frey and senior Luis Hernandez, who also hit two home runs, fueled LSU's offensive resurgence, while Jared Jones added key insurance runs with a two-run homer in the ninth inning.

The team’s character and persistence were evident throughout the game. "We won tonight because of character," Johnson stated. His decision to not intervene after the difficult second inning demonstrated his faith in the team’s ability to self-correct and remain focused.

With consistent performances from key players like Frey, Hernandez, and Evans, LSU now looks ahead to the super regionals, brimming with confidence and momentum.