LSU baseball, Tre Morgan explain execution of bunt defense in 8th inning vs. Wake Forest

OMAHA, Neb. – Three days ago, Tre Morgan was involved in a play at the plate.

LSU baseball and Wake Forest were tied at two in the eighth inning on Monday at the 2023 College World Series. The Tigers had runners on the corners with two out and Morgan was the man at third base.

Cade Beloso – the Tiger at the plate – slapped the ball to third base. The hit triggered Morgan to dash home.

But instead of scoring and giving LSU the lead, Morgan was thrown out at home plate. The Tigers would end the inning scoreless and Wake Forest would take the lead in the bottom of the inning before closing out the win in the ninth.

The Demon Deacons headed to the winner's bracket, but Morgan would still have the last laugh.

LSU baseball is heading to the 2023 College World Series final. The Tigers won three games in three days to get there, defeating Tennessee on Tuesday before beating Wake Forest on Wednesday, 5-2, and Thursday, 2-0. LSU will next face Florida in the CWS final beginning on Saturday (6 p.m., ESPN).

Thursday's win, the most crucial of them all, was when Morgan finally was able to extract his revenge. And he was able to do so by making a play at the plate.

The situation: Runners at the corners and one out in the eighth inning, with Wake Forest up to bat and Morgan playing first base.

On the second pitch of the at-bat, Wake Forest shortstop Marek Houston laid down a bunt, allowing Justin Johnson to come charging home from third base. The small-ball play was well-executed, but Morgan was ready for it.

"As soon as the pitcher picked up his foot, I took off (for) home," Morgan said. "Thankfully (he) bunted it and as soon as it hit the ground, I knew it was a little one-hop."

And he wasn't the only one who was onto what Wake Forest was doing.

"Just kind of how the game was going, man, we figured something was going to be on to try to get that run across," Alex Milazzo said.

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Morgan and LSU's ability to anticipate Wake Forest's bunt saved the Tigers' season. Morgan fielded Houston's bunt cleanly and shoveled the ball to Milazzo to tag Johnson out at the plate.

LSU starting pitcher Paul Skenes then forced Tommy Hawke to line out to left field to end the Demon Deacons' threat.

"We work on (that bunt defense) all the time. It was a big benefit who we played to get to this point, when you look at Tulane, you look at Oregon State, you look at Kentucky. That's three of the best bunting teams in the country," LSU coach Jay Johnson said. "And both going into the regional and super regional we spent a large amount of time on bunt coverages to both sides, safety squeeze defense."

Three innings later, Tommy White would end the game on a two-run walk-off home run to send LSU to the CWS final. But White's home run never happens if it weren't for Morgan's season-saving play.

"Tre's an unbelievable defender no matter where he's at," Gavin Dugas said. "So I mean, it's awesome to see him succeed in that moment."

Koki Riley covers LSU sports for The Daily Advertiser. Email him at kriley@theadvertiser.com and follow him on Twitter at @KokiRiley

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: LSU baseball: Tre Morgan executed bunt defense vs. Wake Forest, CWS