Tommy “Tanks” White was looking for a fastball in the 11th inning Thursday night.
He got fooled, but it didn’t matter. The LSU Tigers third baseman swung at the off-speed pitch and somehow sent the ball flying out of the stadium for a walk-off home run against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in a College World Series Semifinal.
The 2-0 win sends the Tigers (52-16) to the CWS Final, where they face the Florida Gators in a best-of-three series beginning Saturday.
In a CWS full of dramatic moments, White’s walk-off shot will go down as arguably the most memorable.
The Tigers got eight shutout innings from Paul Skenes, a potential No. 1 overall pick in the MLB Draft. But Wake Forest matched LSU’s goose eggs on the scoreboard, setting the stage for White’s heroics.
While White got fooled by the pitch from Wake Forest closer Camden Minacci, he somehow made magic.
“(I was looking) fastball, I didn’t get a fastball, but I was so amped up that I just threw my hands at it,” White told ESPN2.
White said Skenes gave the Tigers “an unreal performance, as always. You know we have a chance to win every time he’s on the mound.”
Sports fans watching the game, which aired opposite the 2023 NBA Draft, loved the dramatic finish.
TIGERS WIN TIGERS WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TOMMY TANKS WHITE SENDS LSU TO THE WORLD SERIES FINAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A GAME AND A MOMENT FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS. UNBELIEVABLE!
— Luke Patton (@LukePatton_) June 23, 2023
[Photo Credit: ESPN2]
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.