"I got all the peace in the world": LSU baseball HC Jay Johnson ends the season at Chapel Hill with a proud message

Jay Johnson's hopes for the Chapel Hill regionals came down to an elimination game for the second time in the last three years. However, similar issues to their 2023 season disrupted LSU's aspirations as they came up short in a 4-3 loss in 10 innings to North Carolina.

Nevertheless, Johnson found the silver lining in LSU's absence from the best-of-three super regionals:

"But in terms of how I remember this, I'm good," he said after the game. "I got all the peace in the world right now about what these guys did. And I am so proud."

The matchup was a defensive exhibition as LSU led 3-2 at the end of the eighth inning. They had gradually gained control of the game through dominant pitching in the third.

However, UNC forced an extra inning in the ninth and scored another run in the top of the succeeding one. The Tigers' championship defense could not belt up a similar performance and their offense hit a snag simultaneously.

Jay Johnson efficiently utilized his pieces

Despite marking an early off-season, Jay Johnson's squad displayed huge promise in the game. Sam Dutton struggled in the opening innings, giving three straight singles. This forced Johnson to bring in Javen Coleman, who then allowed only two runs.

However, as UNC reached base twice in the top of the second, senior pitcher Will Hellmers posted an outstanding stretch by pitching five flawless innings. He gave up just two hits and two walks.

Hellmers' arsenal was on full display as he struck out four batters with fly balls and ground outs. Nate Ackenhausen then closed out the eighth inning as the Tigers resorted to Gage Jump. However, he was unable to seal the deal.

LSU started strong on offense, scoring in the first three innings despite the early deficit.

However, it significantly slowed when UNC relievers Matthew Matthijs and Dalton Pence stymied LSU's hitters. This limited LSU to just four baserunners over the final seven innings.

Despite the loss, Jay Johnson's mastery radiates that the program is in good hands. In three seasons under him, the Tigers have either gone back home on the final day of regionals or made a College World Series run.