Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, June 13, 1993 TAG: 9306140089
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: E6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: OMAHA, NEB. LENGTH: Short
The Shockers just couldn't hit them.
"I threw about 80 percent fastballs," said Laxton, who pitched a three-hitter and struck out a championship game record 16 as LSU romped to an 8-0 victory Saturday.
Laxton threw the first three-hitter in the NCAA title game since 1957. His shutout also was the first complete-game effort in the championship since 1961.
"We were looking for the fastball, getting it and could not hit it," Wichita State coach Gene Stephenson said. "The big thing was the guy on the hill. He threw strikes and we didn't hit them."
Laxton (12-1) didn't allow a runner past second base in pitching the Tigers (53-17-1) to their second championship in three years. LSU beat the Shockers 6-3 to win the title in 1991.
A right-hander, Laxton fanned Darren Dreifort leading off the eighth to tie the record of 15 strikeouts, set by Tom Burgess of Arizona State against Houston in 1967. He got the record with a called third strike on pinch hitter Tony Mills for the second out in the ninth.
It was only the third three-hitter and complete game shutout in title game history. The last three-hitter was by Cal Emery of Penn State in a 1-0 loss to California in 1957, and the last shutout was by Jim Withers of Southern Cal against Oklahoma State (1-0) in 1961.
Keywords:
BASEBALL
by CNB