The College World Series Finals continue today with a high-stakes Game 2 showdown. The LSU Tigers hold a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series against the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers following a dramatic Game 1 victory.
For LSU, a win today means securing their eighth national championship, further cementing their place among college baseball’s elite programs. For Coastal Carolina, it’s win or go home. They must bounce back to force a decisive Game 3 and keep their hopes alive for a second national title.
Here’s everything you need to know to follow the action live from Charles Schwab Field in Omaha.
CWS Finals Game 2: Schedule & How to Watch
Don’t miss a moment of this crucial matchup.
Start Time: 2:30 p.m. ET (1:30 p.m. CT)
TV Channel: ABC
Streaming: ESPN+, Fubo (Try for free)
Follow along here for live updates, key plays, and analysis throughout the game.
Game 1 Recap: Anderson’s Historic Shutout Powers LSU
LSU claimed Game 1 with a tense 1-0 victory, a contest defined by dominant pitching and missed offensive opportunities. The Tigers’ win snapped Coastal Carolina’s nation-leading 26-game winning streak, which was the third-longest in NCAA baseball history.
The sole run of the game came in the bottom of the first inning. LSU’s Derek Curiel led off with a walk and later scored on a single up the middle by Steven Milam, who collected his 13th postseason RBI.
The story of Game 1, however, was LSU’s junior left-handed ace, Kade Anderson. The southpaw delivered a masterful complete game shutout, allowing only three hits over nine innings while striking out 10 Coastal Carolina hitters. Despite issuing five walks and hitting two batters, Anderson repeatedly worked out of jams, stranding eight Chanticleers on base and holding them hitless (0-for-9) with runners in scoring position. His 130-pitch performance was the first complete game shutout in a CWS finals game since 2018 and a significant boost to his profile as a projected top pick in the 2025 MLB Draft.
Coastal Carolina’s pitching was also strong, with starter Cameron Flukey allowing only the single run on four hits over six innings, striking out nine. But Coastal’s offense simply couldn’t crack Anderson, marking the fourth time this season they’ve been shut out. The combined batting average for both teams in Game 1 was a meager .155, highlighting the pitching duel.
What’s At Stake Today?
The intensity is palpable heading into Game 2:
LSU: With a win, the Tigers would secure their eighth national championship, adding to titles won in 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2009, and 2023. This would place them second all-time in national titles behind USC’s 12. LSU seeks its second championship under coach Jay Johnson in just three years.
Coastal Carolina: Facing elimination, the Chanticleers need a victory to force a winner-take-all Game 3 on Monday night. Coastal Carolina is aiming for their second national title, having previously won in 2016.
Road to the CWS Finals
Both teams navigated challenging paths through the NCAA Tournament to reach Omaha and the championship series:
Coastal Carolina’s Journey:
Regional: Won three games (vs. Fairfield, 2x vs. East Carolina).
Super Regional: Swept Auburn.
CWS Bracket: Won three games (vs. Arizona, Oregon State, Louisville) before falling to LSU in Game 1 of the finals.
LSU’s Journey:
Regional: Won three out of four games (vs. Little Rock, Dallas Baptist, vs. Little Rock).
Super Regional: Swept West Virginia.
CWS Bracket: Won three games (vs. Arkansas, UCLA, vs. Arkansas) before their Game 1 victory over Coastal Carolina.
Historical Context: CWS Champions
Both LSU and Coastal Carolina are recent champions, appearing in the list of the last 10 CWS winners:
2024: Tennessee
2023: LSU
2022: Ole Miss
2021: Mississippi State
2020: Not played (COVID-19)
2019: Vanderbilt
2018: Oregon State
2017: Florida
2016: Coastal Carolina
2015: Virginia
Additionally, both programs rank among those with multiple national championships:
USC: 12
LSU: 7
Texas: 6
Arizona: 5
Cal State Fullerton, Miami (Fla.): 4
Minnesota, Oregon State: 3
Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Stanford, Oklahoma, Michigan, California: 2
- Coastal Carolina: 1 (Seeking 2nd)
- www.nytimes.com
- www.usatoday.com
- sports.yahoo.com
- www.nytimes.com
- www.greenvilleonline.com
Coastal Carolina will need their offense to find traction and potentially see a strong outing from their pitching staff to extend the series. If the Chanticleers win today, Game 3 is scheduled for Monday, June 23, at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Stay tuned for live updates as Game 2 gets underway!
