MCWS Championship Series Field is Set in Omaha
Day 6 of the Men’s College World Series (MCWS) in Omaha, Nebraska, delivered two high-stakes elimination games that finalized the field for the best-of-three championship series. After dramatic battles, the LSU Tigers and the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers emerged victorious, setting up a compelling showdown for the national title beginning Saturday.
Coastal Carolina secured the first spot with a convincing win, while LSU earned their place via a stunning, last-ditch comeback against their SEC rival, Arkansas.
LSU Completes Stunning Comeback to Stun Arkansas
In an instant classic, the LSU Tigers defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks 6-5 in a thrilling, back-and-forth contest. Arkansas, which had a dominant 50-15 season and held a winning record against LSU coming into the game, appeared poised to force a deciding third matchup.
The Razorbacks took an early lead in the fourth inning on a solo home run. Arkansas starter Landon Beidelscheis was sharp through five innings, striking out nine and allowing just two hits. LSU briefly took a 2-1 lead in the sixth, but Arkansas responded, regaining the lead at 3-2 in the eighth. LSU’s Jared Jones answered immediately with a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game at 3-3.
The drama peaked in the ninth inning. Arkansas scored two runs on a two-RBI single by Justin Thomas, taking a seemingly decisive 5-3 lead and putting the Razorbacks on the brink of victory. However, LSU mounted a breathtaking rally in the bottom half. With one out and two runners on, a critical defensive decision and a stroke of misfortune turned the tide. Arkansas shortstop Wehiwa Aloy opted to throw to third for the second out instead of attempting a double play. This left runners on for LSU’s Luis Hernandez, who hit a fly ball to left field. In a heartbreaking moment for Arkansas, left fielder Charles Davalan misjudged the ball, which bounced off his shoulder and rolled away. This crucial error allowed both runners to score, tying the game at 5-5. With the game tied and the winning run on base, Jared Jones delivered his second clutch hit in two innings, a single up the middle that narrowly eluded a diving infielder, scoring Hernandez for the walk-off 6-5 victory.
The dramatic loss ended Arkansas’s impressive season in agonizing fashion, highlighted by the narrow margins of defeat on the final plays. LSU, meanwhile, advanced to the championship series for a chance at their second national title in three seasons.
Red-Hot Coastal Carolina Dominates Louisville
Earlier in the day, the red-hot Coastal Carolina Chanticleers punched their ticket to the MCWS finals with a dominant 11-3 win over Louisville. The Chanticleers extended their remarkable winning streak to 26 games, showcasing why they are considered one of the nation’s most dangerous teams.
Coastal Carolina wasted no time, exploding for six runs in the bottom of the first inning to build an early, insurmountable lead. Louisville starter Colton Hartman struggled with command, hitting two batters to load the bases before Coastal capitalized with a two-RBI single from Walker Mitchell. Four more runs scored before the inning ended, including a three-run double by Colby Thorndyke and an RBI single from Ty Dooley.
Despite the massive early deficit, Louisville showed resilience, scoring three runs in the sixth inning to cut the lead to 8-3. However, Coastal Carolina’s pitching staff, including a strong start from Riley Eikhoff and effective bullpen work, largely kept the Cardinals in check. Coastal added two more runs in the sixth, one via their NCAA Division I record-breaking 176th hit-by-pitch of the season, and another in the eighth on Thorndyke’s fifth RBI of the game, sealing the 11-3 victory.
The win marked Coastal Carolina’s 56th of the season and puts them on the cusp of securing their second MCWS title. Louisville concluded their dream season with a strong postseason run that matched their program’s best-ever CWS performance, but they were unable to overcome the early hole and pitching control issues against the surging Chanticleers.
Looking Ahead: LSU vs. Coastal Carolina
The results from Day 6 set the stage for a best-of-three MCWS Championship Series between LSU and Coastal Carolina. Both teams have navigated the challenging CWS bracket and demonstrated the grit and talent required to reach the sport’s pinnacle.
Off the field, the fan bases in Omaha continue their spirited participation in the Rocco’s Jell-O Shot Challenge. LSU fans are overwhelmingly leading the charge, having consumed over 23,000 shots as of Wednesday night, far outpacing other teams and poised to repeat as champions of the popular off-field competition.
The national championship series is scheduled to begin on Saturday, promising a thrilling conclusion to the college baseball season.
