LSU earned a pair of chances to clinch title No. 8. They only needed one, finishing off a two-game sweep of Coastal Carolina 5-3 on a wild afternoon in Omaha.
The Tigers got what they needed out of starter Anthony Eyanson, who allowed 3 runs and struck out 9 over 6.1 innings. Chase Shores took over and closed out the final 2.2, striking out 4 while allowing just one hit.
“I’m just so proud," Jay Johnson said on the field after the game. "This is a team. Our whole motto for the year was tough and together and that’s what did from Aug. 26 til now.”
For a second consecutive game the Tigers did their damage early and defended it. After a Dean Mihos home run put Coastal ahead 1-0 in the 2nd inning, LSU struck back in the next frame on an Ethan Frey RBI double. The Tigers tacked on four more runs in the top of the 4th inning to chase Coastal ace Jordan Morrison. Jake Brown started the inning with a walk, followed by a Jared Jones single. Luis Hernandez was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Chris Stanfield delivered with an RBI single to right field. Daniel Dickinson laid down a sacrifice bunt before Derek Curiel drove in two more runs with an RBI single.
Eyanson was chased from the game after allowing a 2-run blast to Wells Sykes in the bottom of the 7th inning, but Coastal could never get closer. The result build on a brilliant two days of pitching, coming on the heels of a 1-0 win and complete game shutout from Kade Anderson. LSU won its two biggest games of the season using only three pitchers.
It was something of a bizarre game from the start, with Coastal Carolina head coach Kevin Schnall and 1st base coach Matt Schilling thrown out in the bottom of the first inning after arguing balls and strikes with home page Angel Campos. The gripe from Schnall appeared to extend back to the top of the first inning. When the camera cut to the CCU head coach he appeared to be shouting at Campos that he had missed three pitches, holding up three fingers to emphasize his point.
Schnall continued arguing after being ejected and also appeared to bump another umpire who then tripped and fell. The extra time on the field led to an additional two-game suspension, meaning both coaches wouldn't have been able to return for a Game 3 if it'd gotten that far. He slammed the umpires' decision-making after the game.
“That’s why I feel a little gutted right now,” Schnall said, via the AP, “because the talk is going to be about the ejection, not this team. And it’s not right. The front-row seat should be the 2025 Coastal Carolina baseball team, not what happened in the first inning.”
Coastal Carolina entered the College World Series on a 26-game winning streak, but LSU ends its own season on a six-game winning steak.
With the win, Jay Johnson also became the fastest-ever manager to win two national titles after taking over a program.
“It’s not to be taken for granted, being here two years ago,” Johnson said. “That was special. Greatest night of my life. This is equal and maybe even tops in some ways.”
It was also revenge of sorts, with Coastal sweeping Johnson's Arizona squad in the title series back in 2016. That year's Chanticleers squad went through Baton Rouge on its way to that CWS bracket.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report