After seeing it all on this Omaha trip, LSU emerges with its seventh national title

OMAHA, Neb. — Over the course of its 10 days in Omaha, LSU had seen it all. 

A loss to No. 1 Wake Forest put its back against the wall in the losers bracket. 

The ultimate duel between two of the nation’s best aces, LSU’s Paul Skenes and Wake’s Rhett Lowder. 

Back-to-back 11-inning games won on home runs by Tommy White and Cade Beloso. 

Stiff winds that took distance off of its long fly balls, oftentimes sapping some of the intimidation from one of the nation’s best power-hitting lineups.

On Monday, during the Tigers’ eighth game in 10 days, the Tigers saw something new in this CWS — a dominant version of themselves.

LSU demolished Florida 18-4 at Charles Schwab Field to win the program’s first national title since 2009 and its seventh overall.

The ending, while somewhat expected by a team that began the season at No. 1 and held steady for 12 straight weeks, reads more like that of a triumphant Goliath that toppled David. 

The two previous championship series games featured an array of records. LSU right-hander Ty Floyd had amassed the most strikeouts in a College World Series game since 1972. Florida responded with an historic 24-4 victory, marking the most runs scored by a team in CWS history.

Monday night was all about the trophy.

LSU right-hander Thatcher Hurd made his first start in Omaha. The UCLA transfer had and up-and-down season, but he handcuffed the Gators’ lineup while working six innings, giving up two earned runs on two hits while striking out seven and walking two. 

His, and the Tigers’, only blip was allowing a two-run home run to Wyatt Langford in the first inning. The Tigers quickly erased that with a six-run second inning.

Hurd would not give up another hit the rest of the way, retiring nine straight batters at one point. 

LSU’s pivotal second inning began with a walk to Gavin Dugas, who advance to second on a wild pitch. Then Brayden Jobert singled, setting the table for shortstop Jordan Thompson with runners at the corners and nobody out.

The Tigers had struggled to convert with runners on base for the past two games, leaving 30 stranded across their two previous games. This game, they batted 8 for 18 with runners in scoring position and 12 for 28 with runners on.

Thompson — who had two errors the day before, and had not found much success at the plate in Omaha while going 1 for 30 — struck the first blow. He faced an 0-2 count against starting left-hander Jac Caglianone, but Thompson guided a ball to left field, allowing Dugas to score.

That RBI single had a ripple effect. Alex Milazzo drew a walk to load the bases, then Beloso and Dylan Crews took their own free bases as LSU took a 3-2 lead. Thompson finished 2 for 6 with three RBIs.

That was enough to get Caglianone out of the game, but left-hander Cade Fisher didn’t have much luck either, as the Tigers hammered three more hits and a sac fly as the lead rose to 6-2.

LSU went on another tear in the fourth inning while facing right-hander Ryan Slater. Brayden Jobert laced a double down the right-field line, and Thompson followed with his second RBI single to left field. That set up a two-run home run by Josh Pearson. Milazzo added a single, then the Gators turned to their fourth pitcher of the game.

Milazzo sprinted home on Beloso’s hit, dodging catcher BT Riopelle’s tag with a leap onto the plate. He planted his foot, rolling on the ground afterward in pain. He had broken his shin on impact, but he left behind a 10-2 lead.

The Tigers continued to hammer away at the Gators, adding eight runs of insurance while the Gators managed just a pair of solo home runs. 

Crews finished the night 4 for 6 with one RBI. White, Jobert and Thompson each had three RBIs. White and Jobert went 4 for 7 for LSU.