National Champions: LSU wins Game Three of CWS Finals over Florida 18-4 to secure national title

National. Champions. Those two words seemed distant and overwhelming to many LSU fans, but it was always something the team knew it could achieve. The season was an uphill battle, a long climb to the top. But on Monday, it planted its flag on the top of the mountain, and can now call itself national champion. LSU took down Florida 18-4 to claim the ultimate title a team can have in college baseball.

It wasn’t about how LSU started, but about how it responded. Wyatt Langford, who went five for five in Sunday’s game got the Gators started with a two-run home run to left field. 

But rather than have flashbacks from Sunday’s game, LSU took matters into its own hands. In the top of the second inning, the Tigers put up six runs. In the game, LSU scored 18 runs on 24 hits.

Brayden Jobert started the second inning with a single, moving Gavin Dugas to third, who walked to start the inning. Jobert finished four for seven with a two-run home run, a double, two singles, and three RBIs. He also singled later in the second inning. Jordan Thompson followed with an RBI single, allowing Dugas to score. Thompson finished two for six with a double, a single, and three RBIs.

But much of the second inning was LSU taking advantage of Florida’s inaccuracy on the mound. In the second inning alone, three LSU hitters were walked and one was hit by a pitch. Two of those at-bats brought runs in. In the sixth inning, Hayden Travinski walked, and allowed Tre’ Morgan to score.

Tommy White had an RBI single in the second, and Tre’ Morgan flew out to center to bring another run in. 

Jobert also got the four-run, fourth inning started with a double to right field. Thompson followed Jobert once again with a double of his own. But Josh Pearson brought Thompson in with a home run to right field to make the score 9-2. Pearson finished one for four with two RBIs.

Milazzo singled after Pearson, and Cade Beloso brought him in with a single. However, Milazzo had to jump over Florida’s catcher, B.T. Riopelle, to avoid potentially getting tagged. He took a nasty fall at the plate and appeared to hurt his ankle.

Cade Beloso and Dylan Crews both singled in the sixth, and both finished their LSU careers with multi-hit games. Beloso went two for five with two singles and two RBIs, and Crews had a team-leading four hits with a triple, three singles and an RBI. 

Crews played the game anyone could want to close out their collegiate career. He capped off a legendary career with a triple in the eighth inning, where Tommy White hit him in with a single. 

Crews singled again to start a four-run ninth inning, and Tommy White hit him in with a double to make the score 15-4. White finished four for seven on the game with a double, three singles, and three RBIs. Tre’ Morgan then hit White in with a double of his own. Morgan went three for six with a double, two singles, and two RBIs. Later in the ninth, Jobert capped off his impactful game with a two-run home run to deep right field to make the score 18-4.

LSU’s offense obviously excelled when it mattered most, but Thatcher Hurd was dominant on the mound. After giving up a two-run home run in the first inning, Hurd settled in and executed. In 6.0 innings pitched, he struck out seven and gave up two runs on just two hits.

That being said, Florida’s offense was almost the complete opposite from how it was on Sunday. The Gators finished with four runs on five hits. After having two hits as a team in the first inning, Hurd held the Gators hitless. Cade Kurland started the game with a single, and Wyatt Langford hit a two-run home run to left field.

The Gators were hitless until Riley Cooper came in. Ty Evans homered to right field, his fifth home run of the tournament, to make the game 11-3. Kurland homered in the eighth inning to make the score 14-4, and he went two for four with a home run, a single and an RBI.

Cooper went an inning in relief and gave up a run on one hits. Gavin Guidry came in in the eighth and closed the game out. He went two innings, struck out two, and gave up a run on two hits.

Jac Caglianone was the starter on the mound for Florida, and his outing ended sooner than expected, as he struggled to find the strike zone. In just 1.1 innings, Caglianone gave up six runs on just two hits. He walked three hitters.

The Gators’ bullpen didn’t have much success either. Cade Fisher went 1.1 innings and gave up four hits, Ryan Slater went 1.0 innings and gave up four runs on four hits, and Tyler Nesbitt went 3.0 innings and gave up a run on five hits. Nesbitt also struck out four but walked two. Blake Purnell went 1.1 innings and gave up six runs on seven hits. Fisher Jameson came in last for the Gators, went an inning, and gave up a run on two hits.

LSU has had its fair share of concerns throughout the season, but what mattered most was how it would play when the game mattered most.

More often than not, when one aspect of the game was on, the other was off; either the pitching would be on enough to win the game almost single-handily, or the hitting would be on enough to win the game single-handily. There have been times when the Tigers have put together a complete game, and one of those times couldn’t have come at a better time.

Nights like Monday are nights LSU fans will remember for a long time. The season was a roller coaster. But for the players, coaches and fans. It would be one they ride again. 

Until they get another shot at doing so, the Tigers find themselves in a pretty good position, with a lot to look back and be proud of. The title of national champion is a testament to the LSU team in that it fought through adversity and came out on the other side. 

It showed that staying the course and working hard pays off in the end. Monday night, everything paid off for the Tigers.