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LSU vs. Florida score: Tigers trounce Gators in College World Series for seventh NCAA baseball title
LSU crushed Florida, 18-4, in Game 3 of the championship series in Omaha
By
Dayn Perry
•
1 min read
OMAHA, Neb. -- LSU's 2023 baseball season began with heavy preseason expectations, as the consensus No. 1 across every major poll. It ended with those expectations met and in a dog-pile near the mound in Omaha.
LSU on Monday night prevailed over Florida in the deciding Game 3 of the Men's College World Series finals 18-4 and with the win claimed the Division I national championship for 2023.
LSU's dominating performance, in which they pounded out 23 hits, came one night after the Tigers themselves were dominated 24-4 in Game 2.
LSU in Game 3 fell behind early when star Florida outfielder Wyatt Langford laced a two-run home run to left field. However, LSU swiftly rebounded the next half-inning by putting six runs on the board in the top of the second, all without an extra-base hit. The Tigers padded their lead with a four-run fourth inning, thanks in part to left fielder Josh Pearson's fourth home run of the season. The runs kept coming.
All the while, LSU starter Thatcher Hurd settled in, racked up outs, and gave the Tigers more length than they probably expected given how the first inning went. In the end, Hurd worked six innings, struck out seven against two walks, and allowed just the two runs. LSU head coach Jay Johnson, thanks to a substantial early lead that methodically grew over the course of Game 3, did not need to call on ace right-hander Paul Skenes. Skenes, who threw eight innings and 120 pitches in Thursday's must-win over Wake Forest, was available in relief, but Johnson determined his services were not necessary.
The outcome of Game 3 means LSU and Florida end the season with identical 54-17 records.
One downside for LSU is that catcher Alex Milazzo suffered a fractured shin while scoring a run in the fourth. However, he will apparently not require surgery.
Now for some takeaways from the final game of the 2023 college baseball season.
The second inning was the turning point
Florida starting pitcher and two-way star Jac Caglianone looked dominant in the opening frame. In particular, his big fastball baffled the potent top of the LSU order in that top of the first:
Staked to a 2-0 lead in the second, though, Caglianone's control faltered. That's not unusual, as coming into Game 3 he had walked 52 batters in 73⅓ innings this season with another 12 hit batsmen and nine wild pitches thrown in. That's can be a poor trait in any context and especially against an LSU offense known for its plate discipline.
Indeed, Caglianone kindled the LSU comeback with three walks, a hit batter, and a wild pitch before being lifted with one out in the second. All that traffic plus five singles allowed LSU to put six runs on the board for the inning. All six were charged to Caglianone, who in the end threw just half of his 46 pitches for strikes.
Coming into the top of the second, basic win expectancy gave LSU just a 25.3% chance of winning it all. By the time Jordan Thompson flied out to end the half-inning, the Tigers had an 81.3% chance of claiming the national title.
Crews made an impact
LSU center fielder Dylan Crews and Skenes will likely be the top two picks of the upcoming MLB Draft (Florida's Langford might go No. 3). While Skenes didn't see the field in his final college game, Crews helped the Tiger cause in multiple ways.
In his final contest as a collegian, Crews extended his on-base streak to 75 games, as he went 4 for 6 at the plate with a triple and a walk. With the glove, Crews made a nifty catch leaping into the wall in the third to take extra bases away from Colby Halter.
Two of the next three batters would reach before Hurd was able to escape, so Crews' catch was indeed an important one.
Ty Evans made history in defeat
It's little consolation for the Gators, but right fielder Ty Evans in the seventh inning went oppo off LSU reliever Riley Cooper and made a bit of history as a result:
That's Evans' fifth home run of this MCWS, and that's a new record for most homers in a single MCWS. Making it more remarkable is that Evans came into Omaha with just four home runs on the season.
It's LSU's seventh national title in baseball
From their 19 College World Series appearances, LSU has now emerged with seven national championships. In addition to 2023 under second-year head coach Jay Johnson, the Tigers also won both belt and title in 2009, 2000, 1997, 1996, 1993, and 1991. Prior to Monday night's outcome, LSU had been tied with Texas with six titles. Now only Southern Cal has more championships with 12. The Trojans, however, haven't won it all since 1998.
Helping keep them from eight titles, coincidentally, is Florida. Back in 2017, they bested LSU in the MCWS finals for their one and only national championship.
The SEC remains dominant
Given that LSU and Florida are both denizens of the Southeastern Conference, we already knew the SEC would pick up another ring on Monday, but now it's official. An SEC team has now claimed four straight DI baseball titles -- LSU, preceded by Ole Miss in 2022, Mississippi State in 2021, and Vanderbilt in 2019. (There was no MCWS in 2020 because of COVID.) Overall, the SEC has won five of the last six baseball titles and six of the last nine. Perhaps most impressive of all, the SEC has placed at least one team in the MCWS final in 14 of the last 15 years.
Don't be surprised if 2024 is no exception. For now, though, LSU probably isn't quite ready to move on from 2023.
Updates
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There it is, LSU is the 2023 national champion. First title since 2009 and seventh overall.
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To the bottom of the ninth!
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Dylan Crews singled to center. Okay, that has to be his last at-bat with LSU.
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All LSU here. Skenes just started warming up, so it looks like he's going to close it out in the ninth. Should be fun with the crowd basically all LSU fans now.
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In his likely final plate appearance with LSU, Dylan Crews triples.
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Fifth homer of the College World Series for Ty Evans. He had four during the regular season. Hey, Florida's comeback has to start somewhere.
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Just noticed LSU is out-hitting Florida 15-2. Sheesh.
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Update on Milazzo
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Thatcher Hurd has been fantastic. Gave up the early homer and nothing since.
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Tommy White just drilled an ump with a liner up the middle. Ump seems fine.
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Paul Skenes just went out to the bullpen for LSU.
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LSU catcher Alex Milazzo appeared to injure his foot or ankle while scoring that 10th run of the game. He's been replaced in the lineup and behind the plate.
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Lotta damage done by Not Dylan Crews and Not Tommy White this game for LSU. Bottom half of the lineup is driving the offnse.
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Josh Pearson's fourth home run of the season makes it 9-2 LSU in the fourth.
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LSU now up 9-2
Josh Pearson clobbers a two-run homer to left. Only his fourth homer of the season. I'm calling it: Florida is in trouble.
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LSU's starting to really pull away. A double and a single -- both with two outs -- stretch the lead to 7-2. Tough hop at third base on that single.
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But Hurd gets out of it with a strikeout. Still 6-2, LSU, going into the fourth.
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Florida mounting a threat with two on and two out in the third.
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Great catch by Crews at the wall
Crews, who was named the Golden Spikes Award winner as the best amateur player in the country Sunday, just made a spectacular leaping catch at the wall.
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LSU head coach Jay Johnson just said Skenes "is probably gonna be in this game at some point" on the ESPN broadcast, so that answers that.
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LSU has runners on first and second with two outs in the third. Florida is going to its third pitcher of the game.
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Long, long way to go
This Florida offense put up 24 runs yesterday, so this one is far from over. For LSU, the question now becomes is Paul Skenes available? And how many innings can he go? I guess that's two questions.
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LSU takes charge
So that's a six-run bottom of the second for LSU, and they did it without an extra-base hit. Per basic win expectancy, LSU with a 6-2 lead now has an 81.7% chance to win it all.
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LSU has put five runs on the board this inning without an extra-base hit.
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LSU now up 4-2
Not a Tommy Tank, instead an RBI single for Tommy White. LSU still has the bases loaded with one out.
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Crews will finish his LSU career with a 75-game on-base streak, by the way.
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Crews walks and LSU is up 3-2. Caglianone is done. Cade Fisher, who's a guy for the 2025 draft, is coming out of the bullpen to try to save Florida's season, basically.
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"Freebird" on the organ here at Charles Schwab Field.
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Crews up with the bases loaded
Dylan Crews, the best hitter in the country and the likely No. 1 pick in next month's draft, is up with the bases loaded. This is A Moment. Score tied 2-2 in the top of the second.
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Not sure Jactoni is long for this game. HBP with the bases loaded knots it up.
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