Jared Jones hit a line drive that glanced off a glove for the winning run moments after LSU got a big break to tie the game, and the Tigers posted a 6-5 walk-off victory over SEC rival Arkansas to advance to the College World Series finals
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Jared Jones hit a line drive that glanced off a glove for the winning run moments after LSU got a big break to tie the game, and the Tigers posted a 6-5 walk-off victory over SEC rival Arkansas on Wednesday night to advance to the College World Series finals.
The Tigers (51-15) will play for their second national championship in three years when they square off against Coastal Carolina in the best-of-three finals starting Saturday. The Chanticleers locked up their spot with an 11-3 win over Louisville on Wednesday.
Arkansas (50-15) took a two-run lead in the top of the ninth on Justin Thomas' tie-breaking single and looked ready to force a second bracket final against the Tigers on Thursday. Instead, the Razorbacks' season ended in heartbreak in Omaha again.
The Tigers beat Arkansas for the fourth time in five meetings this season, including 4-1 last Saturday in the teams' CWS opener. They are 5-0 all-time in CWS meetings with the Razorbacks.
LSU put two men on base with one out in the bottom of the ninth against Cole Gibler (3-2). Steven Milam grounded to short, and Wehiwa Aloy opted to get the lead runner at third rather than try for a game-ending double play.
Luis Hernandez came up and sent a hard liner to left. Charles Davalan slipped as he broke for the ball and it deflected off his right shoulder. Davalan chased the ball down as Ethan Frey and Milam scored easily.
Jones, whose team-best 22nd homer of the season had tied it 3-all in the eighth, shot a line drive up the middle that bounced off second baseman Cam Kozeal’s glove, and Hernandez scored from second ahead of the throw home, setting off an LSU celebration in center field.
Jacob Mayers (2-0), the fourth LSU pitchers, worked two-thirds of an inning for the win. Zac Cowan gave the Tigers a season-long 5 1/3 innings in his second start of the season and allowed one run on four hits. He walked none and struck out six.
Gut-wrenching losses in Omaha are nothing new for Arkansas. The Razorbacks were one out away from winning the 2018 national championship in the second game of the finals against Oregon State. What should have been a game-ending pop foul dropped between three Arkansas fielders. Oregon State went on to win that game and the next to take the title.
This was Arkansas' 12th CWS appearance and eighth under Dave Van Horn, and the Razorbacks are tied with Clemson and North Carolina for second-most trips to Omaha without winning the title. Florida State is first at 24.
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