OMAHA, Neb. – The national No. 3-seed Arkansas Razorbacks (50-15) saw their season come to a heartbreaking end in the College World Series on Wednesday with a 6-5 loss to the No. 6 seed LSU Tigers (51-15) after getting walked off in the ninth inning at Charles Schwab Field.
Ohio State transfer Landon Beidelschies had his best outing as a Razorback, as the lefty struck out nine batters across five innings while allowing only three hits.
The Razorback offense overcame its share of struggles, but a home run by Ryder Helfrick to lead off the fourth inning, along with some late heroics that included a little luck in the eighth, then a go-ahead two-RBI single in the ninth by red hot 9-hole hitter Justin Thomas Jr. was not enough to finish the job.
With two outs in the ninth, a double to left field by Luis Hernandez went off the top of outfielder Charles Davalan's glove to tie it at five, then a single to center by Jared Jones scored Hernandez to complete the walk-off triumph and advance the Tigers to the College World Series finals against Coastal Carolina.
RECAP
First Inning:
Zac Cowan just missed a 1-2-3 inning as Logan Maxwell reached first safely on a bang-bang play with two outs. That would be all for the Hogs in the first, Cowan got a lockdown defensive effort from his infield during the frame.
LSU leadoff Derek Curiel chopped down the right field line that went past first base and he earned a standup double. Curiel advanced to third, but was left stranded 90 feet from home after Landon Beidelschies induced a popup, flyout, then got Luis Hernandez looking for the final out.
Second Inning:
Omaha native Cam Kozeal knocked a first-pitch single up the middle to give the Hogs their second baserunner. Cowan responded with his first two strikeouts against Kuhio Aloy and Reese Robinett before Brent Iredale flied out to center. However, a catcher's interference that was reversed upon review put Iredale on first and Kozeal on second with two away. Justin Thomas Jr. grounded to short and Iredale was thrown out at second on a fielder's choice.
A single to left by Jared Jones gave LSU leadoff runners on base for the second straight inning. Josh Pearson grounded to short and Jones was tagged out at second on a fielder's choice, but Pearson beat the throw at first with great hustle to avoid the double play. Daniel Dickinson was intentionally walked after Chris Stanfield grounded out. "Cheese" capped his second inning in a row with a strikeout, getting Michael Braswell III swinging on a slider.
Third Inning:
Cowan completes his first 1-2-3 frame with a lineout to first, strike out swinging against Wehiwa Aloy on an 81-MPH changeup and a groundout to second.
Cheese punched back with quick inning of his own, striking out the side in order. He has struck out four consecutive LSU batters and has five on the night.
Fourth Inning:
Ryder Helfrick got the fourth started with a bang, launching his 15th home run of the season 417 feet smack dab over the center field wall to put the Hogs on the board first. Kozeal battled on a seven-pitch at-bat, but Cowan got him looking on a 2-2 count and he followed that up with another punchout looking against Kuhio Aloy, then Robinett fouled out to avoid further damage for the Tigers.
Cheese plunked Hernandez in the knee and Hernandez took his free base to give LSU its third baserunner of the game. Cheese struck out Jones for the first out and froze Stanfield on a 1-2 count to get out of the inning after Pearson field out to left.
Fifth Inning:
Groundouts from Iredale and Thomas gave LSU two quick outs and Cowan capped his second 1-2-3 frame after he threw Davalan out at first.
Robinett dug a throw by Iredale from third out of the dirt to record the first out, then Braswell quickly went down swinging on three pitches and got Curiel looking on a 2-2 count for Cheese's eighth and ninth strikeouts. Great framing job from Helfrick behind the plate for the final out.
Sixth Inning:
Cowan struck out Wehiwa for the second time, but red hot Maxwell knocked a changeup up the middle against the shift for his second hit. LSU head coach Jay Johnson elected to go to the bullpen and brought in Jaden Noot to replace Cowan with one on and one out. Noot's second pitch resulted in Helfrick flying out to right and Maxwell swiped second to get in scoring position with two away, then moved over to third on a wild pitch. Maxwell was left stranded 90 feet from home as Kozeal went down swinging.
Ethan Frey knocked LSU's second extra base hit of the evening, hooking a double down the left field line and LSU promptly got two on when a pitch too far inside hit Milam on the foot. That would be the end for Cheese, who is responsible for both runners, after posting five frames with nine strikeouts, Dave Van Horn is going with righty Gabe Gaeckle.
LSU moved the runners over, but the Hogs recorded the first out on a sac bunt by Hernandez. Gaeckle struck Jones out and Pearson was intentionally walked to load the bases to face pinch hitter Jake Brown. Brown came through, knocking a single to left center to score Frey and Milam to give LSU the 2-1 lead. Brown got caught in a rundown between first and second, but he was ruled out upon review as the Hogs to avoided further damage.
Seventh Inning:
Kuhio chopped to Milam at short, who threw over to first in plenty of time for the out. Johnson went to the mound and got Noot in favor of flamethrower Chase Shores. Shores went to work fast and sat down Robinett on a three-pitch strikeout for the second out and capped the frame with a punchout against Iredale.
A high chopper by Dickinson went over Iredale's head and he turned it into a double. Helfrick easily got under a pop bunt by Braswell and Gaeckle recorded the first out of the frame with a three-pitch strikeout against Curiel when the lineup turned over. Frey battled on a 10-pitch at-bat, but Gaeckle got him with a fastball in the top of the zone.
Eighth Inning:
9-hole hitter Thomas continued his Omaha tear with a leadoff single to left center on a 1-1 count to flip the lineup. Thomas was tagged out at second on a fielder's choice, but the bases loaded up with one out after Wehiwa singled through the left side then Maxwell got dinged on the foot. Madness ensued when it appeared Helfrick hit into a would-be double play, Maxwell was tagged at second but the throw to first was muffed on the fielder's choice. Helfrick is safe at first and after a review of whether or not Maxwell interfered on the slide, Arkansas takes the 3-2 lead after scoring Davalan and Aloy. Kozeal groundout out, but not before Arkansas took much-needed momentum.
Milam popped up high in the darkening Omaha sky, but Maxwell got under it to secure the first out. Hernandez grounded out, but a two-out bomb to right center by Jones tied the game at three. Pearson knocked a single through the left side and Brown drew a full-count walk to put two Tigers on, but Gaeckle won a six-pitch at-bat against Dickinson.
Ninth Inning:
Milam with another impressive defensive play, scooping a grounder by Kuhio to record the out at first but Robinett answered with a single on a rope to center. Iredale smoked a crucial double to left, putting two runners in scoring position with one away. Thomas, who is now 8-for-14 in the College World Series, knocked a single to left to score Robinett and Iredale for the 5-3 Arkansas lead. Thomas advanced to third via a throwing error from catcher to second, but he was left stranded after Wehiwa went down looking.
Lefty Cole Gibler is on the mound for the Hogs in the ninth and struck out Pearson on a 93-MPH heater. Curiel took advantage of sloppy defense and advanced to second. Frey drew a walk to put the tying run aboard for LSU, but the lead runner was tagged at third for the second out when it should have been a 6-4-3 double play to end the game.
The Razorbacks had a chance to end it, but a hard hit ball to left hits off of Davalan's shoulder as he slipped and rolled to the wall to score two. Aiden Jimenez takes over for Gibler, Jones singled into center that bounced off Kozeal's glove for the walk-off win.
