LSU wins 2023 DI baseball national championship
LSU beats Florida 18-4, wins the 2023 DI baseball championship
LSU blew out Florida 18-4 in a winner-take-all Game 3 of the Men’s College World Series finals, celebrating with a roaring sea of purple and gold in Omaha.
The Tigers had a chance to do this yesterday but instead lost by 20. With just a night's sleep to shake off the loss, LSU handed the Gators the same treatment until the final out.
Consider the 2017 MCWS finals loss against the Gators officially avenged, too.
Brayden Jobert led LSU with three runs — including a homer — and three RBI. Dylan Crews and Tre’ Morgan also recorded three runs. Crews is the fourth Golden Spikes Award winner to earn the honor and win the MCWS, and the first time a player has done that since 1995.
JOBOMB @braydenjobert | ESPN pic.twitter.com/vJe5BzbIOB
— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) June 27, 2023
After the first inning where Florida scored two runs, Thatcher Hurd steadied himself on the mound and pitched six total innings. Hurd allowed just those two hits and struck out seven Florida batters.
LSU notched 24 total hits compared to just 5 for Florida.
The Tigers take home the championship for the first time since 2009, marking the seventh overall for LSU.
LSU came into this season ranked No. 1, then stumbled a bit at the end of the regular season and conference tournament. Starting the NCAA tournament seeded No. 5, the Tigers fell in into the losers’ bracket in the MCWS and rebounded from a 24-4 finals loss. Ultimately, the Tigers finished on top to raise the trophy.
End 8: LSU 14, Florida 4
Dylan Crews. Lead-off triple. @__dc4__ | #ThePowerhouse pic.twitter.com/P9ESBykefF
— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) June 27, 2023
The Tigers' championship celebration feels imminent as they tact on three more runs for good measure.
First, the Golden Spikes winner, Dylan Crews, hit a lead-off triple. Then Tommy White hit a single to score Crews. White later scored off a sac fly RBI.
Cade Kurland hit the second home run for the Gators to bring their total up to four.
End 7: LSU 11, Florida 3
LSU extends its lead over Florida to 11-3. With two outs, the Tigers loaded the bases and Tre’ Morgan scored off a Hayden Travinski walk.
In the bottom of the seventh, Florida scored for the first time since the first inning. Ty Evans hit a solo home run — breaking the MCWS record with five homers in Omaha.
The Tigers are just two innings from clinching their seventh national championship.
End 4: LSU 10, Florida 2
Josh Pearson piercing the night!#MCWS x 🎥 ESPN / @LSUbaseball pic.twitter.com/A3H6Tf9Zk8
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 27, 2023
The Tigers are starting to pull away as they take a 10-2 lead. LSU added four more runs on the board.
First, Josh Pearson launched a two-run homer to right field. Then Cade Beloso hit a single, advancing Alex Milazzo home.
While Florida has run through four pitchers, Thatcher Hurd has held it down for LSU after a shakey first inning. Hurd has allowed just two hits through four innings.
End 2: LSU 6, Florida 2
Tommy sends one home!#MCWS x 🎥 ESPN / @LSUbaseball pic.twitter.com/OqFQ58reNX
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 26, 2023
LSU responds with a scorching second inning. The Tigers’ six runs tied the second-most in a Men’s College World Series championship game.
The Tigers chased Florida starting pitcher Jac Caglianone.
LSU had the bases loaded several times and advanced runners with walks and singles.
End 1: Florida 2, LSU 0
⛈ TRENTON FREAKING THUNDER ⛈#GoGators // 📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/XuxC7jQDyy
— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) June 26, 2023
Florida picks up where the Gators left off yesterday after the Gators broke the MCWS home run record.
Wyatt Langford hit a two-run homer to left field, bringing Cade Kurland home. LSU struggled to cool off Florida’s offense in Game 2; the Tigers willl have to find an answer tonight.
The Gators lead 2-0 heading into the second.
Starting lineups for MCWS Game 3
One final game between Florida and LSU will decide the 2023 national championship. The matchup is set for 7 p.m. ET.
Here are the starting lineups for both teams:
Florida
One last ride.
— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) June 26, 2023
Make it count.#GoGators pic.twitter.com/7MYwcQfNZC
LSU
71/71 pic.twitter.com/DZD4pjiftr
— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) June 26, 2023
Jac Caglianone to start Game 3 for Gators
Florida's two-way superstar Jac Caglianone is set to start at pitcher for the Gators in the winner-take-all Game 3 showdown of the Men's College World Series. Click or tap here for more from the Gators.
A title is on the line in Game 3 of MCWS finals 👀
2023 Men's College World Series champion will be decided with Game 3 between Florida and LSU at 7 p.m. ET Monday evening. You can watch the game on ESPN or stream on ESPN+.
Florida won Game 2 of the best-of-three series to stay alive Sunday afternoon in a rout 24-4. The Gators hit six home runs in a record-setting game to tie the series.
LSU won game 1 of the best-of three series 4-3 in an 11-inning thriller as Tigers starting pitcher Ty Floyd struck out 17 batters to set the MCWS finals single-game record.
📲 Click or tap for the interactive bracket
Both teams will look to win the title win one more win tonight. Stay here for updated information and official lineups ahead of Game 2's first pitch.
Florida routs LSU 24-4, forces MCWS finals Game 3
Florida handily won Game 2 of the Men’s College World Series finals to force a winner-take-all third game against LSU.
While the final score reads 24-4, the Gators didn’t start as dominant as they finished.
FINAL STATS: Florida's record-breaking win, by the numbers
After three, the Tigers led 3-1 looking to take home the title. Then Florida took the lead with a grand slam and never looked back. The Gators broke the record for the most runs in a MCWS game. They also beat the Tigers by the largest margin in MCWS finals history.
Ty Evans hit the grand slam in the third following up a solo homer in the second. Evans finished with three runs and five RBI. Joe Caglianone also finished with three runs and five RBI including two homers.
🍖 SUNDAY SALAMI 🍖#GoGators // 📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/kRjwrzphHz
— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) June 25, 2023
Wyatt Langford topped the Gators with six RBI. Langford also notched the second-longest homer in Omaha after setting the top record earlier this month.
These two teams will meet again Monday for the championship at 7 p.m. ET.
End 8: Florida 19, LSU 3
No player has hit more homers in a season in the BBCOR era than Jeffrey Allen Caglianone.#GoGators // 📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/16qZvRdQYP
— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) June 25, 2023
Florida is not done yet. The Gators' double-digit lead builds to 19-3, tying the record for the most runs in MCWS history (Fresno State scored 19 against Georgia in 2008).
First Tyler Shelnut and Ty Evans scored off Wyatt Langford’s double. Then Joe Caglianone launched a two-run homer, his second home run of the game.
The Gators are just one inning away from forcing Game 3.
End 7: Florida 15, LSU 3
The Gators' runs keep coming as Florida adds two more to lead 15-3.
Cade Kurland scored his second run off the game off a Wyatt Langford double, then Joe Caglianone advanced Langford home on a groundout RBI.
Nick Ficarrotta, on the mound for Florida, has pitched three scoreless innings allowing just one LSU hit retiring two batters.
End 6: Florida 13, LSU 3
JAC GOES BACK-2-BACK!#MCWS x 🎥 ESPN / @GatorsBB pic.twitter.com/UXBv52gDrq
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 25, 2023
Early in the sixth, the Gators hit back-to-back home runs.
Wyatt Langford notched his second homer of the game, putting three more on the board. That homer marked the second-longest in MCWS history. Joe Caglianone followed with one beyond the left-center wall.
Then the Gators made it a 10-run game as Josh Rivera scored off a Tyler Shelnut single.
End 4: Florida 8, LSU 3
Florida scored another run to extend the Gators' lead to five. Cade Kurland scored on a throwing error by LSU’s Jordan Thompson.
On defense, Florida held the Tigers scoreless for two straight innings. In both innings, the Gators completed two double plays.
Gators are in full control heading into the fifth looking to extend the MCWS finals to Game 3.
End 3: Florida 7, LSU 3
GRAND SLAM...GATORS LEAD!!#MCWS x 🎥 ESPN / @GatorsBB pic.twitter.com/DyU95bsqCj
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 25, 2023
Florida put up six runs in the top of the third, highlighted by a grand slam.
Ty Evans launched his second home run of the game. The first was solo — the second a grand slam.
The hit initially looked to be a foul ball, but instead it reached beyond the wall to the right of the foul poll.
Wyatt Langford scored the run to start the inning off a Josh Rivera RBI single.