Juliette Eckler
As the 75th College World Series begins in Omaha for another year of wonders, we are getting a good idea of what’s at the plate. Here’s a look at how each team has shaped out so far.
Game 1:
Arizona: The Wildcats probably weren’t envisioning facing elimination after returning to the CWS for the first time since 2021, but a hard-fought effort versus Coastal Carolina came with no surprises. Arizona’s struggles came at the plate, as Coastal’s top pitchers Riley Eikhoff and Cameron Flukey held them to just 9 of 33 overall hitting. The Wildcats are a tough squad, they’ve faced adversity throughout the season, especially in their super regional matchup to North Carolina. If the bats can be more active in their elimination game, they can keep their CWS hopes alive.
Coastal Carolina: The Chanticleers were my pick to win bracket one, and they are certainly living up to that standard. With five batters finishing with two or more hits, the depth on their lineup shows they can be a real threat. Their pitching and top tier defense led the way. They’ll have a tough challenge against Oregon State, who’s offense can light it up, but their defense plays similar to what it was Friday, they can move comfortably through their side of the bracket.
Game 2:
Louisville: The Cardinals had their backs against the wall entering the top of the ninth down 3-1, but they crawled their way back in with some key’s errors from Oregon State’s usually on point defense. Even though the walk off win from the Beaver’s was the key moment for the loss, other factors during the game could have played a part. With looming shadows on Charles Schwab Field and elite pitching from Dax Whittney, The Cards only hit .250 on the evening. A heartbreaking lose right when you think you can force extra innings could be a mental battle to get over, but if Louisville can hit more efficiently to support their beaten-up bullpen led by freshman Patrick Forbes, they should be able to bounce back.
Oregon State: When The Beavers needed them the most, shortstop Aiva Arquette and left fielder Gavin Turley came up clutch. While the Beavers are normally dominate offensively, they found themselves struggling with defensive errors near the end of the game, which could have cost them if Louisville would have pulled off the comeback. It is only their first game, so while I doubt these same issues happen again, Oregon State can’t allow mistakes to happen when they face a hot Coastal Carolina team, who has won 24 straight.
Game 3:
Murray State: The first timers didn’t look like the pressure got to them, but a defeat isn’t ideal to help their chances at taking it all. Center fielder Jonathan Hogart had a great day from the plate going 3 for 5, but he’s going to need help from the rest of the lineup for Murray State to compete in the tough bracket two. If the Racers can get off to a better start, they would have a higher chance of winning against Arkansas.
UCLA: Last time the Bruins were in Omaha, they took the 2013 crown, and now with a win to start 2025, they could do so again. UCLA was able to hold things down defensively, which was key against a team like Murray State, who is known for punishing teams who make mistakes. The Bruins did make six chances at the mound, so it’ll be important to notice how well their bullpen recovers for the next game. The offense had great flashes, mostly from left fielder Dean West and second baseman Phoenix Call. With a little bit more offense and the same top tier defense, the Bruins main concern is how to take down LSU, which could be their biggest challenge yet.
Game 4:
Arkansas: A rough day for the offense and an early lead for LSU led to the Razorback’s first loss in Omaha. Arkansas wasn’t able to respond to the early Tiger’s lead in the top of second, as they weren’t able to put runners in scoring positions. The Razorbacks bullpen was not bad by all means, Gabe Gaeckle’s 10 strikeouts were much needed after a tough start from Zach Root, but Arkansas will need their lineup to step up and support their pitchers as they face elimination.
LSU: Pitching and defense was the key in victory for LSU, as Kade Anderson showed why he’s one of the top prospects going into the 2025 MLB Draft. The offense got off to a hot start but cooled down near the end. The Tigers left eight runners on base and wouldn’t score until the top of the eighth to add on. LSU looks like a tough team to beat out of bracket two, but adding more runs on the board will be needed if they run into a hot offense.
Written by Juliette Eckler
