The 2023 College World Series has provided baseball fans with plenty of thrills. Eight of the 15 games have been decided by one run. Two more games were decided by two runs.
Sunday’s Game 2 between LSU and Florida was not one of the close ones. LSU took an early lead against a wild Hurston Waldrep, but then the Gator offense exploded, racking up a College World Series-record 24 runs and a finals-record six home runs while tying the hits record with 23 and winning by the largest margin in CWS history, 20 runs.
But the Tigers still have life. They won the first game of the best-of-three finals 4-3 in 11 innings, which counts the same as their 24-4 loss Sunday in Game 2.
LSU will be looking to win its seventh title and first since 2009. Florida will look to pick up its second title in program history after it beat LSU in 2017.
MORE: Watch the College World Series live with Fubo (free trial)
This year’s finals series has provided plenty of star power. Wyatt Langford nearly hit for the cycle in Game 2 and Jac Caglianone launched two homers to give him the NCAA Division I home run crown in 2023. Dylan Crews has reached base in each game, and Tommy White hit a game-tying homer in Game 1 to keep the Tigers’ hopes alive.
In Monday’s winner-take-all matchup, the stars will be back out — possibly with the addition of one of the biggest stars the College World Series has seen. After Sunday, LSU coach Jay Johnson was noncommittal about whether generational ace Paul Skenes would be available to pitch on three days’ rest against the Gators. At the least, he will not be starting. His availability would give the Tigers’ title hopes a mammoth boost.
MORE: Why Paul Skenes isn’t starting vs. Florida
Monday’s clash between the two teams will feature LSU’s Thatcher Hurd facing off against Caglianone.
The Sporting News will be tracking live scores and highlights throughout Monday’s game. Follow along for updates from LSU vs. Florida in the College World Series.
MORE: Who is Thatcher Hurd?
LSU vs. Florida baseball score
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | F | |
LSU | 0 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | – | – |
Florida | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | – | – |
College World Series live updates, highlights from Game 3
(All times Eastern)
10:12 p.m. End bottom eighth: Riopelle bounces out to second. LSU is just three outs away from winning a seventh national championship.
10:11 p.m.: Rivera reaches on a throwing error by Thompson.
10:10 p.m.: Caglianone strikes out swinging for the second out in the eighth.
10:08 p.m.: Langford pops out in foul territory to Dugas in what is all but certain to be his final collegiate AB.
10:07 p.m. Florida scoring play: Long way to go, but the Gators have now scored in back-to-back innings since Hurd left. Kurland homers to right to make it a 10-run game. LSU still leads 14-4.
10:05 p.m.: Gavin Guidry replacing Cooper on the mound to start the bottom of the eighth.
10:03 p.m. End top eighth: Beloso bounces out to second to put the LSU scoring threat to an end.
10:03 p.m.: Great play by Rivera to field a hard-hit ball in the hole and make a strong throw to first, but the umpire says Heyman was just off the bag, and Travinski reaches first.
10 p.m.: Pearson is hit by a pitch, and Travinski will bat with runners on first and second and two away.
10 p.m. LSU scoring play: Thompson hits a hard liner to left, but it’s right to Shelnut. It’s plenty deep enough for Morgan to score and add to the Tiger advantage. LSU extends its lead to 14-3.
9:58 p.m. LSU scoring play: The Gators can’t quite turn the double play on a slow roller from Jobert. Dugas is out at second, but White scores with Morgan and Jobert on the corners. LSU extends its lead to 13-3.
9:57 p.m.: Dugas walks to load the bases for Jobert.
9:55 p.m.: Maybe Crews will get another at-bat after all. Double play no longer on the table as a wild pitch moves both runners up a base into scoring position.
9:54 p.m.: Three straight hits for the Tigers as Morgan pulls it past the defense to the right side.
9:53 p.m. LSU scoring play: Stop if you’ve heard this before: White RBI, Crews run scored. White lines a single into center to drive in his teammate and make it a nine-run game again. LSU extends its lead to 12-3.
9:52 p.m.: Crews puts the wheels on display as he races around to third with a triple to the right-center gap as he’s looking to get the Tigers that run back.
9:51 p.m.: Dylan Crews stepping up to the plate for what is likely his final at-bat as a collegiate player before he heads to the MLB draft.
9:49 p.m. End of seventh: Halter hits a grounder into the shift, and Thompson throws him out for the final out of the seventh.
9:48 p.m.: Shelnut gives one a ride, but this one dies short of the warning track and is caught by Crews in center.
9:47 p.m. Florida scoring play: Another home run for Ty Evans, who now sets the record for the most home runs in a single College World Series in history with his fifth. LSU still leads 11-3.
9:46 p.m.: Heyman hits a hard liner but right at Crews.
9:45 p.m.: Riley Cooper comes in to replace Hurd. The Tigers couldn’t ask for much more out of their sophomore hurler, who allowed only two hits to the first two batters he faced with two walks, two runs allowed and seven strikeouts.
9:43 p.m. End top seventh: The Tigers will have to settle for just the one run as Beloso lines out to short.
9:42 p.m. LSU scoring play: Purnell comes out of the bullpen and walks in a run by issuing a free pass to Travinski. That is the seventh walk of the game by Gator pitching. LSU extends its lead to 11-2.
9:38 p.m.: That walk will end the night for Nesbitt, bringing in Blake Purnell.
9:37 p.m.: Pearson walks to load the bases for the Tigers.
9:35 p.m.: Back-to-back punchouts as Thompson chases a breaking ball down for Nesbitt’s fourth strikeout. Two away.
9:34 p.m.: Jobert goes down swinging at a slider for Nesbitt’s third punchout and the first out of the inning.
9:32 p.m.: Nesbitt uncorks a wild pitch, and Morgan and Dugas each move up a base.
9:32 p.m.: Dugas lays off a pitch inside for ball four, and the Tigers have runners on first and second with no one out.
9:29 p.m.: Morgan hits a high fly ball to shallow left, but it drops between the left fielder, third baseman and shortstop just inside the line. He reaches with a single ahead of Dugas.
9:26 p.m. End of sixth: Riopelle hits it hard, but it’s another flyout. Gators scoreless for the fifth straight inning after taking an early 2-0 lead in the first.
9:25 p.m.: A walk to Rivera gives the Gators a two-out baserunner. Hurd is up to 88 pitches.
9:23 p.m: Caglianone strikes out swinging at a breaking ball in the dirt, and Hurd is up to seven strikeouts. He’s rolling through six innings.
9:21 p.m.: For the first time since Game 1, Langford has made an out. And it’s still a line drive, but it’s just right at Thompson.
9:18 p.m. End top sixth: The pattern of runs every even inning for the Tigers comes to an end, as White pops out to center to strand a pair in the top of the sixth.
9:16 p.m.: The LSU offense is cruising again as Crews lines a single into left. Back-to-back two-out singles for the Tigers.
9:15 p.m.: Beloso’s on base for the fourth time tonight as he cranks a single into right, his second hit of the night.
9:14 p.m: Make it two straight strikeouts for Nesbitt as he catches Travinski looking at a perfectly spotted sinker down and away.
9:13 p.m.: Nesbitt gets Pearson chasing at a low sinker for the first out of the frame.
9:10 p.m. End of fifth: Back-to-back punchouts for Hurd, who sets the Gators down one-two-three as he catches Kurland looking at a breaker.
9:08 p.m.: Hurd continues his roll as he gets Halter swinging at a breaking ball below the zone.
9:07 p.m.: From the batter’s box to the field, Thompson’s number is called right away as he has to make a catch in shallow left on a popup from Shelnut.
9:04 p.m. End top fifth: Thompson just gets under one, and Langford cuts in to make the grab as LSU strands a pair.
9:02 p.m.: A slow roller and a wide throw by Halter initially looked problematic, but Heyman makes the catch and slaps the tag on Jobert to record the second out. Two runners in scoring position now.
9:01 p.m.: Dugas is hit by a pitch, and Jobert, who is 3-for-3, will bat with runners on first and second.
9 p.m.: Morgan hits a line drive to left, but right at Shelnut.
9 p.m.: And don’t look now, but Skenes has made his way to the dugout.
One loud walk to the pen.#MCWS x 🎥 ESPN / @LSUbaseball pic.twitter.com/R1UpYMNPyr
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 27, 2023
8:59 p.m.: You don’t see that every day. White smokes a line drive right at the second base umpire for a single. That one came off the bat at 113.2 mph.
8:57 p.m. End of fourth: Evans pops out to White in foul territory, and Hurd gets the Gators in order.
8:55 p.m.: Heyman flies out to center for the second out.
8:53 p.m.: Riopelle hits it on the screws, but it’s right at Thompson in the shift in shallow right.
8:52 p.m.: Travinski is, indeed, in behind the plate, replacing Milazzo.
8:50 p.m. End top fourth: The four-run inning finally comes to a close as Crews grounds out to short to end the top of the fourth.
8:49 p.m.: Milazzo is helped off the field. Hayden Travinski has started to suit up in the dugout, and appears to be set to replace him behind the plate next inning.
8:47 p.m. LSU scoring play: Beloso laces a single into right on a 3-2 pitch, and Milazzo aggressively tries to race around the bases. He makes it in just ahead of the throw, which went past the catcher, but he landed awkwardly, bringing the training staff out to look at him. LSU extends its lead to 10-2.
8:43 p.m.: That’ll do it for Slater. Tyler Nesbitt is coming in to pitch.
8:42 p.m.: The Tiger offense is roaring again as Milazzo singles through the right side, reaching base for the third time today.
8:41 p.m. LSU scoring play: The rout is on in Omaha. Pearson blasts a two-run home run over the right-field wall to give the Tigers a touchdown lead over the Gators. LSU extends its lead to 9-2.
Josh Pearson piercing the night!#MCWS x 🎥 ESPN / @LSUbaseball pic.twitter.com/A3H6Tf9Zk8
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 27, 2023
8:39 p.m. LSU scoring play: Thompson hits a hard grounder to third that takes a huge hop over his head and into left to score Jobert. Thompsons moves up to second on the throw to keep a runner in scoring position for Pearson. LSU extends its lead to 7-2.
8:37 p.m.: Jobert rips a 2-2 pitch down the right-field line and races up to second for a double with two away.
8:36 p.m.: Dugas pops out to Heyman in foul territory for the second out.
8:34 p.m.: Slater is clearly having some issues pushing off that back leg. He tried to deliver a pitch to Dugas, but had to pause mid-delivery. He’s now being looked at by the trainers and will throw some warmup pitches to see if he can stay on the mound.
8:33 p.m.: Morgan hits a comebacker to the mound that deflects off Slater and right to Heyman at first, who fields the ball and steps on the bag to make the out.
8:29 p.m. End of third: Rivera is caught looking at a fastball right down the heart of the plate to strand Caglianone and Langford on first and second.
8:26 p.m.: Caglianone is plunked on the elbow, and Rivera will now bat with runners on first and second.
8:25 p.m.: Langford takes a four-pitch walk to bring up Caglianone, who launched a pair of home runs in last night’s win.
8:23 p.m.: Crews makes a leaping grab at the wall on a fly ball from Halter to tally the first out of the inning. Crews is then called on right away to charge all the way in to shallow right-center to catch a popout from Kurland.
This is why Dylan Crews is a Golden Spikes Award winner 🤯
📺 ESPN | #MCWS pic.twitter.com/PXzq7Pqnca
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 27, 2023
8:20 p.m.: Jay Johnson just said Skenes will “probably be in the game at some point.”
8:19 p.m. End top third: After a nine-pitch at-bat, White finally grounds out to shortstop as Slater gets out of the inning without any runs scored.
8:12 p.m.: Fisher’s night is over, and Ryan Slater is coming in for the righty-righty matchup.
8:11 p.m.: Crews strokes a base hit into right for a single. Milazzo holds at second, but another big opportunity for White and the middle of the Tiger order.
8:10 p.m.: Breaking ball down and away gets Beloso chasing for the second out. Crews now coming up to bat.
8:09 p.m.: Milazzo draws the free pass, the second time he’s reached base out of the No. 9 spot tonight. Beloso up to bat.
8:07 p.m.: One pitch, one out as Pearson pops out into foul ground to Halter. That’s just what Fisher needed after throwing 20 pitches in the top of the second.
8:04 p.m. End of second: Great bounceback inning from Hurd, finishing the Gators by catching Tyler Shelnut looking. After allowing two runs in the first, he posts a shutdown frame in the second with a pair of punchouts and a popout to the shortstop.
8:03 p.m.: Ty Evans pops out to shallow left, with Thompson backing up into the outfield grass to make the catch.
8 p.m.: Hurd bounces back after falling behind 2-0 to Heyman to get him swinging at three straight strikes to set him down for the first out.
7:58 p.m. End top second: Florida, at long last, gets out of the inning as Thompson flies out to center.
7:56 p.m.: Jobert rips a hard line drive into right, but White is held up at third. Bases are now loaded with two outs for Thompson, who had the first RBI of this inning.
7:55 p.m. LSU scoring play: The Tigers keep pouring it on this inning. Dugas rolls another single through the left side to drive home Crews and push the LSU lead up to four runs in the top of the second. LSU extends its lead to 6-2.
7:53 p.m. LSU scoring play: Tack on another as Morgan flies out to center, but scores Beloso and moves Crews up to third. LSU extends its lead to 5-2.
7:52 p.m. LSU scoring play: White drives in a run with a single through the left side to drive in Milazzo. Everyone else goes station to station. LSU extends its lead to 4-2.
7:46 p.m. LSU scoring play: That’s ball four to Crews and another free RBI. Caglianone has thrown strikes just 50 percent of the time, and it appears his evening is done. Kevin O’Sullivan is bringing in Cade Fisher to get out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam with Tommy White batting. LSU takes a 3-2 lead.
7:44 p.m. LSU scoring play: Beloso is hit by a pitch for a second time to bring in a run, this time on the left wrist. LSU ties the game at 2-2.
7:42 p.m.: Milazzo, the No. 9 hitter, draws the full-count walk to load the bases for Beloso.
7:39 p.m.: Luke Heyman fields a tough bouncer and fires it over to second to get Thompson, but the Gators can’t turn two. Milazzo now up with runners on the corners and one away.
7:37 p.m. LSU scoring play: Thompson slashes a single into left to score Dugas and put the Tigers on the scoreboard. Still no one out for Josh Pearson. Florida still leads 2-1.
Tigers on the board!#MCWS x 🎥 ESPN / @LSUbaseball pic.twitter.com/lLl8N1Wkl8
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 26, 2023
7:36 p.m.: Jobert laces a single off the third baseman’s glove to move Dugas up to third and put runners on the corners for Jordan Thompson. Big at-bat coming up with no one out.
7:34 p.m.: A wild pitch moves Dugas up to to second.
7:33 p.m.: Another leadoff baserunner for the Tigers as Josh Dugas walks on three pitches — with a pitch-timer violation on Caglianone. Brayden Jobert up to bat with a runner on first.
7:30 p.m. End of first: BT Riopelle flies out to center to end the inning.
7:28 p.m.: The call on the field is confirmed. Rivera is out.
7:25 p.m.: Josh Rivera hits a slow roller back to Hurd, but the flip to first pulls Morgan off the bag and he’s unable to hang on to the throw. However, it appears the homeplate umpire is signaling that Rivera was out of the basepaths, and thus should be called out. Florida is challenging the play.
7:23 p.m.: Hurd picks up the first out of the inning, fanning Caglianone on a 95 mph heater.
7:22 p.m. Florida scoring play: Langford continues his red-hot College World Series, blasting a 401-foot homer to left. There was no doubt about that one. Florida takes a 2-0 lead.
WYATT LANGFORD OUT HERE CRUSHING IT!!#MCWS x 🎥 ESPN / @GatorsBB pic.twitter.com/VnDDDnxTIs
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 26, 2023
7:20 p.m.: Kurland gets a great jump on a ball in the dirt and manages to beat the throw from Alex Milazzo to second. Langford continues his AB with a runner on second now.
7:18 p.m.: Cade Kurland starts off the bottom half of the first by lining a base hit into center.
7:14 p.m. End top first: Tre’ Morgan cuts and misses at a 99 mph heater way up and in for the final out. Caglianone bounces back from the leadoff hit by pitch to get Crews to fly out and strike out a pair to keep the Tigers off the board. That’s the first time in the finals LSU hasn’t scored in the first inning.
7:12 p.m.: A 99 mph fastball gets Tommy White swinging for the second out.
7:11 p.m.: Crews puts a charge into one to right that kept carrying, but eventually died on the warning track and was caught by Ty Evans in right.
7:09 p.m.: Caglianone’s first pitch hits Beloso, and the Tigers immediately put a baserunner on to start the game.
6:54 p.m.: Here’s the starting order for Florida, with Caglianone on the bump and DHing for the Gators.
One last ride.
Make it count.#GoGators pic.twitter.com/7MYwcQfNZC
— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) June 26, 2023
6:23 p.m.: Bit of a change in LSU’s lineup today. Instead of Dylan Crews leading off, hot-hitting Cade Beloso has been moved to the leadoff spot.
71/71 pic.twitter.com/DZD4pjiftr
— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) June 26, 2023
How to watch 2023 College World Series finals Game 3
- Start time: 7 p.m. ET
- TV channel: ESPN
- Live stream: ESPN+, Fubo
ESPN will conclude its coverage of the 2023 College World Series with the deciding game of the finals. Viewers can find the games on ESPN, ESPN+ or on Fubo, which offers a free trial.
Karl Ravech will be calling the play-by-play of the game, while Eduardo Perez and Ben McDonald will be providing analysis. Dani Wexelman will be reporting from the field and dugouts.
College World Series schedule 2023
It all comes down to Monday. LSU won an extra-inning battle in Game 1. Florida brought the bats out for a Game 2 beatdown. The winner of Monday’s game will win the title.
Saturday, June 24: College World Series finals Game 1
Result |
---|
LSU 4, Florida 3 (11 inn.) |
Sunday, June 25: College World Series finals Game 2
Result |
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Florida 24, LSU 4 |
Monday, June 27: College World Series finals Game 3
Game | Time (ET) | Channel |
---|---|---|
LSU vs. Florida | 7 p.m. | ESPN, Fubo |