2023 COLLEGE WORLD SERIES
LSU one loss from disaster, one win from glory as Florida dismantle the Tigers
After a thrilling extra inning game one, Florida upped the ante by handing LSU a humiliating destruction forcing a decisive game three in Omaha.
The first game of the College World Series final was a corker, with the Tigers needing once again to rely on a walk-off home run in extra innings to seal the deal. But Florida were not as punch-drunk as the Tigers would have hoped, steaming back in game two to hand LSU a humiliating 24-4 loss that was historic.
The Tigers took an early lead when a grand slam by Ty Evans put the Gators up 7-3. LSU may have been within reach of the Gators, if only at fingertip length, but from the fourth inning onward Florida opened up a floodgate, tagging shot after shot and just marching their players around the base paths.
The Gators dismantled the Tigers completely and in doing so the set several College World Series records. The 24 runs scored by Florida are the most ever in a CWS final game, their six home runs were the most ever in a CWS final game, and the 20-point margin of their win was the widest ever in a CWS final game.
By the way, that home run record? It is the most ever hit in a single game by both teams. The fact that all six were on the same side of the scorebook speaks volumes about just how thoroughly the Tigers were undone.
These two teams have a long history of this kind of battle. The Florida Gators have won the national championship only once in their history. In 2017, they swept the LSU Tigers to pick up their first and only NCAA title.
After game one, it looked as if the Gators had a steep hill to climb, clawing their way back from the brink of a bitter defeat. But with game two’s bombardment, Florida has shown that they are nowhere near the edge, preferring instead to bring the attack to the enemy.
The LSU Tigers on the other hand will need to shake this loss off in a big way if they are to win what would be their seventh national title in program history.
The question on everyone’s lips is whether Paul Skenes will appear in Game 3 on short rest. Just to be clear, he will definitely put himself forward for the job. The question is whether or not Jay Johnson will use him. There are those who would argue that Skenes could go perhaps two or three innings on three days rest, but with a first overall draft pick on the line, it is possible that cooler heads will prevail.
One thing is certain, Skenes or no, this is a do or die situation for both of these ball clubs. The winner is the national champion and the loser will wonder what might have been.