The LSU Tigers are bringing yet another trophy back to Baton Rouge. With a 5-3 victory over Coastal Carolina in Game 2 of the Men’s College World Series finals on Sunday night, the Tigers completed a two-game sweep to capture their eighth national title—cementing their legacy as one of college baseball’s powerhouse programs.
But the win didn’t come without drama. The game got off to a chaotic start as Coastal Carolina head coach Kevin Schnall and first base coach Matt Schilling were ejected in the bottom of the first inning after disputing a ball-strike call with home plate umpire Angel Campos. Schnall was seen gesturing with three fingers and shouting from the dugout after LSU’s Walker Mitchell took a borderline pitch with two outs and Sebastian Alexander standing on second. Campos issued a warning for arguing balls and strikes, and when Schnall persisted—eventually stepping onto the field to continue the dispute—he was tossed, along with Schilling.
“I didn’t bump anyone. I was wrongly accused,” Schnall said postgame, maintaining that the ejection was unjustified. The NCAA later confirmed the ejection was for continued arguing after a warning, not for physical contact.
Despite the early turmoil, Coastal struck first. The Chanticleers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning, briefly quieting the partisan LSU crowd at Charles Schwab Field. But the Tigers responded with authority.
In the bottom of the fourth, LSU’s offense erupted. A string of timely hits, including a clutch RBI double from Michael Braswell and a two-run single by Jared Jones, capped a four-run inning that broke a 1-1 tie and gave the Tigers a commanding 5-1 lead.
Coastal Carolina’s ace Luke Morrison, who had been dominant all season, was chased after just 3⅔ innings, surrendering five runs—his worst outing of the year. The Tigers, who entered the night hitting .350 with runners in scoring position in Omaha according to ESPN Research, continued that trend in the championship clincher.
On the mound for LSU, Anthony Eyanson was lights-out through six innings, allowing just one run before surrendering a two-run homer in the seventh that cut the lead to 5-3. From there, sophomore closer Chase Shores slammed the door, retiring the final six batters to secure the championship.
“This team was resilient all year, and they showed it again tonight,” said LSU head coach Jay Johnson. “To win another title, in this environment, with this pressure—it’s just special.”
For LSU, the win adds another golden chapter to a storied program history. The Tigers now trail only USC in total College World Series titles and have captured two in the last three years.
Meanwhile, Coastal Carolina’s magical postseason run ends in heartbreak. The 2016 champions were making their second-ever trip to the CWS finals but will have to wait another year to try and add to their trophy case.
As the Tigers celebrated with a dogpile on the infield and fireworks lit up the Omaha sky, one thing was clear: college baseball still runs through Baton Rouge.
