OMAHA, Neb. — Jared Jones hit a line drive that glanced off an Arkansas fielder’s glove for the winning run moments after LSU got a big break to tie the game, and the Tigers posted a 6-5 walk-off victory over the rival Razorbacks on Wednesday night to advance to the best-of-three finals at the College World Series.
The Tigers (51-15) will play for their second national championship in three years — and eighth overall — when they square off against Coastal Carolina (56-11) in the championship series starting Saturday at Charles Schwab Field Omaha, the last two remaining of what was an eight-team field for the CWS just five days earlier.
The Chanticleers of the Sun Belt Conference, who are on a 26-game winning streak and were the No. 13 seed when this NCAA Division I baseball tournament began with a 64-team field last month, advanced to the title round in Omaha by routing unseeded Louisville of the Atlantic Coast Conference earlier Wednesday in the other double-elimination bracket final. This is only the second CWS appearance for the Chants, who won the title in 2016.
No. 3 national seed Arkansas (50-15) took a two-run lead in the top of the ninth on Justin Thomas’ tiebreaking single and looked ready to force a second game in the double-elimination bracket final against the No. 6 Tigers on Thursday. Instead, the Razorbacks’ season ended in heartbreak in Omaha again, this time against a fellow Southeastern Conference program that has their number in the eight-team event at Charles Schwab Field Omaha.
The Tigers beat Arkansas for the fourth time in five meetings this season, including 4-1 last Saturday in the CWS opener for both teams. They are 5-0 all-time in CWS meetings with the Razorbacks.
Still, it was quite a turnaround for Jones, who struck out five times in the Saturday matchup. In the past two games, he’s 5-for-9 with six RBIs and two homers, helping the Tigers beat UCLA 9-5 to reach the bracket final.
“I’ve spent so much time and effort in this sport throughout my life,” Jones said. “My parents have sacrificed so much to get me to this point. And my teammates, I was up sixth or seventh in the ninth inning, so there had to be a lot that had to go right for us to put me in that position. I’m just super grateful for it all and wouldn’t have it any other way.”
LSU put two men on base with one out in the bottom of the ninth against Cole Gibler. Steven Milam grounded to shortstop, and Wehiwa Aloy opted to get the lead runner at third rather than try for a game-ending double play.
“I talked to him about it,” Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said. “He felt he moved too far to his right to turn it.”
Luis Hernandez then came up and sent a hard liner to left field. Charles Davalan slipped as he broke for the ball, and it deflected off his right shoulder. Davalan chased the ball down as Ethan Frey and Milam scored easily.
“It was hit hard obviously, and it was hooking and sinking,” Van Horn said. “It looked like Charles slipped taking off for it, and when he took off, he lost sight of it.”
Jones, whose team-best 22nd home run of the season made it 3-all in the eighth, shot a line drive up the middle that bounced off second baseman Cam Kozeal’s glove, and Hernandez scored from second ahead of the throw home, setting off an LSU celebration in center field.
Tigers coach Jay Johnson said the moment was reminiscent of two years ago when Tommy White’s 11th-inning, walk-off homer against Wake Forest sent the team to the CWS finals against Florida.
“I said this literally probably two years ago to the day, the walk-off homer, Tommy against Wake Forest, I felt something in my body I’ve never felt before. Greatest moment in my life,” Johnson said. “It now has a tie for first, with the ninth inning with Jared Jones, line drive over the second baseman’s head. And Luis Hernandez, hustling around second base.”
Jacob Mayers (2-0), the fourth LSU pitcher, worked two-thirds of an inning for the win. Zac Cowan gave the Tigers a season-long 5 1/3 innings in his second start of the season and allowed one run on four hits. He struck out six batters without issuing a walk.
Gut-wrenching losses in Omaha are nothing new for Arkansas. The Razorbacks were one out away from winning the 2018 national championship in the second game of the finals against Oregon State. What should have been a game-ending pop foul dropped between three Arkansas fielders. Oregon State went on to win that game and the next to take the title.
This was Arkansas’ 12th CWS appearance and eighth under Van Horn, and the Razorbacks are tied with Clemson and North Carolina for second-most trips to Omaha without winning the title. Florida State is first at 24.