ERIC OLSON Sports Writer, Author at The Rapid City Post

LSU's Chase Shores pitches against Coastal Carolina in the seventh inning of Game 2 of the NCAA College World Series baseball finals in Omaha, Neb., Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)

National champion LSU Tigers pack punch offensively, but they hang hats on pitching under Johnson

June 23, 2025

During its rise as a national power in the 1990s, LSU built its identity on prodigious home run numbers. The Tigers still have plenty of offense, but pitching is the name of the game in the bayou nowadays. LSU’s pitching prowess was omnipresent in the College World Series as the Tigers won their second national championship in three years with a two-game sweep of Coastal Carolina in the finals. The Tigers posted a CWS-best 2.60 ERA over five games and opponents batted .205 and just .145 with runners in scoring position. Kade Anderson was selected Most Outstanding Player.

Coastal Carolina head coach Kevin Schnall, left, screams at the umpires after being ejected in the first inning against LSU in Game 2 of the NCAA College World Series baseball finals in Omaha, Neb., Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)

Coastal Carolina coach says CWS ejection was unwarranted and he was wrongly accused of bumping ump

June 22, 2025

Coastal Carolina coach Kevin Schnall was ejected along with first base coach Matt Schilling in the first inning of Game 2 of the College World Series finals. He said his ejection was unwarranted and that he was wrongly accused of bumping an umpire. Schnall went to the top steps of the dugout, gestured at plate umpire Angel Campos with three fingers and began shouting at him. When Schnall was arguing with Campos, one of the base umpires ran toward the confrontation and fell on his back.

LSU's Jared Jones, center, hoists the championship trophy with his teammates following their 5-3 win over Coastal Carolina in Game 2 of the NCAA College World Series baseball finals in Omaha, Neb., Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)

LSU sweeps Coastal Carolina in CWS finals for its 2nd national title in 3 years and 8th overall

June 22, 2025

LSU knocked previously unbeaten Coastal Carolina ace Jacob Morrison out of the game with a four-run fourth inning and the Tigers won their second national championship in three years with a 5-3 victory in the College World Series finals. The Tigers completed a two-game sweep of the Chanticleers, who entered the finals on a 26-game win streak and on Sunday saw coach Kevin Schnall and first base coach Matt Schilling ejected in the bottom of the first inning. LSU gave the Southeastern Conference its sixth straight national title in baseball and 11th in 16 years.

LSU starting pitcher Kade Anderson (32) throws against Coastal Carolina in the first inning of Game 1 of the NCAA College World Series baseball finals in Omaha, Neb., Saturday, June 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)

Anderson’s 3-hitter against Coastal Carolina in CWS finals opener puts LSU 1 win away from title

June 21, 2025

Kade Anderson pitched a three-hitter in his second straight dominant start, and LSU moved within a win of its second national championship in three years with a 1-0 victory over Coastal Carolina in Game 1 of the College World Series finals. The Chanticleers lost for the first time in 27 games and must win Sunday to force a third and deciding game Monday night. LSU made Steve Milam’s RBI single in the first inning stand up with Anderson getting stronger as the game progressed.

FILE - Coastal Carolina's Caden Bodine (17) celebrates hitting a solo home run during an NCAA super regional college baseball game against Auburn, Friday, June 6, 2025 in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Stew Milne, File)

LSU goes for 2nd national title in 3 years as it opens CWS finals against streaking Coastal Carolina

June 20, 2025

LSU and Coastal Carolina have met only two times previously as they enter the College World Series finals Saturday night. Those games back in 2016 have not been forgotten. Coastal Carolina swept the Tigers on their home field in super regionals on the way to their first national championship. The Chanticleers’ opponent in the CWS finals that year was Arizona. Jay Johnson, now at LSU, was Arizona’s coach. Coastal Carolina is on a 26-game win streak. LSU is going for its second national championship in three years.

Coastal Carolina all in on keeping baseball program a national power in new era of college sports

June 20, 2025

Though many athletic programs outside the power four conferences are expected to drop off competitively when scholarship limits are removed and revenue sharing begins July 1, College World Series finalist Coastal Carolina is committed to continue playing with the big boys in baseball. Rosters will be capped at 34 in Division I baseball going forward, and first-year athletic director Chance Miller told The Associated Press all 34 at Coastal Carolina will receive full scholarships and be in line for direct rev-share payments. Miller said he also believes the Chanticleers will be competitive for name, image and likeness opportunities.

FILE - Coastal Carolina coach Gary Gilmore participates in an interview during an NCAA regional baseball game against Vanderbilt on May 31, 2024, in Clemson, S.C. (AP Photo/Sean Rayford, File)

Coastal Carolina is in CWS finals, and retired coach Gary Gilmore is happy to watch from afar

June 19, 2025

Coastal Carolina has won 26 straight games and is in the finals of the College World Series. Gary Gilmore said he has had no second thoughts about retiring after last season even though the Chanticleers are on this sensational run. The 67-year-old Gilmore attended no Coastal Carolina games this season until the Chanticleers’ first two in the CWS last weekend. He sat in the stands at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha. He and his family will be back when the best-of-three finals against LSU start Saturday.

Arkansas’ Wood pitches third no-hitter in CWS history, gets 19 strikeouts against Murray State

June 16, 2025

Arkansas’ Gage Wood pitched the third no-hitter in College World Series history and first in 65 years, striking out a record 19 and never letting Murray State come close to getting a hit in the Razorbacks’ 3-0 victory. Wood joined Jim Ehrler of Texas in 1950 and Jim Wixson of Oklahoma State in 1960 as the only pitchers to throw CWS no-hitters. His defense was never really challenged as he dominated a Racers team that was making its first Omaha appearance. The junior right-hander set the CWS record for strikeouts in a nine-inning game.

FILE - Murray State pitcher Graham Kelham (41) celebrates with catcher Will Vierling (17) after a 9-6 win over Mississippi at an NCAA regional college baseball game, Friday, May 30, 2025, Oxford, Miss. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt, File)

Big offense and big hearts fuel Murray State Racers as their improbable CWS run is about to begin

June 13, 2025

The Murray State Racers are about to be embraced as the College World Series’ lovable underdogs by local fans looking to adopt a team for the week. Murray State merchandise already was selling fast among locals who are much more likely to identify the southwestern Kentucky school with basketball alums Ja Morant or Popeye Jones than with the upstart ballclub making its CWS debut. The Racers are the fourth No. 4 regional seed since 1999 to make it to the CWS. They play UCLA on Saturday.

FILE- Florida catcher Brody Donay (29) bats during an NCAA baseball game against Florida State in Gainesville, Fla., Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Gary McCullough, file)

Play ball! Things to know entering the NCAA baseball regionals

May 27, 2025

The NCAA baseball tournament opens Friday with play in 16 double-elimination regionals. Regional winners advance to best-of-three super regionals next week and the final eight go to the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, beginning June 13. The hottest team entering the regionals is Northeastern which has won 27 straight. Arizona State and Kentucky are the coldest with four straight losses each. The regional hosted by Mississippi appears toughest with Georgia Tech, Murray State and Western Kentucky joining the Rebels. About a dozen projected first-round picks in the MLB draft will be playing.

ERIC OLSON Sports Writer.