Omaha, Neb. has brought nothing but joy and celebration to the entire state of Louisiana. LSU nation, spanning coast to coast, north to south and all points in between, is still in the throes of complete and utter jubilation after the Tigers captured their eighth baseball national championship; the second in just three years.
OMAHA: LSU’s HOME OFF THE BAYOU
So you must be wondering why on Earth I would attach Omaha to the blues. I know it’s called Geauxmaha and Alex Box North for good reason. The Tigers set up camp there for the 20th time in the last 40 years at the College World Series. The most of any program in the country over that time span. The Tigers have four Nattys this century. Again, no one can match that. Those eight crowns are only exceeded by USC’s 12 titles, but the Trojans won mostly in the 1960s and ‘70s, when college baseball was far less competitive compared to today’s game.
The Tigers’ golden age began with Skip Bertman, who won five national titles from 1991 to 2000. Paul Maneri put one trophy in the case in 2009, and now Jay Johnson has quickly carved out his place in LSU history, becoming the fastest coach ever to win two championships (2023 and 2025) with a new team.
And Johnson doesn’t appear to be slowing down, either, as he commands unarguably the very best college baseball program in the nation. It will only get stronger, no matter what Arkansas, Tennessee, Texas, UCLA or Oregon says or does. There’s little doubt that any elite prospect who’s the best at their position is Callin’ Baton Rouge or area code 225 is popping up on his cell phone.
BITTERSWEET BLUES
This recent CWS had a high dosage of blues, even though it was nowhere near the Purple and Gold. It wasn’t all champagne and Jello Shots. Yes, the home team won again, and deservedly so. But when there is a winner, a loser is close by.
It’s been a few weeks since the Tigers scorched Schwab Field with a ton of strikeouts, some dazzling defense and humongous timely hits. LSU fans excelled, as well, at what they do best by flocking to Rocco’s and laying claim to the Jello Shot title … again.
With all that jiggly Jello being consumed there and everywhere, surely that softened up the hearts of LSU fans, allowing a tinge of empathy to creep in and a tip of the cap for what Arkansas and Coastal Carolina endured and suffered through that weekend in late June?
The Razorbacks and Chanticleers not only had an uphill battle against the behemoth of Omaha, but Arkansas, was inflicted with a mystery case of “what just happened?” (again), while Coastal Carolina was felled by a lethal dose of umpire ego.
THE HOGS COLLAPSE-DÉJÀ VU ALL OVER AGAIN
Anyone except perhaps the Tinman from Oz had to feel something in their heart after Arkansas freshman leftfielder Charlie Davalan stumbled as he was about to snag a two-out liner to left from Tigers catcher Luis Hernandez that would have ended the game. As Davalan was slipping to the turf, the ball ricocheted off his shoulder, allowing two runs to score and tie the game at 5-all.
Vegas would lay heavy odds in favor that Davalan would catch 95 out of 100 balls hit with the same trajectory and to that spot in left field.
The Davalan disaster could have been avoided minutes earlier if the Hogs’ star shortstop Wehiwa Aloy would have started an obvious double play with one out in the top of that fateful ninth inning. With LSU runners on first and second, Aloy fielded a clean grounder and inexplicably threw to third for the force out instead of making what appeared to be an easy throw to second to start a potential game-ending double play.
Aloy, a Golden Spikes winner, SEC Player of the Year and a top five MLB draft pick, didn’t flinch or hesitate on his decision and throw to third. But the look on his face afterwards showed what he and everyone knew. Those two mishaps led to Jared Jones’ walk off RBI hit, and the Hogs were cooked.
I know you were on the edge of your seats, purple and gold veins about the burst in the ninth inning, but you had to feel something for the downtrodden R’Backs, right? I’m not afraid to admit it. I felt downright sad and mystified for Davalan and Aloy. I didn’t want Arkansas to force a second elimination game, but what happened was another example of how cruel and heartless baseball can be. Especially to those folks in Razorback red.
Remember in 2018, two outs and two strikes on the batter in the ninth? Arkansas and veteran head coach Dave Van Horn were poised to win their first-ever national championship, but a routine foul ball somehow fell to the turf with three Hogs standing by. I recall nearly falling off the couch again, shouting “What just happened?” Why didn’t just one Arkansas player lift a glove and catch the ball?
Game over. No big trophy going to Fayetteville.
Instead, the proverbial snowball got rolling, and Oregon State rallied for a most unexplainable and unexpected victory and national championship.
You had to feel something in your gut seeing Davalan in tears as the Tigers engulfed Jones in celebration.
Something? Anything? Not even a shake of your head?
At that point, I thought, “Tom Hanks be damned.” This time there is crying in baseball.
I just happened to be vacationing in northern Arkansas a few weeks ago, and the locals still in a funk referred to their beloved team as the Heartbreak Hogs.
COASTAL CAROLINA’S CAROUSEL OF EJECTIONS
Then it was Coastal Carolina’s turn.
The favored Tigers were fresh off a white-knuckle 1-0 game one win in the best-of-three series. Game two was barely underway in the first inning when Coastal Carolina head coach Kevin Schnall gave home plate ump Angel Campos an earful about his calls, three in particular, that the coach thought were balls. There was a Campos warning about arguing balls and strikes. Schnall didn’t clearly hear the warning and came out of the dugout for an explanation. Campos then inexplicably (there’s that word again) tossed Schnall out of the national championship game, one inning in.
It didn’t end there, as another ump tripped on Campos’ feet and fell to the ground while Schnall was now fully enraged. The second ump jumped up, clearly embarrassed over his trip and fall, then raised two fingers, blaming Schnall for bumping him to the ground. Coach got a two-game suspension. And to make this hot mess even worse, Coastal first base coach Matt Schilling was also ejected for also arguing balls and strikes. All this, and you’re only halfway through your first beer.
I’m not a baseball purist by any stretch, but when the strike zone seems to bounce around more than a Shakira dance routine, why can’t coaches ”offer opinions” on balls and strikes?
This may be a one-sided and biased recollection of the ejection events that day (I’ll admit I do like Coastal Carolina as a lovable underdog, and they have the coolest name in college sports). Schnall and Schilling were not without some guilt, but nevertheless Campos and his mates have to swallow the whistle in this situation, keep the rule book in the back pocket, slow their roll and check the ego.
Schnall had the best quote all season in college baseball after the game. “I shouldn’t be held accountable for a grown man’s athleticism.” (An obvious jab at the ump tumbling to the turf). And then, reminiscent of Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy’s famous tirade ‘I’m a man, I’m 40,” Schnall picked it up from there, referring to Campos’ actions.
“I’m 48 years old. I shouldn’t get shooed by another grown man. So when I come out to ask what the warning is, a grown man shooed me.”
ESPN baseball commentator Kyle Peterson in the booth calling the game said it best … ”If you want to go straight by the rule, then okay, but you never go straight by the rules.” He was referring to this specific situation of arguing balls and strikes early in a national championship series.
Pretty simple in my mind. Read the room. Be more aware of the situation and what’s at stake along with the percolating emotions. Campos has a history of seeking the spotlight with quick ejections, both in the college game and his former gig in the Major Leagues. Probably why he is no longer in the show.
Coastal Carolina, from the little Sun Belt conference, was now expected to battle mighty LSU, from the dominate SEC, in an elimination game, without their head coach and top assistant.
LSU fans had to know the magnitude of what happened, and I would think a vast majority agreed with the rest of the country and muttered under their breath … ’What just happened?” You won’t lose your Bayou Bengal lifelong allegiance card by feeling a smidge of sympathy and saying the Chanticleers got the shaft.
NO SHADE, JUST PERSPECTIVE
The Tigers got their eighth national title. LSU is king of the hill in college baseball again. Jay Johnson will get a salary hike. He is using his second crown in three years to sign pretty much any prep or transfer player he wants, no matter the zip code. The program could be poised to make another dynasty run like Bertman did in the 1990s, when the Tigers won those five championships over that decade.
LSU capitalized on opponents’ miscues, and they endured their own. The Tigers’ talent triumphed in the end, but it left a trail of tears and heartbreak. The quirky whims of baseball will do that. It exalts and it devastates.
I’m not trying to throw shade on LSU’s summer of celebration, by any means. The chest thumping and parades are well deserved. Maybe I’m getting soft and too kindhearted by wanting to give those heartbroken Hogs and wronged Roosters a big old hug.
They deserve at least that after what happened in Omaha.
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