College World Series Day 3: Biggest Winners and Toughest Losses in Omaha

On Day 3 of the 2024 College World Series, Coastal Carolina became the first team to secure a spot in the semifinals. The Chanticleers achieved a 6-2 victory over Oregon State, thanks to a strong performance from Jacob Morrison.

In another matchup, Louisville kept their hopes alive with an 8-3 win against Arizona. The game was tighter than the score suggests, as the Cardinals rallied for six runs in the eighth inning after trailing 3-2.

Louisville is set to face Oregon State in an elimination game on June 17 at 2 p.m. ET. The winner will move on to the semifinals and will need to defeat Coastal Carolina twice to advance further.

Here are the highlights from Day 3 at Charles Schwab Field:

WINNERS

Small ball

Day 3 in Omaha saw three home runs: one from Arizona and two from Oregon State, both of which ended up losing.

Louisville, the victor of the first game, managed only one extra-base hit, a double. Coastal Carolina, the winner of the second game, recorded two doubles. The Chanticleers executed two sacrifice bunts, while Louisville had one sacrifice and a successful bunt hit. The Cardinals also stole three bases and capitalized on errors.

Mid-majors

In contrast to basketball, where mid-major teams frequently reach the Final Four or even clinch championships, mid-majors have found it increasingly challenging to excel in the College World Series.

Before Coastal Carolina’s current run, the last mid-major to reach the semifinals in Omaha was also the Chanticleers in 2016, when they claimed the national title. Prior to that, Fresno State and San Diego made it in 2008, with Fresno State winning the national championship.

Paul Skenes

Currently playing in MLB, Paul Skenes, whose previous team is not in action, managed to grab some attention on Day 3. Initially, reports surfaced that Skenes, the ex-LSU pitcher and 2023 College World Series Most Outstanding Player, would be present at the Tigers’ winners bracket game on June 16. Following that, an ESPN broadcast graphic drew a comparison between Coastal Carolina pitcher Jacob Morrison and Skenes. The graphic indicated that both pitchers had the highest number of starts with six or more innings pitched while allowing one or fewer runs over the past five seasons.

Morrison delivered an impressive performance, pitching 7⅔ innings and allowing just one run against Oregon State.

LOSERS

Defense

In the pitcher-friendly environment of Charles Schwab Field, any defensive blunder is significantly amplified. Both Oregon State and Arizona experienced this harsh reality.

The Wildcats made two errors, resulting in four unearned runs during a six-run eighth inning for Louisville. This included a throwing error by the shortstop on a straightforward play and a mishap where the pitcher dropped the ball during a rundown at home plate.

The Beavers also surrendered four unearned runs due to two separate errors: one that allowed Caden Bodine to get on base to start the game, and another when Bodine hit what should have been an inning-ending double play in the fourth, but the second baseman mishandled the ball, leading to one run, followed by another run scoring on a wild pitch.

Hot mics

During the College World Series, umpires are equipped with microphones. This enhances the clarity of calls, but several players were caught off guard by the mics being on, as they were heard loudly expressing frustration with expletives after unsuccessful at-bats.

The (former) Pac-12

The league that was once called the Pac-12 has made headlines by sending three teams to Omaha, now representing two different conferences and one independent team, a feat that the original Pac-12 hadn’t achieved in many years.

However, one of those teams, Arizona, has already been knocked out, and Oregon State is on the brink of elimination after losing to Coastal Carolina. Meanwhile, UCLA is still in the winner’s bracket, but they will be facing a tough challenge as they are considered significant underdogs against LSU.