We're down to the College World Series finals, where the LSU Tigers will take on the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers in a 3-game championship series.
LSU comes into the final series of the season as a -190 favorite to take the title from Omaha to Baton Rouge. Coastal Carolina, meanwhile, sits at +155 to pull off the upset.
Let's dive into my College World Series picks and NCAA baseball predictions for the CWS finals that begin on Saturday, June 21.
College World Series Picks for LSU vs Coastal Carolina
The College World Series has delivered this June, providing fans with a heaping helping of drama, and we’re not done yet.
Arkansas, the favorite heading into Omaha, rebounded from an opening loss to LSU and seemed destined to do something special. Gage Wood tossed a no-hitter in the Razorbacks' second game, striking out 19 Murray State Racers in the process.
Then, the Razorbacks' lineup came alive and drove in seven runs during a sweat-free win over UCLA. That set the stage for a rematch with LSU.
Arkansas’ pursuit of its first World Series title had been well-documented, and when it scored two runs in the top of the ninth to grab a 5-3 lead over LSU, it appeared it was primed to get over the hump. But then Dave Van Horn’s team came unglued in the bottom of the ninth when left fielder Charles Davalan misplayed the would-be final out.
Davalan’s gaffe allowed two Tigers to score, and Jared Jones drove in the game-winning run just minutes later. Arkansas was left in tears, and LSU once again appeared to be a team of destiny.
But awaiting the Bayou Bengals is a club that has won 26 straight games.
To be clear, the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers aren’t some cute underdog story. This is a dominant baseball program with a national title trophy from 2016 proudly displayed in its facility. First-year head coach Kevin Schnall was the Chants' first All-American, playing catcher, back in 1999. He bleeds teal and has his team expecting — not wanting — to win.
While LSU has the starting pitching, stoppers out of the pen and an electric lineup to win this thing, Coastal can counter-punch with arguably the best pitching staff in the sport.
Coastal’s 3.20 ERA is the second-lowest in the country, and it hasn’t wilted under the pressure of postseason baseball.
During Regionals, the Chants shut out East Carolina on their home diamond. Then, they traveled to Auburn for the Super Regional and silenced the Tigers’ bats in the close-out game, 4-1.
Schnall has pulled all the right levers in Omaha, relying on ace Jacob Morrison once while piecing together two other wins by deftly taping his bullpen against Arizona and Louisville.
Will Coastal’s magic run continue against a 51-win team out of the SEC, or can Jay Johnson capture his second national title in three years?
I admire what Schnall and the Chants have accomplished this season, and I foresee them securing one win in the finals, thanks to their pitching staff.
But Coastal doesn’t have enough arrows in its quiver from an offensive perspective. It’s so rare for a team outside of the top 100 in slugging (.447, 132nd) to make it this far, let alone win a national title.
The equalizer for this issue is that the weather report is ideal for Coastal in the first two games. Strong winds (15-20 MPH, 35 MPH gusts) will be pushing in from center and right field during the first two games on Saturday and Sunday.
The Bayou Bengals have pounded 103 home runs this season and gone yard in back-to-back games in Omaha. But given the weather conditions, small ball is the way to go this weekend, and that favors Coastal.
If this series goes to the third and final game, I have faith in LSU's Zac Cowan, who moved from reliever to season-saving ace.
Johnson handed the righty the ball against Arkansas on Wednesday, and he delivered with 5 1/3 innings of masterful pitching. He struck out six Hogs and scattered four hits while allowing just one earned run.
Riley Eikhoff would likely get the start for the Chanticleers in a Game 3 scenario. The veteran righty has given up six extra-base hits in his past two starts against Arizona and Louisville.
He’ll likely be on a short leash given the stakes, and I have more faith in LSU’s relentless lineup getting the best of Coastal’s pen if it has to use lesser arms as inning eaters.
Pick: LSU to Win Series 2-1 (+255)
