For the second time in the 2025 College World Series and the 5th time this season, the LSU Tigers and Arkansas Razorbacks would meet on Wednesday night in the semifinal round. LSU needed a single win to advance to play Coastal Carolina in the Championship series. Arkansas needed a win to keep the season alive to force a deciding game three between the Razorbacks and Tigers on Thursday night. The tension between the two created an unreal baseball environment on Wednesday night, as two fans chomping at the bit in a rivalry as old as the dirt they play on added another chapter to the book.

With LSU and Arkansas both using a fair amount of pitching throughout the College World Series to this point, the starting pitching might look a bit different this go around. Coach Van Horn decided to go with Landon Beidelschies as the starter for the Razorbacks, as Coach Jay Johnson opted for Zac Cowan as the starter for LSU. Weirdly enough, the first five and a half innings were a pitcher dual, and Cowan and Beidelschies went toe for toe until Cowan got pulled in the fifth after giving up a single Razorbacks run. Cowan finished his day by allowing four hits and one run while striking out six. Beidelschies delivered Arkansas with five complete innings, allowing three hits and two runs while striking out nine LSU batters. From there, it would come down to the bullpen, as the Razorbacks and Tigers would rely on their arms to deliver a victory.

Arkansas would jump out to an early 1-0 lead off the bat of Ryder Helfrick, who sent a solo shot to the right field bleachers to give the Razorbacks the early lead over LSU. LSU would add two runs to the board in the bottom of the 6th inning to take a late game 2-1 lead over Arkansas heading into the 7th inning. Arkansas would take a one-run lead in the 8th with a two-run inning before Jared Jones tied the game with a solo shot once again for LSU in the bottom of the 8th. Arkansas would then take a two-run lead in the top half of the 9th before a few blundering fielding errors that cost Arkansas the game as the Tigers walked it off with a three-run bottom of the 9th to send LSU back to the National Championship series.

Coming into this College World Series, there was a feeling that if Arkansas were to win a National Championship, it would have to be this year. However, once again, the Razorbacks came up short, as the Tigers did everything necessary to win the game.

There’s just something about LSU in the postseason that resonates with the college baseball soul; some people call it Voodoo, but those who know it’s LSU baseball at its best. You can never count out the Tigers when it comes to postseason baseball.

All things considered, as heartbreaking as it was for Arkansas, Wednesday night was an instant classic that will last for generations to come.

LSU will now face Coastal Carolina starting on Saturday night in a best-of-three series for another National Championship, marking the second time in three years.

Photo Credits- LSU Baseball on X