In an exciting game at the College World Series, Louisville made an impressive comeback to eliminate Arizona with an 8-3 victory. The Cardinals, now 41-23 on the season, rallied during a six-run eighth inning to secure their place in another elimination game against Oregon State, following a previous defeat by Coastal Carolina. Arizona, on the other hand, added another loss to their CWS record, marking six consecutive losses over their last three appearances since 2016.
Initially trailing 3-1, Louisville struggled to capitalize on scoring chances in the early innings. Coach Dan McDonnell provided some stern words of motivation, which seemed to ignite a fire in the team. “They’re going to know when I’m not happy,” McDonnell explained, expressing his frustration with their earlier performance.
The breakthrough came in the seventh inning when Lucas Moore’s sacrifice fly narrowed the gap. However, it was the eighth inning that proved decisive. Arizona’s star pitcher Tony Pluta succumbed to pressure, allowing Louisville’s Tague Davis to load the bases, setting the stage for Zion Rose. Rose delivered a clutch two-run single, shifting the momentum in favor of the Cardinals with a 4-3 lead. The onslaught continued as Kamau Neighbors added another RBI, and further errors from Arizona allowed Louisville to pull away.
Arizona coach Chip Hale expressed his disappointment at the outcome. “It’s not the way you want it to end,” Hale admitted, reflecting on the team’s defensive lapses. “We played as hard as we could. We just didn’t play fundamentally sound baseball today.”
Tucker Biven closed the game for Louisville, pitching the final four innings and ensuring Arizona did not threaten a comeback. Louisville’s record now stands undefeated when leading after the eighth inning, continuing an impressive trend since 2019.
Adonys Guzman offered a bright spot for Arizona with his second homer of the NCAA Tournament, adding to the Wildcats’ early lead. Meanwhile, freshman pitcher Smith Bailey provided a strong effort through six innings, demonstrating his potential for future success.
Reflecting on the loss, Bailey expressed determination to return stronger next year. “I’m going to take from this experience to be a leader for our team next year,” he said, aiming for better results in future tournaments.
The Cardinals and Wildcats had met once earlier in the season, with Louisville securing a dominant 13-1 victory in February. Following the victory, McDonnell praised Arizona for their resilient season. “Congratulate Arizona on a great year,” he remarked, recognizing their tough journey to the CWS.