OMaha, Neb. — Jacob Morrison of Coastal Carolina showcased a masterful performance in the College World Series on Sunday night, leading the Chanticleers to a 6-2 triumph over Oregon State. The victory marked their 25th consecutive win, underscoring their dominance this season. Morrison was impressive on the mound, pitching 7 2/3 innings, which is his longest stint in over two months. Standing tall at 6-foot-8 and weighing 245 pounds, the right-hander impressively retired 16 consecutive batters during the middle innings. He concluded his night after allowing only five hits, walking none, and striking out seven.
Coastal Carolina’s coach, Kevin Schnall, praised the team, noting their exceptional play on such a prestigious stage. He emphasized the excellence of the players, particularly Morrison, who remains unbeaten. The Chanticleers famously fought through five elimination games to clinch the national championship during their College World Series debut in 2016. Since then, they haven’t returned to Omaha until now, and their impressive 2-0 start in this year’s series positions them advantageously within their bracket.
The Chanticleers, boasting an impressive 55-11 record, are on the verge of advancing to the best-of-three finals with another win expected on Wednesday. They will face off against either Louisville or Oregon State, who are set to battle in an elimination game on Tuesday. Morrison, maintaining a flawless 12-0 record, began his outing with a 3-0 lead credited to Oregon State’s early errors. During an unusual series of events, Caden Bodine advanced due to a throwing error, followed by a balk from pitcher Ethan Kleinschmit. This was compounded by other miscues, leading to a bases-clearing double by Colby Thorndyke.
The Beavers tried to rally when Easton Talt hit a homer in the third inning to tighten the score. However, Coastal Carolina capitalized on further errors and wild pitches, extending their lead to 6-1 by the fifth inning. Thorndyke, once again, contributed significantly by scoring after being hit by a pitch. Morrison’s brilliance continued as he set down 16 straight batters after allowing the homer, buoyed by strong defensive plays.
Oregon State entered the NCAA Tournament with an impressive national fielding ranking but has struggled with errors during the series. They committed two crucial errors in their recent game and suffered further mistakes that compounded their challenges. Despite a ninth-inning home run from Gavin Turley, the Beavers were unable to close the gap. Coastal Carolina called upon their closer, Ryan Lynch, to secure the final out, maintaining their unbeaten record when leading after six innings.
Reflecting on the game, Oregon State’s coach, Mitch Canham, highlighted the inability to overcome multiple errors, wild pitches, and walks. He emphasized the importance of minimizing mistakes and anticipated a sharper performance from his team in the upcoming game against Louisville. With Coastal Carolina riding high on momentum, they look set to continue their remarkable run in the College World Series.