LSU Favored vs. Coastal Carolina in CWS Finals 2025

Baseball

The 2025 College World Series championship finals is the ultimate David vs. Goliath matchup. A Cinderella story would also apply. The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers of the Sun Belt Conference will face the mighty LSU Tigers of the powerful SEC in the best-of-three championship finals. Although they are the lightly regarded underdog, Coastal Carolina won the 2016 College World Series in its first and only appearance. This year, Coastal Carolina won the Sun Belt Conference title. Meanwhile, LSU has won seven CWS titles, with the most recent in 2023. This is the 20^th CWS appearance for the Bayou Bengals. Based on its status as an SEC mega brand and its history of glory, LSU opened as the favorite to beat Coastal Carolina in the CWS championship finals.

2025 College World Series

Championship Finals

Coastal Carolina Chanticleers vs. LSU Tigers

The 13-seed Coastal Carolina Chanticleers will face the 6-seed LSU Tigers in the best-of-three College World Series final championship series. Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, NE, is the venue. Game 1 is scheduled for Saturday, June 21, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. ET. Game 2 is scheduled for Sunday, June 22, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. ET. And Game 3, if necessary, is scheduled for Monday, June 23, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Prime Odds to Win 2025 College World Series: LSU Tigers -190 vs. Coastal Carolina +155

Coastal Carolina Chanticleers – Team Overview

Colby Thorndyke went 3-for-4 and drove in five runs, including three in a decisive first inning, as Coastal Carolina continued to cruise with its 11-3 win over Louisville on Wednesday at the Men’s College World Series in Omaha, Neb.

Thorndyke’s bases-clearing double was part of a huge opening inning for the Chanticleers (3-0), capping a five-run explosion before Louisville could even record an out. The Chanticleers built a 6-0 lead by the end of the inning and never looked back.

Coastal Carolina is led by senior LF Sebastian Alexander, who has produced 59 runs, 12 doubles, 10 home runs, 54 runs batted in, and a .948 OPS. Junior C Caden Bodine has 55 runs, 18 doubles, five home runs, 41 runs batted in, and a .932 OPS. Junior 2B Blake Barthol adds 55 runs, 13 doubles, 12 home runs, 51 runs batted in with a .881 OPS. Ryan Lynch has nine saves with a 0.56 earned run average.

LSU Tigers – Team Overview

Jared Jones played the hero twice and the scapegoat once in the final two innings Wednesday as the junior first baseman’s walk-off single propelled No. 6 LSU to a 6-5 win over No. 3 Arkansas and into the finals of the Men’s College World Series.

The three-run bottom of the ninth for the Tigers (51-15), after Arkansas (50-15) scored twice in the top of the frame, means LSU advanced to the series’ best-of-three final against No. 13 Coastal Carolina, which will start Saturday.

It looked as if the Razorbacks would force a winner-take-all game Thursday between the two schools after Justin Thomas Jr.’s two-run single in the top of the ninth gave the Hogs a 5-3 lead. Cole Gibler (3-2) started the bottom of the ninth, getting a strikeout, but Derek Curiel reached on an infield single, and Ethan Frey walked.

Aiden Jimenez then came on to pitch against Jones, who homered in the eighth to tie the game at 3. On a 2-1 count, he hit a line drive up the middle that glanced off the outstretched glove of second baseman Cam Kozeal to start the celebration for the Tigers.

Junior 1B Jared Jones leads LSU with 65 runs, 15 doubles, 22 home runs, and 76 runs batted in with a 1.052 OPS. Junior DH Ethan Frey adds 43 runs,14 doubles, 13 home runs, and 49 runs batted in with an OPS of 1.075. Junior 2B Daniel Dickinson brings 66 runs, 14 doubles, 12 home runs, 49 runs batted in with a .976t OPS. Casan Evans has seven waves with a 2.05 ERA.

Coastal Carolina Chanticleers vs. LSU Tigers Prime Free Picks

Coastal Carolina is getting a good price and fears nobody. LSU is too expensive due to the casual money it generates based on name recognition. The masses give Coastal Carolina no chance, thus making the Chants a Wise Guy play.