OMAHA, Neb. — A first-inning run proved to be the difference as Coastal Carolina was edged 1-0 by LSU in Game One of the Men's College World Series Finals on Saturday night at Charles Schwab Field.
LSU's Steven Milam delivered an RBI single in the bottom of the first, scoring Derek Curiel from second, and that lone tally held up behind a masterful complete-game shutout from Tigers starter Kade Anderson (12-1), who scattered three hits while striking out 10.
The Chanticleers (56-12) lost for the first time in 27 games, spanning back to April 22, and must win Sunday (2:30 p.m. ET/ABC/ESPN+) to force a third and deciding game Monday night.
"If it was going to be easy, there would be more than one national champion," Head Coach
Kevin Schnall said. "We've got to regroup. We've won 26 in a row. Let's just call it is what it is -- the odds were not in our favor to go 28-0 and win this national championship."
The Chanticleers (56-12) were held off the board for the first time in 36 games, despite putting the tying run on base in five separate innings. Coastal left nine runners stranded overall and had their best chance in the third when
Caden Bodine was hit by a pitch and
Sebastian Alexander singled, but the Tigers worked out of the jam.
After he gave up LSU's early run, Coastal Carolina's
Cameron Flukey (8-2) matched zeroes with Anderson from the second to sixth inning. Flukey limited the Tigers to four hits, walked two and struck out nine before turning the ball over to
Dominick Carbone to start the seventh.
It marked the seventh game in MCWS history in which neither team scored a run after the first inning -- and the first time since aluminum bats were introduced in 1974.
Coastal Carolina won the championship in its first trip to Omaha in 2016 and is seeking to become the fifth school to win the title in each of its first two trips to the MCWS, but the first since Michigan in 1962.
Schnall reminded reporters that in 2016, Arizona left-hander JC Cloney threw a shutout in Game 1 of the finals and Coastal Carolina came back to win the next two.
"Again, we've got to respond, rebound, regroup," Schnall said. "We've got
Jacob Morrison pitching tomorrow. Answer the bell."
Notebook: Game One – MCWS Finals
- FLUKEY'S FIGHT: Cameron Flukey was electric despite the loss, logging 101 pitches over six innings and striking out nine LSU hitters. He held the Tigers to just one run on four hits, working out of a bases-loaded situation in the sixth.
- STRANDED OPPORTUNITIES: Coastal Carolina left nine runners on base and had at least one runner aboard in six of the nine innings. The Chanticleers had a runner in scoring position in the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 7th but couldn't convert.
- RARE SILENCE: The 1-0 defeat marked Coastal's first shutout since April 6, a span of 36 games. It was also the Chanticleers' first time being held under four runs in the NCAA Tournament.
- BODINE BOUNCED AROUND: Caden Bodine was hit by a pitch twice for the first time in his career and caught his 67th career complete game behind the plate. He also recorded 11 putouts.
- STRIKEOUT PARADE: Saturday's game featured 21 combined strikeouts—10 from Anderson and 11 from Coastal pitchers. LSU starter Kade Anderson threw 130 pitches in his complete game effort.
- UP NEXT: Game Two of the best-of-three series is set for Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET, with the Chanticleers needing a win to extend their season and force a decisive Game Three on Monday.
