June 29, 2018

Last night, on June 28, the Oregon State University (OSU) Beavers defeated the University of Arkansas Razorbacks 5-0 to win a thrilling College World Series. OSU won the best-of-three series two games to one for its third baseball national title. After a hard-fought series filled with future Major League Baseball stars, the final out in the ninth inning seemed as much a relief as a celebration as the Beavers collapsed in a joyous “dogpile” behind the pitcher’s mound at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska.

Oregon State ballplayers pose with the NCAA national championship trophy and their mascot, Benny Beaver, after defeating the Arkansas Razorbacks in the College World Series on June 28, 2018. Credit: © Peter Aiken, Getty Images

The College World Series (CWS) is the culmination of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Baseball Championship tournament. The tournament begins with 64 teams, but only the final 8 advance to the CWS. (World Series is a trademark of Major League Baseball licensed to the NCAA). Arkansas won the west division of the Southeastern Conference and rolled through the early parts of the tournament to reach the tense CWS bracket. The Razorbacks then knocked off Texas, Texas Tech, and defending champion Florida to reach the finals. Oregon State finished second in the Pacific-12 Conference before battling their way to the CWS. OSU lost its first game to North Carolina, but the team rebounded from the loser’s bracket to beat Washington, take revenge on North Carolina, and down Mississippi State in the semifinals.

NCAA 2018 Men’s College World Series logo. Credit: © NCAA

In game one of the CWS Finals, Arkansas starter Blaine Knight gave up a single run through seven tough innings before a decidedly pro-Razorback crowd in Omaha. OSU pushed its run across in the second and was poised to do more damage in the bottom of the fourth, but a controversial interference call negated a second run, killed a rally, and proved the turning point in the game. Immediately after, in the top of the fifth, Arkansas erupted for four runs against OSU starter Luke Heimlich. With baseball karma fully behind Arkansas, the innings ticked away as OSU line drives found Razorback gloves and close calls went against the Beavers. The 4-1 Arkansas win thrilled the boisterous Omahog fans (Razorback—Hog—fans in Omaha) chanting the wooo pig sooie hog call.

In an epic game two, Arkansas struck first with a tally in the second, but OSU responded with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings. A two-run bottom of the fifth gave the Razorbacks a precarious 3-2 lead, but Arkansas relievers kept the stout Beaver lineup in check through to the ninth inning. With the Omahogs roaring in the stands, lefty closer Matt Cronin brought Arkansas to within one out of the championship. OSU and its outnumbered Beaver fans refused to give in, however, and shortstop Cadyn Grenier stepped to the plate with the tying run at third and the season resting on his shoulders. It all appeared over as Grenier popped a lazy foul down the right field line. In a moment of karma reversal, however, the ball fell to the ground between three incredulous Arkansas fielders. Reprieved, Grenier stung a base hit to tie the game. Power-hitting outfielder Trevor Larnach then drilled a laser-beam homer to right for a stadium-silencing 5-3 OSU lead and the win.

Oregon State’s momentum continued in the deciding game three as the Beavers scored two runs in the bottom of the first. Lone runs in the third and fifth gave OSU freshman starter Kevin Abel a 4-0 advantage, which was more than he needed. In the bottom of the eighth, a fifth Beaver run only confirmed what had already been decided. Abel retired the 27th and final out on a grounder to short, completing the game for a mitt-tossing party. Abel struck out 10 batters in his 9 innings and surrendered just 2 Razorback hits.

The CWS win was Oregon State’s third. The team’s previous titles came in 2006 and 2007. Arkansas has yet to win the baseball title, but it was the team’s second trip to the CWS Finals. The Razorbacks lost the 1979 championship to Cal State Fullerton. The CWS has been held in Omaha, Nebraska—a central and generally neutral location—since 1950. The series was played at historic Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium—once the largest minor league stadium in the United States—through 2010. TD Ameritrade Park has hosted the CWS since it opened in 2011.