Florida Gators Fall Short of Raising MCWS Crown, Drop Game 3 18-4 to LSU

The Florida Gators fall one game short of glory as LSU responds in game three of Men's College World Series to claim the 2023 championship crown.

© Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

Title No. 2 for Kevin O'Sullivan and Florida baseball has eluded them.

After convincingly forcing game three in the 2023 rendition of the Men's College World Series, the Florida Gators have fallen one game short of glory in an 18-4 bludgeoning at the hands of LSU.

Florida continued where it left off out of the gates on Sunday as the top of the order found success early against Tigers pitcher Thatcher Hurd. Leadoff batter Cade Kurland began the day with a single to left-center to put a runner on base for Gators star Wyatt Langford.

Langford, coming off a 5-for-5 outing at the plate a day prior, continued his hot streak and took advantage of the runner on first to send a two-run blast over the left outfield wall.

Everything was clicking for the Gators early. Then, it wasn't.

Just one day removed from setting the CWS record for runs in a championship series game, ending with 24 in a 20-run rout of the Tigers, the Gators failed to produce similar offensive production from that point as Hurd encapsulated the team-wide rebound from the Bayou Bengals' sluggish Sunday showing. 

LSU, on the other hand, produced an explosive second inning to kickstart the evening for Jay Johnson's squad, taking advantage of a sporadic Jac Caglianone and freshman Cade Fisher on the mound for Florida. The unit combined for six runs with both the top and the bottom of the lineup finding success.

Despite escaping the third unscathed, Florida's bullpen failed to provide the reinforcements Kevin O'Sullivan sought for the remainder of the bout. LSU tacked on four more runs in the fourth inning to build a comfortable 10-2 cushion.

They never came off that eight-run lead.

In the bottom of the seventh, Florida outfielder Ty Evans attempted to rally a comeback as he sent a solo shot off Riley Cooper over the right outfield wall to make it an 11-3 ballgame.

However, the Tigers' defense was able to return to the dugout one batter later, stymying any potential surge the Gators had left.

A triple by potential top pick in the upcoming MLB Draft, Dylan Crews, continued the Tigers' onslaught in the eighth. He was driven in by Tommy White, the other half of LSU's year-long dynamic duo, with a single to center. White and Tre' Morgan piled on with the team's 13th and 14th runs to put the game even further out of reach. 

Kurland hit a consolation home run from his leadoff spot in the bottom of the eighth for Florida to push the deficit back to within ten. 

It didn't last long as the Tigers produced a four-run ninth inning to blow open the contest, rivaling the 24-4 game two finish they were on the losing end of.

That 18-4 score held in the end, giving the LSU program its seventh national title in school history.

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