Louisville’s CWS run ends after 11-3 loss to Coastal Carolina

Louisville (42-24) fell behind 6-0 in the first inning, and never recovered as the Cardinals took an 11-3 loss to #13 seed Coastal Carolina (56-11).

The loss ends Louisville’s run in the College World Series, matching their best finish in program history from 2019 by getting to the national semifinals. Coastal Carolina now holds a 26-game win streak, and will vie for a second national championship against either LSU or Arkansas this weekend.

Coastal Carolina ambushed Louisville early, scoring six runs in the bottom of the first inning. Caden Bodine got things started with a leadoff single, then back-to-back HBPs from Collin Hartman loaded the bases. Walker Mitchell’s two-RBI single put the first runs on the board, and after another walk loaded the bases again, Jake Schweitzer entered the game to replace Hartman. Colby Thorndyke cleared the bases with an RBI double to push the Chanticleers lead to 5-0, with Ty Dooley adding an RBI single to bookend Coastal’s scoring run.

Dean Mihos added an RBI double in the bottom of the fifth to push Coastal Carolina’s lead to 8-0.

Louisville finally got on the board in the top of the sixth inning, with Tague Davis, Garret Pike, and Kamau Neighbors all tabbing RBI base hits. But Coastal answered with two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning, coming on a RBI single from Blake Barthol and a bases-loaded HBP. Thorndyke added another RBI, coming on a single in the top of the eighth inning.

Colby Thorndyke led the Chanticleers with a stellar 3-for-4 showing, adding a double and five RBIs to his stat line. Walker Mitchell went 1-for-2 with two RBIs and two walks, with Caden Bodine going 2-for-5 at the plate.

Kamau Neighbors (2-for-2, BB, RBI) and Garret Pike (2-for-3, RBI) led Louisville as their only players with a multi-hit game. Neighbors finishes a CWS run that saw him bat 8-for-13 with four RBIs in four games played.