Same old story: Razorbacks disappointed by Series failure

OMAHA, Neb. — In one of the most anticipated opening-round games in the rich history of the College World Series, LSU's star lived up to the hype while Arkansas' ace quickly lost control and gift-wrapped the Tigers a monumental victory.

Saturday night's showdown afforded little margin for error on either side as the two highest-seeded teams in the Series squared off with a pair of sensational southpaws on the mound.

An overflow crowd of 25,464 and an ESPN prime-time audience had barely settled into their seats when Arkansas ace Zach Root blinked.

In effect, the Hogs' fate was sealed. Perhaps the best team ever assembled by Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn was relegated to the loser's bracket, now facing long odds of bringing home a championship.

LSU star Kade Anderson was practically perfect while pitching into the eighth inning of the Tigers' 4-1 victory.

Root was left to ponder how it all slipped away so quickly on just 38 pitches -- on what was surely a sleepless Saturday night for the junior who'll likely be drafted in the late first or early second round.

Root's outing began well as he disposed of the first four LSU hitters, giving hope he'd win a third straight start in the NCAA Tournament.

Alas, Root imploded almost as quickly as the most loyal of Hog fans could say Arkansas and Van Horn still hasn't won a national championship.

Root issued a pair of walks, the first on four pitches. A perfectly placed bunt single loaded the bases and a looping line drive put the Tigers on the board. Root inexplicably hit the next batter, giving LSU a two-run lead.

A ground ball plated another run and the incredible excitement shared by Razorback rooters everywhere quickly turned to overwhelming disappointment for the next few hours.

Van Horn had seen enough, despite only one ball being hit hard by 10 LSU hitters. Root was frustrated but the failure was all his own doing even though only one ball in the three-run second left the infield.

Reliable Gabe Gaeckle replaced Root and struck out a career-high 10 Tigers while blanking LSU into the eighth inning on just three hits and a walk.

Gaeckle gave Arkansas a chance to win but Hog hitters simply couldn't solve Anderson's four-pitch mix dominated by his mid-90s fastball.

Anderson looked every bit the best pitcher in college baseball while giving up just three hits -- including a Reese Robinett homer in the sixth.

Anderson will hear his name called early in next month's pro draft, perhaps as early as the No. 2 pick.

"Our pitching was incredible," Van Horn said. "It boiled down to Anderson just didn't give us anything. He's 11-1 because he's really good."

"We'll be back in a few days," Gaeckle said. He didn't mean for Monday's 1 p.m. elimination game against Cinderella Murray State, one of the lowest seeds in the 64-team NCAA Tournament.

Gaeckle and the rest of the Hogs still have high hopes for a national title although the odds against that happening are staggering.

In the last 43 years of the College World Series, only four teams have lost their first game at the CWS and rebounded to win the national championship.

That's why LSU coach Jay Johnson told ESPN this prior to Saturday's first pitch: "I think it's one of the biggest games in the history of the first round of the College World Series."

Oregon State accomplished the rare feat twice, the last occurrence in 2018 when the Beavers beat Arkansas twice to win the title and make the Razorbacks a bridesmaid for the second time.

The Hogs were one out away from wearing the crown but failed to catch this foul pop down the right-field line that would have given Arkansas and Van Horn the national championship.

To get back to that best-of-three championship round as they did in 2018, Arkansas has to win on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

That's a tall order but these Razorbacks have enough pitching that it's possible, especially if the usually reliable offense puts up its usual 8 or 9 runs a game. Playing every day often helps warm up the bats for a really good team.

Unless Arkansas folds up like a cheap tent, a rematch is likely between the No. 3 Hogs and No. 6 LSU.

The Tigers play No. 15 UCLA at 6 p.m. Monday. If the Razorbacks beat Murray State, they'll face the LSU-UCLA loser on Tuesday at 6 p.m.

If Arkansas wins that one, they'd have to beat the winner of tomorrow's LSU-UCLA game twice -- on Wednesday and Thursday.

That would catapult the Hogs into the championship round against the winner of the other four-team bracket.

Not like to happen, but dreams at the College World Series don't end until a team loses twice.