The Arkansas Razorbacks suffered one of the most gutwrenching losses you will ever see in any sport on Wednesday night in their 2025 College World Series matchup against the LSU Tigers.
First, the Razorbacks turned down the opportunity for what could have been a game-ending double play, instead going for a force out at third base. However, Arkansas still led 5-3 in the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs and two runners on base.
That’s when an even bigger disaster struck. LSU’s Luis Hernandez lined one to left field and Arkansas outfielder Charles Davalan misplayed the ball, seeing it bounce off of him to allow the tying runs to score. Jared Jones then drove in Hernandez to win the game and advance to the National Championship against Coastal Carolina.
After the game, ESPN college baseball analyst Kyle Peterson talked with Scott Van Pelt on the late night SportsCenter and tried to put into words what he just saw. And while saying it would be a game and a broadcast he would never forget, it was clear that his heart went out to the Razorbacks players.
“They’ve had some classics, whether it’s here or in the regular season or at Hoover in the SEC Tournament. There’s games that you won’t forget for a variety of reasons. I will never forget this one. Your heart goes out to Arkansas. We don’t care who wins. I don’t care. I just want good games,” Peterson said. “And you want things that we can break down and that people find are interesting. But when it causes heartache, and it’s going to, and it’s going to continue to do it, those are teh tough ones to watch with college kids. I thought that Arkansas’ reaction to Davalan, they all ran out there to left field. I don’t know if you could see it… it was an incredible night, man. I feel for the Arkansas kids and it’s kind of LSU being LSU.”
These kind of losses always sting more when you see it happen to college kids who may never have an opportunity at the next level. And that’s especially true for an Arkansas baseball program that seems to be snakebitten over the years. This loss will go down as Arkansas’ seventh second or third place finish at the College World Series with no titles to show for it.
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