Florida Gators thrashed LSU baseball with a record win of 24-4 at the 2023 College World Series, in Game 2 of the CWS final on Sunday.
The LSU Tigers started the game with an early 3-1 lead through two innings. But Florida (54-16) took off after that, scoring 23 unanswered runs to end the game in a record win.
Florida’s 24 runs were the most runs any team has ever scored in a single game at the College World Series. They also ended up one short of the record for the largest margin of victory
“We did exactly what we said we were going to do: Flush last night and come in today ready to play,” Florida outfielder Wyatt Langford said. “The balls were falling for us today. And that’s just kind of how it went.”
The LSU who failed miserably in all three phases of the game, committed five errors and allowed eight unearned runs.
Both teams will play the final game of the Men’s College World Series on Monday night, with the winner taking the national championship.
“Obviously, we can’t take any of these runs into tomorrow,” Gators coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “We’ll have to reset, reboot. But awfully proud of the way they responded from last night’s tough loss.”
For LSU, coach Jay Johnson said he and his players must quickly forget Sunday’s event.
“So we’re going to stick to how we prepare and roll it out tomorrow and give it everything we have,” Johnson said. “One game for the national championship. I think Coach O’Sullivan probably feels great about his team, as he should with the players they have.
“I feel great with my team, with the players we have.”
The Florida Gator’s 24 runs broke Notre Dame’s 1957 CWS record, set in a 23-2 win over Northern Colorado. The 20-run win over the Tigers ranks second to that game for the largest margin and represents the largest margin of victory in an MCWS finals game.
The Gators haven’t scored as many runs since a 28-5 win over Winthrop on March 3, 2019.
The LSU Tigers too hadn’t given up as many runs in any of its 245 previous NCAA tournament games or in any game since a 28-2 loss to Alabama in 1997.
