Former Blythewood High School head coach Banks Faulkner, left, with Ty Dooley 
Former Blythewood High School head coach Banks Faulkner, right, with Zac Cowan
OMAHA – The national championship battle in the College World Series in Omaha, Neb. between the Coastal Carolina and LSU baseball teams played out in less than 24 hours last weekend. When it was in the books, LSU won their eighth national championship with a best-of-three series sweep of the Chanticleers, who made their second CWS appearance after winning the national championship in 2016.
“It was awesome for sure, just kind of seeing it all come together the way it did,” LSU pitcher and 2022 Blythewood High School graduate Zac Cowan said. “Both games were really great, winning the way we did and having the performances we did. The guys stepped up in big spots. The celebration is hard to put into words. I just tried to take it in and appreciate it.”
LSU pitcher Kade Anderson pitched a complete-game 3-hitter in a 1-0 victory over the Chanticleers in game 1 Saturday night. Anderson walked five but struck out 10, and Steven Milam went 2-for-3 with the game winning RBI in the first inning.
On Sunday afternoon Coastal took an early blow when umpire Angel Campos ejected both head coach Kevin Schnall and first-base coach Matt Schilling after Schnall went out to argue balls and strikes, alleging that the plate umpire missed three straight pitches. Campos immediately ejected Schnall, and when Schilling confronted the umpire about the ruling, was also promptly ejected.
The afternoon for Coastal got a brief lift when the Chants took a 1-0 lead on Dean Mihos’ 2-out solo home run to leftfield in the bottom of the second inning.
LSU picked up a run on Ethan Frey’s 2-out RBI double to leftfield, but the Tigers took a 5-1 lead in the fourth inning when they scored four runs on four hits, a walk, and a hit batter.
Coastal cut the lead to 5-3 in the seventh inning when junior shortstop and 2021 Blythewood High School graduate Ty Dooley got on base after being hit by a pitch, and former Lexington High standout Wells Sykes homered with nobody out. After that score the Chants made three straight outs to end the inning.
Chase Shores, pitching in relief of winning pitcher Anthony Eyanson, pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings to preserve the win.
Amid the celebration, Cowan did manage to find his way to find his former teammate, Dooley, and share an emotional moment with him.
“I gave him a hug and I talked to him,” He said. “It was tough on their side of things.”
LSU and Coastal Carolina reached the final series in quick fashion.
The Tigers beat Arkansas 3-1 June 14, UCLA 9-5 June 16, and eliminated Arkansas in dramatic fashion to reach the final series. LSU trailed 5-3 going into the bottom of the 9th inning June 18, but Luis Hernandez’ double with runners at first and second base tied the game 5-5. Jared Jones’ bloop single into shallow right field was good enough to score Hernandez from second and clinch the win.
Cowan got the start for that game, working 5 1/3 innings and giving up an earned run while scattering four hits. He struck out six and walked none.
“I threw well,” Cowan said. “It was good to get out there for sure, and get the team off to a good start. The way that it ended was a good representation of how the season went for us. We were tough and our team was resilient.”
The Chanticleers beat Arizona 7-4 June 13 and Oregon State 6-2 June 15 to set up the final game in the bracket with Louisville June 18. Coastal scored six run in the first inning and never looked back, winning 11-3.
The Tigers flew back to Baton Rouge Monday and met a small crowd of supporters at the Baton Rouge Metropolitan airport.
“It was a good welcome home,” Cowan said Tuesday. “A lot of
fans were there. Today we have a team meeting and we’re getting all our stuff
together, and tomorrow we have a celebration to go to.”
For both Dooley and Cowan, the college baseball season ends but the Major
League Baseball Draft July 13-14 is fast approaching.
Cowan finished the season with a 2.94 earned-run average with 60 strikeouts through 52 innings. He said for now he’s weighing his options, but he seems firm on sticking around with the Tigers for another year.
“I definitely see myself coming back to LSU,” he said. “I’m looking at the draft now, and we’ll see where I am over the next couple of weeks.”
