The 2023 College World Series has been jam-packed with action. The tournament carries a unique double-elimination format, with teams having to lose twice to say goodbye to Omaha.
We're less than a week away from the CWS finals, and teams are beginning to drop like flies. The tournament started with eight teams, and following Tuesday's double-header, we will have our final four.
Let's take a closer look at the latest scores, eliminated teams and glance at the College World Series semifinals.
Wake Forest outlasts LSU 3-2
Wake Forest has been the #1 team in the country for large swathes of the season and came into the 2023 College World Series as the favorite to win the title. It hasn't always been pretty for the Demon Deacons, but they continue to prevail.
Wake Forest and LSU went toe-to-toe in a pitcher's duel on Monday, with Wake's Josh Hartle striking out nine and limiting the Tigers' offense to two runs. LSU's Ty Floyd was not to be outdone, striking out ten and keeping the Demon Deacon offense to two runs.
An eighth-inning run put Wake Forest on top for the 3-2 win. Wake Forest now awaits the winner of Tuesday night's contest between the Tennessee Volunteers and LSU Tigers, which could set the Tigers up for a revenge game.
Tennessee come back to eliminate Stanford 6-4
Stanford raced to a 4-0 lead in the third inning before the Volunteers rallied to tie it up with four runs in the fifth. Tennessee, though, put the game away with two runs in the seventh inning, the final margin of victory.
This game will be known as the Chase Burns game, as the Volunteers handed the ball over to Burns in the fourth inning. He was lights out, shutting down the Cardinal's offense for the next six innings, striking out nine and limiting Stanford to just two hits.
Eliminated teams
The Volunteers eliminated Stanford on Monday night. It was a nice run for the Cardinal, and they certainly had their chances. Stanford was neck-and-neck with tournament favorites Wake Forest in the opener, eventually succumbing to the Demon Deacons 3-2.
Stanford had Tennessee right where they wanted, jumping out 4-0. Eventually, the Volunteers' pitching and clutch hitting overwhelmed Stanford, but the Cardinal should head back to Palo Alto with their heads held high.
Virginia lost their CWS opener to the Florida Gators in heartbreaking fashion, as the Gators stormed back with a three-run ninth inning, snatching a win from the Cavaliers.
Virginia lost another one-run game to TCU 4-3. The Horned Frogs were the better team on Sunday, but the Cavaliers were never out of the game. Virginia is another team that heads home thinking about what might have been.
Quick look at CWS semifinals
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons and Florida Gators are two teams that have made it through the College World Series unscathed. Wake Forest and Florida have reached the semifiinals and now await to see who their opponents will be.
On Tuesday, Oral Roberts faces TCU, and LSU takes on Tennessee. If Oral Roberts and LSU are victorious, it will up a pair of compelling CWS rematches as Oral Roberts will face Florida, and LSU will take on Wake Forest. The Horned Frogs and Volunteers may have something to say about that, though.
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