A double-play was the picture-perfect ending to a picture-perfect College Baseball World Series run for LSU on Sunday afternoon. For the second time in three years, the Tigers claimed the title that every team in college baseball wants to boast – national champions.
There was just one big difference between the 2023 and 2025 national championship teams: nearly the entire roster.
“In ’23 we had 13 players drafted, that’s an SEC record, not an LSU record, an SEC record,” LSU head coach Jay Johnson said. “Last year, I believe we had eight pitchers drafted, another SEC record. That’s a lot to replace over a two-year period.
“Maybe that’s why I’m so proud of this thing. This is a completely different team.”
Only eight players on the current roster were also on the 2023 national championship team.
One of those players: Chase Shores.
Shores closed out the final 2 ⅔ innings to clinch the national championship title with a beautiful four-strikeout, one-hit outing.
“There’s nobody I would have rather had finish the game tonight for this second national championship than Chase Shores,” Johnson said.
Shores was the first high school player to commit to LSU after Johnson accepted the coaching job, making it extra special for the two to share a second championship together.
“Being a part of that ’23 team was special, but to play a part in this run in Omaha was a dream come true,” Shores said. “I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
Shores was just one of the three LSU pitchers who helped lead the Tigers to victory.
It was Kade Anderson who threw a complete shutout to secure the Game 1 win, allowing just three hits while striking out 10. Anderson earned Most Outstanding Player honors following his outing.
Anthony Eyanson picked up right where Anderson left off, pitching the first 6 ⅓ innings of Game 2 before Shores came in to relieve him. Eyanson struck out nine batters while holding Coastal Carolina to just three runs.
“We don’t win the championship without [Eyanson],” Johnson said. “It got maybe overshadowed a little bit by Kade, but he won 12 games too. That’s a lot in today’s college baseball.”
Shores, Anderson and Eyanson are all expected to be drafted in next month’s MLB draft.
“If you’re a pitcher and you don’t want to come here right now, you’re out to lunch,” Johnson said. “You’re just not thinking clearly. Because that’s three dudes that pitched in this series that are all going to be in the major leagues within 18 months.”
The results speak for themselves, and it’s clear that transformative work is being done with the LSU’s pitching staff.
The Tigers’ national title marks their eighth in program history, while Johnson has officially become the fastest coach to win two MCWS titles at a school.
