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Louisville Stuns Oregon State, Advances in CWS \ TezzBuzz \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Eddie King Jr.’s sacrifice fly in the ninth sealed a thrilling 7-6 win for Louisville over Oregon State, knocking the Beavers out of the College World Series. The Cardinals now face Coastal Carolina in the Bracket 2 final. Louisville overcame late drama after squandering a lead, echoing Oregon State’s earlier fate.

Quick Looks

• Winning play: Eddie King Jr.’s ninth-inning sacrifice fly
• Score: Louisville 7, Oregon State 6
• CWS outcome: Oregon State eliminated, Louisville advances
• Next opponent: Coastal Carolina in Bracket 2 final
• Key moments: Oregon State tied game with ninth-inning rally
• Cardinals’ resilience: Avenged earlier 4-3 walk-off loss
• Errors: Oregon State committed 3 in game, 8 in CWS
• Hero celebration: Teammates shower King chanting “Edd-ie! Edd-ie!”

Deep Look

In a thrilling College World Series showdown, Eddie King Jr. etched his name into Louisville baseball history with a walk-off sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth inning, lifting the Cardinals to a dramatic 7-6 victory over Oregon State on Tuesday. The win eliminated the Beavers from the tournament and advanced Louisville to the Bracket 2 final, where they must defeat Coastal Carolina twice to reach the best-of-three CWS championship series.

The tension-filled finale mirrored the drama of their previous matchup, when Oregon State walked off Louisville last Friday with a narrow 4-3 win. This time, the Cardinals flipped the script and sent the Beavers packing, thanks to resilience, timely hitting, and capitalizing on Oregon State’s costly defensive miscues.

The decisive ninth inning began with Kellan Oakes on the mound for Oregon State, facing the top of Louisville’s batting order. Alex Alicea led off with a walk, and Lucas Moore followed, reaching base on catcher’s interference after his bat nicked Wilson Weber’s mitt during a foul swing. Matt Klein then laid down a bunt intended to move runners, but Oakes mishandled it, loading the bases and notching Oregon State’s third error of the game—and eighth of the tournament.

Freshman reliever Zach Edwards was called in to douse the fire. He struck out Jake Munroe looking for the first out, giving Oregon State a glimmer of hope. But Eddie King Jr. wasted no time making his mark. He lifted a fly ball to center field deep enough to score Alicea from third base without a throw, triggering a wild celebration at Charles Schwab Field. Teammates doused King with water and chanted “Edd-ie! Edd-ie!” as he was mobbed near first base.

Louisville’s dramatic finish was necessary after they too had let a late lead slip away in the top of the ninth. Reliever Wyatt Danilowicz faced just one batter—Aiva Arquette—who crushed a home run to left-center on the first pitch. What followed was a nightmare sequence for the Cardinals: Gavin Turley, Wilson Weber, and AJ Singer all reached base to load the bags with no outs, threatening to derail Louisville’s hopes entirely.

Then came the pivotal error of the game. Tyce Peterson hit a slow grounder toward shortstop Alicea, whose attempt to make a play resulted in the ball glancing off his glove and rolling into shallow outfield grass. Two runs scored, tying the game at 6-6 and momentarily giving Oregon State a surge of momentum. But Louisville’s bullpen held firm. Tucker Biven struck out Jacob Krieg, and Carson McEntire induced a popup from Canon Reeder, keeping the score tied and setting the stage for King’s heroics.

Offensively, Louisville was powered by homers from Jake Munroe and Zion Rose, who provided much-needed sparks earlier in the contest. The Cardinals showed grit throughout, working out of jams and fighting back after the ninth-inning scare. Their composure under pressure was especially notable given the stakes of a College World Series elimination game.

On the flip side, Oregon State entered the game with one of the strongest records in the tournament at 48-16-1 but saw their run cut short largely due to defensive lapses. The Beavers committed three errors in Tuesday’s game and eight total across their three CWS contests—costly mistakes that directly contributed to their early exit. Their late-game rally showcased offensive depth, but their inability to execute cleanly on defense proved fatal.

The Cardinals now stand at 42-23 and face a tall task ahead. To reach the CWS finals, they must beat a red-hot Coastal Carolina team not once, but twice—on Wednesday and again Thursday. However, with the momentum of Tuesday’s walk-off win and renewed confidence, Louisville is entering the final stage of Bracket 2 with something invaluable: belief.

The victory also reflects the Cardinals’ growth during the postseason. After a season marked by ups and downs, their CWS performance has highlighted a team capable of delivering under pressure, utilizing both power and small ball, and showing mental toughness in high-leverage situations.

For fans and analysts, Tuesday’s victory will be remembered not just for the final play, but for the resilience it represented—a young team learning from a walk-off loss and returning just days later to deliver a walk-off of their own. With King’s sacrifice fly, Louisville not only survived but sent a strong message: they’re not done yet.

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