Heartbreak in Omaha: LSU Walks Off Arkansas 6–5, Ending Razorbacks’ College World Series Run in Stunning Fashion

OMAHA, Neb. — With one swing, LSU ended Arkansas’ College World Series dreams and sent the Razorbacks packing. In a game filled with tension, momentum shifts, and emotional highs and lows, the Tigers emerged victorious 6–5 on a walk-off single that dropped just beyond the outstretched glove of Arkansas’ diving center fielder, sealing one of the most thrilling finishes in Omaha this year.

Arkansas, a team that had battled through adversity, high-pressure elimination games, and a brutal SEC gauntlet all season, saw its journey come to a heartbreaking end. It wasn’t just a loss — it was the type of gut-wrenching defeat that will linger in the locker room, the fan base, and the program’s memory for years.

The Hogs had battled back from a 4–1 deficit in the middle innings, scratching and clawing their way into a tie game by the seventh. They took a 5–4 lead in the top of the ninth, thanks to a clutch RBI double from senior first baseman Jared Sprague-Lott. Hope swelled in the Arkansas dugout. The mood had shifted. They were three outs away from forcing another elimination game and keeping their national title hopes alive.

But this is Omaha. This is baseball. And on this night, it was LSU’s turn to walk it off.

In the bottom of the ninth, Arkansas turned to its closer, freshman sensation Micah Matthews. Matthews had been solid in high-leverage moments throughout the postseason, but LSU’s bats — lethal and relentless — wouldn’t be denied. The inning began with a lead-off single, followed by a bunt that the Hogs failed to convert into an out. A bloop into shallow left put runners on the corners with no outs, and the stadium was roaring.

A sacrifice fly tied the game at five apiece. Then came the moment that will be replayed on highlight reels and replay screens for years in Baton Rouge — and burned into the nightmares of Arkansas fans. Sophomore infielder Cade Reynolds, down to his final strike, flared a 2–2 fastball just into center. Razorbacks center fielder Tavian Josenberger, a senior playing in his final collegiate game, gave everything he had, sprinting full speed and laying out. The ball hit the heel of his glove but bounced free as the winning run crossed the plate.

The LSU dugout exploded. Players streamed onto the field, mobbing Reynolds and lifting him in the air. The Tigers live to fight another day. For the Razorbacks, there was only stunned silence and the slow, painful walk back to the dugout — some in tears, others simply staring into the grass.

Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn was stoic after the game, but his words carried the emotion of the moment.

“I couldn’t be more proud of this group,” he said. “They fought like hell all year. They never gave up. We were one pitch, one inch away. That’s baseball — it’s cruel sometimes.”

Van Horn praised his seniors, calling them the “heartbeat” of the team and lauding their leadership in helping guide a young squad through the pressure cooker of the SEC and all the way to Omaha.

Arkansas finishes the season with a 47–17 record, one of the best in program history, and a second straight trip to the College World Series. But for a program that has long been chasing its first national championship in baseball, the end result feels all too familiar.

“We came here to win it all,” said shortstop Peyton Stovall, who homered earlier in the game. “That was the goal from the first day of practice. To come this far and lose like this… it hurts. But I wouldn’t trade this team for anything.”

LSU’s win keeps their championship hopes alive. The Tigers were on the ropes early, with Arkansas starter Mason Molina striking out seven through the first four innings. But a pair of two-run homers in the fifth and sixth turned the tide. LSU’s depth and resilience — trademarks of their program — were on full display.

Tigers head coach Jay Johnson called it one of the best wins of his career.

“That’s a great team we just beat,” Johnson said. “Arkansas pushed us to the limit. But I told our guys before the ninth — this is why you come to LSU. Big moments, bright lights, Omaha magic. They embraced it.”

For Arkansas, there will be questions and regrets. The Hogs left 10 runners on base and had chances in the seventh and eighth to extend the lead. A missed relay, a wild pitch, a failed bunt — all the little details added up.

But there’s also pride. This was a team that lost key contributors early in the season to injury, yet managed to build chemistry and momentum at just the right time. They knocked out national seeds. They beat the odds. And for eight and a half innings in Omaha, they stood toe-to-toe with a powerhouse.

Baseball is unforgiving. One moment, you’re on the verge of celebration. The next, you’re out. For Arkansas, the pain of defeat will linger. For LSU, the journey continues, now one step closer to a national title.

The fans in red who made the trip to Charles Schwab Field sat in stunned silence for long moments after the final play. A few stood and applauded the Hogs as they exited the field — a gesture of respect for a team that gave them everything it had.

Senior outfielder Kendall Diggs, another emotional leader, summed it up: “It’s going to hurt. It should hurt. But this program isn’t going anywhere. We’ll be back.”

Indeed, the foundation remains strong. The Razorbacks lose key seniors, but return a talented core, including several All-SEC caliber underclassmen. The heartbreak of Omaha might fuel the fire that leads to a future breakthrough.

But on this night, in front of nearly 25,000 fans under the Midwestern lights, the story was about one hit, one moment, one walk-off that ripped hearts out and kept a dream alive.

LSU 6, Arkansas 5.

It will go down as one of the great games of the 2025 College World Series — and one of the hardest to swallow for Razorback Nation.