Louisville Outlasts Arizona in 2025 Men’s College World Series Elimination Game

OMAHA, NE. — The Louisville Cardinals defeated the Arizona Wildcats 8-3 in a crucial elimination game on June 15, 2025, at the Men's College World Series.

Louisville rallied with a remarkable sixth-run rally in the eighth inning, overcoming an early deficit. The Cardinals, known for their powerful offense, struggled until they finally broke through with six hits, aided by two errors from Arizona.

Luke McDonald, the Cardinals’ manager, praised his team’s resilience. “We had our chances throughout the game, but it was great to see the boys keep fighting,” he said.

Leading the charge for Louisville was designated hitter Garret Pike, who started the eighth inning with a critical double that set the stage for the offensive outburst. “We knew we had to capitalize. We wanted to keep our season alive,” Pike shared.

Louisville’s offensive breakthrough began when Jake Munroe reached via an error at first base. Eddie King Jr. then hit a single, placing runners on first and second with no outs. Arizona’s pitching ace Tony Pluta, who hadn’t been scored upon since April, faced a tough situation. The streak ended as he allowed four runs before being relieved by Garrett Hicks.

Despite Arizona’s attempts to counter, they fell short, leaving the Cardinals to celebrate their significant victory. This loss eliminated Arizona from the tournament, while Louisville advanced to face the loser of the Coastal Carolina–Oregon State game.

Arizona manager Ray Smith lamented the missed chances. “We had the game in hand, but we couldn’t close it out. It’s tough to watch the season end this way,” he stated.

Earlier in the day, Coastal Carolina secured a spot in the semifinals by defeating Oregon State 6-2, bringing their win streak to 25 games. However, for Louisville, the victory was essential, bringing new life to their World Series hopes.