LSU outfielder Dylan Crews (3) singles during the first inning of Game 2 of the College World Series finals against Florida in Omaha, Neb., Sunday, June 25, 2023.
An entire season of hard work boils down to nine innings as the LSU Tigers and Florida Gators take the field one last time to decide who will win the College World Series and determine which team is the best in the NCAA.
College World Series: LSU vs Florida championship pick
- Where: Omaha, Nebraska
- When: 7 p.m. ET
- How to watch: ESPN/ESPN+
- Game 3 odds: LSU (-148 ML, -1.5 +122) vs. Florida (+116 ML, +1.5 -160)
LSU took Game 1 in the CWS 4-3 via a Cade Beloso solo shot in the 11th inning.
The Tigers then looked like they were going to put a bow on the series and leave Omaha with a national title when they went up 3-1 over the Gators in Game 2, only for Florida to score 23 unanswered runs and win 24-4, setting the record for most runs in a game at the CWS.
Will the resolve of the Tigers show, or will the red-hot Gators carry the momentum into the series-clincher? Here’s our pick.
College World Series LSU vs. Florida Game 3 pick: LSU moneyline (-135 or better)
The Gators will likely start the third man in their rotation of starting pitchers, southpaw Jac Caglianone (7-3, 3.68).
Caglianone is a special talent because he is a two-way player that pitches and hits at an elite level, following the footprint led by the trailblazing Shohei Ohtani in MLB.
LSU has not named a starting pitcher but is expected to toss the presumptive first pick in the upcoming MLB Draft, Paul Skenes (12-2, 1.69), out for duty on three day’s rest.
Skenes is used to dealing with a quick turnaround, having already come back from throwing 123 pitches on the opening day of the tournament to deal 120 four days later.
Skenes has only given up two earned runs in 15.1 innings of duty at the CWS, though he is yet to get his hands on the Gators. On the flip side, Caglianone has made one appearance and gave up one earned run in 4.1 innings.
Since the CWS went to a best-of-three in 2003, 10 series have gone to a Game 3. Seven of those went in favor of the team that won Game 2, including the last five. Only three teams have won Games 1 and 3, the most recent being Vanderbilt in 2014.
With that being said, postseason baseball is all about pitching, and the Tigers have the advantage in that department. The offenses — prior to the 24-4 demolition — had also been producing runs at a nearly identical rate.
If it were any player other than Skenes taking the mound, the Tigers’ momentum from Game 3 would be unavoidable. But the burly ace is as shutdown as they come and is our pick to lead his team to a national title.
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