Day 5 of the 2024 College World Series saw two more teams go home as the semifinal matchups were set.
Louisville defeated Oregon State, 7-6, in a nailbiter as the Beavers came back from a three-run deficit in the top of the ninth only to give up the lead in the bottom of the inning. In the nightcap, Arkansas defeated UCLA, 7-3. The Bruins had previously resumed a suspended game against LSU in the morning, losing, 9-5.
In the semifinals beginning June 18, Arkansas will face LSU and Coastal Carolina will face Louisville. The Tigers and Chanticleers need only a single win, while the Razorbacks and Cardinals must win twice to advance to the championship series.
Here are the winners and losers:
WINNERS
Home runs (finally)
After the early games in Omaha saw very few home runs hit, the long ball made more of an impact on Day 5. LSU’s Jared Jones hit a three-run homer that ultimately proved the game-winner in its game against UCLA (although the home run technically took place the night before, prior to the game being suspended due to rain). In the elimination game between Louisville and Oregon State, the Cardinals and Beavers hit two home runs apiece. Then, in the nightcap between Arkansas and UCLA, the Razorbacks got on the board with a two-run homer from Wehiwa Aloy.
After six total home runs in the first eight games, Day 5 featured five home runs.
The SEC
The SEC has had at least one team in every Men’s College World Series final since 2016, and four of the last seven championship series have featured two SEC teams (not including 2022, when now-SEC member Oklahoma participated as a member of the Big 12).
But the league has had a rough postseason. Despite qualifying 13 teams to the tournament, just four of those teams made a super regional, and two of those teams (Arkansas and Tennessee) played each other. Two SEC teams made it to Omaha, but because they were on the same side of the bracket, it was guaranteed that at least one non-SEC team would get a shot at a championship.
But now, the SEC is guaranteed to have a team opposite Louisville or Coastal Carolina with LSU and Arkansas in the semifinal. The league has a good shot of having its sixth straight champion.
Wehiwa Aloy
The SEC Player of the Year had a quiet Omaha so far. But facing a fellow star shortstop in Roch Cholowsky, Aloy had a strong outing in the elimination game, going 2-for-3 with a walk and three RBIs. He hit a two-run home run to the opposite field in the first inning, showing off the power that has him ranked as a top MLB draft prospect.
LOSERS
Defense (again)
Of 15 errors committed in the College World Series so far, eight of them were by Oregon State. That cost the Beavers dearly, as it was an error on a sacrifice bunt that set up the eventual walk-off sacrifice fly that eliminated them.
But Oregon State was only in the game at that point because of an error. In the top of the ninth inning, the Beavers were down two runs with the bases loaded and one out when Louisville shortstop Alex Alicea booted a routine double-play ball. The error allowed two runs to score.
In the ninth inning of the Arkansas-UCLA game, the Razorbacks committed two errors, both of which led to runs scoring.
The West Coast
When the Pac-12 still existed, it had been over three decades since three of the league’s teams had all made it to Omaha. In the first season after the league’s dissolution, three former Pac-12 teams made it in Arizona, Oregon State and UCLA.
But none of those three teams will make it to the semifinals. Arizona was the first team eliminated, failing to win a game in Omaha. Oregon State and UCLA were both eliminated on Day 5.
‘A lot of good players in the West, a lot of good coaches on the West. I think it has a bright future,’ UCLA coach John Savage said. ‘Bright future is maybe not the right word, because you look at the national championships and you look at the history of Omaha and West Coast teams. But things have changed. Everybody knows things have changed in terms of the facilities and the power. And the SEC clearly had a huge day, right, with Arkansas and LSU. But at the same time, you know, I think we can certainly build off this.’
Gage Wood
Gage Wood was the biggest winner from Day 4 as his 19-strikeout no-hitter against Murray State made headlines. But just a day later, Wood forgot his jersey at the hotel, forcing him to wear Zach Root’s windbreaker.
‘We teach our kids to be honest around here,’ Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn quipped when Root admitted the reason for the windbreaker.
Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on X @aria_gerson.