A magical six-run eighth inning kept Louisville alive at the 2025 College World Series.
The Cardinals defeated Arizona 8-3 to stave off elimination on June 15 at Charles Schwab Field Omaha in Omaha, Nebraska. With the loss, the Wildcats become the first team eliminated from the double-elimination tournament.
Arizona held a 3-2 lead entering the bottom of the eighth inning, but allowed Louisville to score six runs, including four runs that were unearned due to two fielding errors. The inning began with an error by shortstop Mason White to allow Jake Munroe to reach safely and snowballed from there.
Zion Rose gave the Cardinals their first lead of the game on a two-RBI single. After taking the lead, Louisville kept on adding runs. Kamau Neighbors, who went 4-for-4 with four singles, drove in a key insurance run to make it 5-3. Garret Pike scored when he stole home due to an error by pitcher Tony Pluta.
Louisville added two more runs to total six in the inning and sent 10 hitters to the plate. After Ethan Eberle lasted just 3 2/3 innings and allowed all three Arizona runs, Wyatt Danilowicz and Tucker Biven combined to pitch 5 1/3 innings of scoreless ball to allow the Cardinals’ offense time to find its rhythm.
The Wildcats, which lost 7-4 to No. 13 seed Coastal Carolina on June 13, see their season end despite leading for much of the game.
USA TODAY Sports is bringing you live updates, scores and highlights from the Louisville-Arizona CWS elimination game. Follow along here:
Watch Arizona baseball vs. Louisville on Fubo (free trial)
Arizona vs Louisville baseball live score
Final: Louisville 8, Arizona 3
Louisville completes comeback to stave off elimination
Louisville pulls off an improbable 8-3 win over Arizona to stave off elimination in the CWS after scoring six runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. The Wildcats led 3-2 entering the final Cardinal batting inning, but committed two errors, which led to four unearned runs.
Arizona becomes the first team eliminated from the 2025 College World Series field.
End of eighth inning: Louisville 8, Arizona 3
Matt Klein drives in sixth run of Louisville eighth inning
Matt Klein singles to left field to score another Louisville run, the sixth of the eighth inning. Klein is thrown out attempting to get to second base, but the Cardinals now have a five-run lead and are three outs away from advancing.
Louisville adds two more runs
Louisville adds another run on a fielding error from pitcher Tony Pluta as Garret Pike scores on a dropped ball after being caught in a run-down.
Alex Alicea drops down a bunt to score Kamau Neighbors from third base for another run. It’s 7-3 Louisville.
Kamau Neighbors RBI single adds insurance run
Kamau Neighbors knocks his fourth hit of the game and drives in another run to give Louisville a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning. The Cardinals have runners on the corners with one out for the top of the order.
Zion Rose gives Louisville 4-3 lead in eight inning
Zion Rose drops a blooper down the right field line and plates two runs to give Louisville its first lead of the game, 4-3, in the eighth inning.. The Cardinals still have runners on the corners and zero outs.
Arizona brings in ace reliever Tony Pluta with Louisville threatening in 8th inning
Louisville has its first two hitters on base following an error and a single. Arizona coach Chip Hale quickly calls in his relief ace, Tony Pluta, to try and diffuse the situation late in the game. Tague Davis is due up for the Cardinals with runners on first and second with zero outs.
End of seventh inning: Arizona 3, Louisville 2
Lucas Moore scores Garret Pike on sac fly
Louisville has made it a one-run game following a sac fly from Lucas Moore to score Garret Pike from third.
Garrett Hicks induces a groundball out from Matt Klein to strand a runner in scoring position to end the threat.
Arizona leads 3-2 heading into the eighth inning.
Louisville threatening in seventh inning; Smith Bailey pulled
The Cardinals have runners on first and third with zero outs in the bottom of the seventh inning following a double by Garrett Pike and a bunt single by Kamau Neighbors. Arizona challenged the safe call at first, but Neighbors beat it out.
Arizona is turning to reliever Garret Hicks on the mound to replace Smith Bailey. Hicks will face the top of the Louisville order.
End of sixth inning: Arizona 3, Louisville 1
Tucker Bivens works out of a sixth-inning jam
Tucker Bivens escapes a sixth-inning jam on just two pitches. He gets Andrew Cain to pop out on the infield and then induces a lineout from Jake Munroe. On the line drive, Maddox Mihalakis tries to advance to third but is thrown out by left fielder Zion Rose for an inning-ending double play.
Tucker Bivens relieves Wyatt Danilowicz in sixth inning
Wyatt Danilowicz has walked the first two Arizona hitters in the sixth inning. Louisville coach Dan McDonnell makes the call for Tucker Bivens to relieve Danilowicz with runners on first and second with zero outs.
End of fifth inning: Arizona 3, Louisville 1
Smith Bailey works out of fifth-inning jam
Louisville gets runners on first and second with zero outs to put some pressure on Bailey. He bunkers down by striking out two-hole hitter Lucas Moore and then records flyball outs from three-hole hitter Matt Kelin and cleanup hitter Jake Munroe to escape the jam.
Arizona still leads 3-1 heading into the sixth inning.
End of fourth inning: Arizona 3, Louisville 1
Wyatt Danilowicz strikes out Brendan Summerhill to end inning
Wyatt Danilowicz strikes out Brendan Summerhill after entering in relief to end the threat with runners on first and second. That’s a big out for the Cardinals to keep themselves within two runs.
Wyatt Danilowicz replaces Ethan Eberle in fourth inning
Wyatt Danilowicz replaces Ethan Eberle on the mound for Louisville in the top of the fourth inning. Danilowicz, a lefty, comes into face left-handed leadoff hitter Brendan Summerhill with two outs and runners on first and second.
End of third inning: Arizona 3, Louisville 1
Easton Breyfogle robs Matt Klein of extra base hit, RBI
Arizona left fielder Easton Breyfogle makes a diving grab for the final out of the third inning with a runner on second. Breyfogle’s web gem likely cost Matt Klein an extra base hit and an RBI to cut the lead to a run.
Adonys Guzman hits solo home run for Arizona
Adonys Guzman hits a solo home run to make it 3-1 in the top of the third inning. Guzman got a questionable ball call before hitting the home run, which had an exit velocity of 105 mph and traveled 400 feet.
Guzman also had an RBI single in the first inning. He has 44 RBIs on the season.
End of second inning: Arizona 2, Louisville 1
Zion Rose drives in Louisville’s first run on fielder’s choice
With runners on the corners and one out, Zion Rose hits into a fielder’s choice for the second out of the inning; however, the play allows Jake Munroe, who led off the inning with a single, to score from third.
It’s 2-1 Arizona heading into the third inning.
Ethan Eberle bounces back with scoreless second inning
Aided by a 4-6-3 double play, Ethan Eberle bounces back with a scoreless second inning to keep Louisville within two runs.
End of first inning: Arizona 2, Louisville 0
Smith Bailey records 1-2-3 inning
Smith Bailey records a 1-2-3 first inning after his offense gives him an early 2-0 lead. Bailey struck out two-hole hitter Lucas Moore and recorded a pair of flyouts.
Garen Caulfield single gives Arizona 2-0 lead
Garen Caulfield with an RBI single through the right side makes it 2-0 Arizona. The Wildcats are seeing Ethan Eberle well right now.
Adonys Guzman gives Arizona 1-0 lead on RBI single
Adonys Guzman gives Arizona an early 1-0 lead on an RBI single to left field. His hit scores Aaron Walton, but White is tagged out after he is caught in a rundown between second and third base.
Ethan Eberle in early jam
Ethan Eberle struck out Brendan Summerhill to begin the game, but he has hit Aaron Walton and Mason White in back-to-back at-bats. Arizona has runners on first and second.
Pregame
Louisville starting lineup vs Arizona
Here’s a look at the Louisville baseball starting lineup vs. Arizona for the CWS game today:
Alex Alicea, SS
Lucas Moore, CF
Matt Klein, C
Jake Munroe, 3B
Eddie King Jr., RF
Tague Davis, 1B
Zion Rose, LF
Garrett Pike, DH
Kamau Neighbors, 2B
Arizona starting lineup vs Louisville
Here’s a look at the Arizona baseball starting lineup vs. Louisville for the CWS game today:
Brenden Summerhill, RF
Aaron Walton, CF
Mason White, SS
Adonys Guzman, C
Maddox Mihalakis, 3B
Garen Caufield, 2B
Andrew Cain, DH
Tommy Splaine, 1B
Easton Breyfogle, LF
Smith Bailey earns start for Arizona vs Louisville
Arizona counters Louisville’s freshman with one of its own. Smith Bailey is starting for the Wildcats in the win-or-go-home matchup. The freshman righty has a 3-3 record with a 4.01 ERA in 83 innings.
Bailey pitched against Louisville on Feb. 16 in his collegiate debut. He went four scoreless innings while allowing three walks and striking out five.
Ethan Eberle starting for Louisville vs Arizona
Freshman left-handed pitcher Ethan Eberle will earn the start for Louisville against Arizona in the CWS elimination game. Eberle has a 6-2 record with a 4.34 ERA in 58 innings. The 6-foot-5 pitcher has made 18 appearances, including nine starts.
Eberle went five innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits in a super regional win over Miami on June 8.
Louisville home team for elimination game vs Arizona
Louisville will be the designated home team for its CWS elimination game against Arizona. That means the Wildcats will bat first in the first inning.
What time does Arizona vs Louisville baseball start?
Date: Sunday, June 15
Time: 2 p.m. ET
Where: Charles Schwab Field Omaha (Omaha, Neb.)
Arizona and Louisville are scheduled for a 2 p.m. ET first pitch at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska, in the first CWS elimination game.
What TV channel is Arizona vs Louisville baseball on today?
TV: ESPN
Streaming: ESPN app | ESPN+ | Fubo (free trial)
The CWS elimination game between Arizona and Louisville will air on ESPN. Mike Monaco (play-by-play), Ben McDonald (analyst), Eduardo Pérez (analyst) and Dani Wexelman (sideline reporter) will be on the call.
Streaming options for the game include the ESPN app (with a TV login), ESPN+ — ESPN’s subscription streaming service — and Fubo, the last of which carries ESPN and offers a free trial to potential subscribers.
Arizona vs Louisville baseball predictions, picks, odds
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Saturday, June 14
Spread: Arizona -1.5
Over/under: 9.5
Moneyline: Arizona (-125) | Louisville (-105)
College World Series schedule
The College World Series began on June 13 and will run through June 22 or 23, depending on whether the championship series requires two or three games. Here is a more detailed look at the latest college baseball schedule and NCAA Tournament bracket update.
College World Series: June 13-22/23
CWS finals: June 21-22/23