Coastal Carolina vs LSU Picks & Betting Odds for CWS Game 1

• LSU is a -166 moneyline favorite over Coastal Carolina in Game 1 of the College World Series Final on Saturday
• Jacob Morrison (12-0, 2.08 ERA) will take the ball for CCU, while the Tigers will counter with Kade Anderson (11-1, 3.44 ERA)
• See my Coastal Carolina vs LSU picks and betting odds for Game 1 of the CWS Final below

The last time Coastal Carolina (56-11) lost a baseball game, the NBA and NHL playoffs were less than a week old, and Rory McIlroy was still basking in the glow of his Masters win. Fast forward two months later, and online sportsbooks are finally expecting CCU’s incredible winning streak to be snapped. They’ve pegged LSU (46-15) as favorites in Game 1 of the College World Series on Saturday, with both teams entering play undefeated since June 1st.

First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 pm ET at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska, with ESPN and ESPN+ providing the coverage.

Coastal Carolina vs LSU Picks

• Coastal Carolina +1.5 (-135 at Bet365)

In Omaha, we’ve come to expect the unexpected. It seems nearly every year a longshot goes on a Cinderella run to take a run at the title, but 2025 produced no such fairy tales after the Super Regionals. The Chanticleers and Tigers were considered two of the best teams to make the CWS, and so far they haven’t disappointed.

CCU has outscored its opponents 24-9 in Omaha, and are fresh off an 11-3 drubbing of Louisville in the semis. LSU, meanwhile, squeaked out a pair of close victories over Arkansas, sandwiched between a comfortable win over UCLA. Online sportsbooks have been more bullish on the Tigers than Chanticleers in the College World Series odds, but I’m not about to fade Coastal Carolina given their form and phenomenal pitching.

CCU features a three-headed monster on the mound in Riley Eikhoff, Cameron Flukey and Jacob Morrison, the ladder of which will start on Saturday. The trio own the second-lowest starting ERA in the nation, and have been lights out all season.

Morrison boasts a perfect 12-0 record this season, with a tidy 2.08 ERA. He’s just the second pitcher over the past five seasons with double-digit starts in which he lasted 6+ innings and gave up 1 run or less. The other, LSU alum Paul Skenes.

Jacob Morrison vs Kade Anderson Stats

Morrison was dominant in a 6-2 win over Oregon State last time out. He pitched 7.2 innings of 1-run ball, scattering only five hits and striking out 7. That followed up a 6-strikeout, 1 run performance in a Super Regionals victory over Auburn, a team that was ranked higher than LSU. The 6-8, 245-pounder has yielded more than two runs only once since the middle of March, averaging over a strikeout per inning along the way.

The Tigers will counter with Kade Anderson, who’s in the mix to be the number one pick in the MLB Draft. LSU has won five of Anderson’s last six starts, with the lefty allowing 3 runs or less in five of them. The lone exception came in the Super Regionals against West Virginia, when the Mountaineers lit him up for 9 hits and 7 runs.

Coastal Carolina’s lineup isn’t reminiscent of a typical contender, as they don’t rely on power at all. In fact, the next home run they hit a the College World Series will be their first of the tournament. CCU generates offense by playing small ball. They’re on base constantly, and they rely on speed and timely hitting to get runners across the plate.

CCU vs LSU Offensive Stats

It’s a strategy that’s treated them well recently, as they’ve averaged 8 runs per game since Regionals started. LSU, on the other hand, has a more star-studded approach. Derek Curiel and Steven Milam are future 1st round picks, while few teams can match their 110 home run output. The Tigers boast a higher scoring average and slugging percentage than their opponent, but their lineup has had a bit of trouble scoring runs versus elite arms.

LSU scored only 10 runs total in two games versus the Razorbacks earlier this week, and needed a calamity of errors by Arkansas to avoid a sudden-death elimination game. They can’t expect that type of performance from the Chanticleers, who boast exceptional defensive metrics. They also boast one of the best bullpens in the league, giving opposing hitters no break once the relievers enter the game.

Given the pitching matchup is incredibly close, I’ll side with the better defense/bullpen combo, and the team that doesn’t need to rely on power to manufacture runs. My official pick is Coastal Carolina +1.5, but I’ll take a sprinkle of their moneyline as well.

Coastal Carolina vs LSU Betting Odds

The best place we can bet CCU against the spread is Bet365 at -135 odds. The Tigers are currently -166 moneyline favorites, while the total sits at 8.5.

Just one of LSU’s three CWS contests has fallen below 9 runs so far, while Coastal Carolina’s games in Omaha have averaged 11 runs apiece.

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