By Derek DeBurger

Louisville gets revenge on the Oregon State Beavers with a dramatic victory.

The win eliminates Oregon State from the NCAA tournament and keeps the Cards’ championship aspirations alive.

It’s a virtue

What was a game scheduled for 2 p.m. was pushed back to 2:43 p.m. after the UCLA-LSU game was postponed a day due to inclement weather then ran long Tuesday morning.

That didn’t stop Louisville from hitting the ground running.

Brennyn Cutts got the start on the mound, and after giving up a leadoff single he struck out the side.

Alex Alicea then started off the bottom of the first with a leadoff single of his own, and advanced to second on a ground out from Lucas Moore. He stole third on a Jake Munroe strikeout, and a base hit from Eddie King Jr. sent him home.

Cutts continued to throw premium stuff, striking out seven batters through the first three innings which set a personal best for him in a Louisville uniform.

In the bottom of the third, Moore beat out a throw on an infield single. Munroe then crushed a pitch for a two-run home run to bring the score to 3-0.

Unfortunately all good things must come to an end, and Cutts’ curtain call came screaming.

A leadoff walk was followed by a no-doubt homer to cut the lead to 3-2.

Cutts’ day was over, and Justin West got out of the inning in the next three batters.

Zion Rose eased the pain with a solo shot to lead off the bottom of the fourth, pushing the Louisville lead back up to two runs.

In the top of the sixth inning, the Beavers were able to load the bases without recording a single out. West followed that up with a strikeout, but a fielder’s choice brought one run home to cut the lead back down to one. A hard fly out barely stopped the bleeding before things broke wide open.

But once again the Cards responded. In the bottom of the sixth Garret Pike pinch hit for a two-out double. Then Kamau Neighbors was able to hit an RBI-single to send Pike home and give the Cards a 5-3 lead.

The Cards added just a little bit of insurance in the seventh when a sacrifice fly from King put Matt Klein across home plate to push the lead to 6-3.

Cardiac Cards

Louisville continued to fan batters and found themselves three outs away from tasting sweet victory.

With Wyatt Danilowicz on the mound for the close, he gave up a solo shot on his first pitch to Aiva Arquette.

Danilowicz was clearly rattled as he gave up a base hit and fell behind in the count two balls to nothing. He was then pulled for Tucker Biven, who was unable to get out of the initial jam.

Biven walked the batter then gave up a single to load the bases.

A would-be double play ended in an error from Alicea as the Beavers scored two runs to tie the game 6-6, all with no outs.

From there Biven was able to end the inning, but the damage was already done.

With their backs suddenly against the wall, the Cards did not panic.

Alicea drew a walk to lead off the inning, then Moore battled the pitcher after falling down 0-2. But catcher’s interference put Moore on base, and a fielding error on a bunt from Klein loaded the bases with no outs.

After a pitching change, Munroe struck out and it was all down to King.

After working into a 1-2 count, King crushed a fly ball to center field. The out was recorded, and Alicea ran home for the walk-off run.

Louisville won 7-6.

New heights?

After the comeback win against Arizona Sunday, Dan McDonnell told his team “we handle hard better than most.”

Louisville handled the hard of blowing a three-run lead in the ninth, a comeback that has only been completed two previous times in Omaha.

King has now etched himself into Louisville history forever.

His SAC fly Tuesday was his second game-winner of the 2025 tournament, and he continues to play like a man possessed batting over .500 in postseason play.

The Cards also continue to prove to themselves that they can beat anyone, anytime, anywhere.

Louisville is now one of four teams remaining, a scenario they’ve only found themselves in one other time in program history.

Louisville will face Coastal Carolina Wednesday for the final of Bracket 1 in the Men’s College World Series.

Photo Courtesy // Taris Smith, Louisville Athletics