Coastal Carolina blows out Louisville to reach MCWS finals

Colby Thorndyke went 3-for-4 and drove in five runs, including three in a decisive first inning, as No. 13 Coastal Carolina cruised into the championship series of the Men's College World Series with an 11-3 win over Louisville on Wednesday in Omaha, Neb.

The Chanticleers, who won the 2016 MCWS, will face No. 6 LSU in the best-of-three finals. Game 1 is scheduled for Saturday.

Coastal Carolina's 26th straight win and sent Louisville home from Omaha.

Thorndyke's bases-clearing double was part of a huge opening inning for the Chanticleers (56-11), capping a five-run explosion before Louisville could even record an out.

Cardinals starter Colton Hartman was pulled after facing just five Coastal Carolina batters, all of whom reached base. Walker Mitchell struck first with a single that drove in Caden Bodine and Sebastian Alexander.

Louisville (42-24), which avoided elimination with wins over Arizona and Oregon State to play its way into the Wednesday contest, went to the bullpen quickly. However, Jake Schweitzer came on and immediately gave up the three-run double to Thorndyke.

The Chanticleers built a 6-0 lead by the end of the inning and never looked back. Thorndyke recorded his fourth RBI when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the sixth inning, then singled in the eighth to drive in Blake Barthol.

Mitchell and Dean Mihos each drove in a pair of runs for the Chanticleers. Riley Eikhoff earned the win, pitching 5 1/3 innings, and allowing seven hits and three runs -- all of which came in the sixth inning. He struck out four and walked one.

Tague Davis, Garret Pike and Kamau Neighbors drove in Louisville's runs, with Pike and Neighbors both singling on the heels of a Davis double.

--Field Level Media