Arkansas and Oregon State. Jubilation and despair

First off, all hail the Oregon State Beavers, 2018 College World Series Champions.

But you've gotta feel for the Arkansas Razorbacks. In the best two-out-of-three series, they had won the first and were one strike away from winning the second to clinch it themselves. Then something weird happened that will be discussed (and replayed) for a long time. To the chagrin of Arkansas, particularly three of their players.

Behind 3-2 in the ninth inning of what would have been the deciding game, O.State had two outs and a man on third. The batter lifted a tall pop-up down the first base line. Three Hawgs converged on it in foul territory, namely the first baseman, second baseman, and right fielder. Any of them could have, and likely should have caught it to seal the deal. But somehow they let it drop between them. The Beavers got another shot. Sure enough, clank, a single to left field to score the tying run. Next man up clubs a two run homer to right field. Then, instead of being ahead 3-2, Arkansas was behind 5-3. Down they went in the bottom of the ninth to lose the game. On to the deciding tie-breaker.

Recently concluded, O State ace pitcher Kevin Abel threw a masterpiece. A two-hit shutout, while throwing an astounding 130 pitches. It was, in fact, the first time Arkansas had been shut out all year, and it couldn't have come at a worse time for them. Or a better time for the Beavers, who easily prevailed 5-0.

So yep, Leave it to the Beavers, sorry, to pull off an almost miraculous comeback.

But woe be it to the guys from Clinton country. They were so close. Just one strike away.

They had it. All but in the proverbial bag.

And then poof, it was gone.

The three fielders mentioned above are going to feel terrible for a very long time, likely the rest of their lives. They could have been champions, if not for misplaying a lousy pop-up.

So it's great in one way, but heart-breaking in another.

Nevertheless, somebody had to win and somebody had to lose.

Lady luck just happened to smile on Oregon State. That and a stud pitcher turning in what was probably the greatest performance of his young life.

Hats off to the champs.