Everything LSU players said after Tigers' CWS national championship

Coach Jay Johnson pointed Sunday to pitchers Anthony Eyanson, Chase Shores and Chris Stanfield as three players who summed up what LSU’s 2025 national championship team was all about.

The two pitchers and outfielder, all of whom were key in the Tigers’ 5-3 defeat of Coastal Carolina to clinch the title, shared in the postgame press conference their perspectives on the game and the run overall.

Here’s everything the standouts shared with reporters during the media session.

[Click here for everything coach Jay Johnson said during his postgame press conference.]

Anthony Eyanson

On being battle-tested during the season and knowing Sunday could still be a long game after early chaos…

“We’ve been tested all year. I was just waiting for adversity to hit me in the game. Right when that happened I knew that that’s when I put my pedal to the metal and just push a little bit more, push a little bit more and just continue to fight for the team and just know that I’ve got guys behind me that — obviously we just won this thing, so they’re pretty good at baseball. But they just did their job behind me, so I’m super grateful for that.”

On what the Regional-clinching rebound win vs. Little Rock meant for the team’s postseason confidence…

“I think we were confident before that, but I think just coming back from that game just really showed us what we were about. Obviously they played very well that weekend, and just us staying to our plan and our approach and just continuing to be ourselves really helped us out moving forward.”

On how winning a national championship compared to what he might have dreamed…

“Yeah, I remember hugging my parents right now with the natty hat and shirt on. When I dreamed about this place and even on my visit just looking at all the history on the wall, this is what I dreamed of literally — throwing pitches, starting the final game for the national championship. So I’m just super grateful for coach Johnson giving me the opportunity and just thankful for God obviously.”

On how coach Johnson helps bring together a team with several newcomers…

“It feels like a movie when he talks about the lineup before the game, talking about everybody’s role with how they can contribute to scoring runs on the offensive side, it’s fun to watch. But nobody more prepared obviously than coach Johnson. He puts in so much work that none of us see just preparing the team and preparing the coaching staff to tackle any obstacle.”

On pitching coach Nate Yeskie on the LSU staff’s development of pitchers…

“Just like coach Johnson, he works day in and day out, so much time that nobody sees, just helping the pitching staff find out who they are as pitchers, and I think that’s the most important going forward, trying to figure out your identity as a pitcher. And he does a really good job of being really transparent with everybody.”

On Johnson’s recruiting pitch in the transfer portal…

“I just remember coach Johnson calling me. I was still waiting to wake up from my dream — didn’t really believe it until I talked to him on the phone. But he would just text me every day, sending me pictures of the pinstripe jerseys. That’s why I wore ’em honestly. Just telling me, ‘Friday night, carving dudes. What number do you want? 24? It’s yours.’ Just super persistent, and credit to him: He made it clear that this is the place to be.”

Chase Shores

On being on the mound to close out a national championship after returning this year from injury…

“It means everything. Being a part of that ’23 team was special, but just to play a part in this run in Omaha was a dream come true. And I wouldn’t trade it for the world, and I’m just super grateful to do it with teammates like Chris and Anthony.”

On what he was thinking coming into a tight situation in the seventh inning…

“I was just trying to take it one pitch at a time. I just kept thinking about my teammates. Just really wanted to get the job done for them, and I feel like when you try to do something for your teammates, it just takes the pressure off of you and allows me to just go in there and focus on the job.”

On how coach Johnson helps bring together a team with several newcomers…

“For sure, I’m super thankful for coach Johnson. I’ve really appreciated the past three years, and like Chris said, he’s the man. He outlines everything before every game and kind of just makes our job a lot easier because he says what’s gonna happen before the game, and we’ve just gotta go out there and execute.”

On pitching coach Nate Yeskie on the LSU staff’s development of pitchers…

“Coach Yeskie’s great. He holds us to a really high standard. He always says he’s coaching us for the player he thinks we’re gonna be, rather than the player we are right now. So, yeah, holding us to the higher standard just allows us to go out there and just work really hard and just do our job.”

On recruiting decision to decommit from Oklahoma State and sign with LSU…

“Pretty similar to Chris and Anthony, coach Johnson just made me feel wanted. He was really persistent in the way he was recruiting me. Same thing: ‘What number do you want? 34?’ And just kind of executing and telling me everything that was gonna happen in my freshman season, and it did happen. We won a national championship. And I think once you get to campus, he keeps recruiting you, because that’s just the coach he is. He’s a great coach, and I’m really thankful I ended up coming to LSU.”

Chris Stanfield

On being battle-tested during the season and knowing Sunday could still be a long game after early chaos…

“We’ve been tested all year. We’ve been through some ups and downs, and there’s no one I’d do it with besides this team. It’s been amazing. It starts at the top with coach Johnson and the staff and just keeping us ready and prepared day in and day out. When we went down 1-0, that’s really nothing for us, because we know the whole game’s ahead of us and we’ve got the best team.”

On how coach Johnson helps bring together a team with several newcomers…

“He’s the man. I say that all the time, but we come in and we know what our jobs are, and he lays it out for us and makes it very easy to understand. So for us to just go out there and be ourselves and play our game, that’s what LSU is.”

On the two-RBI single to take the lead in the fourth inning..

“I went up there with a clear mind. And, like Chase said earlier, I was just trying to do it for the guys. It was 1-1 at the time, and I knew if I came through, it would put us on top. And it was really just getting a good pitch and putting a good swing on it, like all year.”

On Johnson’s recruiting pitch in the transfer portal…

“In June, we were on the phone, and he told me, ‘Do you wanna come play for the best program in the country?’ And that was a no-brainer. But after that, just really belief and communication’s just really been the biggest. Just coming here, knowing the main goal, playing at LSU, there were already seven of ’em, so why not get another?”