ESPN announcer embarrassingly botches CWS home run call

The Oral Roberts Golden Eagles celebrate the win against the TCU Horned Frogs at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN announcer embarrassingly botches College World Series home run call

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated 6/16/23

As humans, we all make mistakes. However, as unfortunate as it might be, sometimes circumstances magnify our errors. Such was the case for longtime ESPN baseball commentator Karl Ravech on Thursday.

In the ninth inning of Oral Roberts' matchup with TCU in the men's College World Series, Ravech called a phantom walk-off live on the air for millions to hear.

OH MY BLAZE!!! #MCWS x ESPN / @ORUBaseball pic.twitter.com/Of6Z0KqbVG
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 16, 2023

"Walkoff home run for nine-hitter Blaze Brothers and Oral Roberts rallies and wins it — TCU, I should say, in a walk-off," Ravech said. "Top half, that's right, not bottom. Three run shot puts them on top when it felt like they were down and out, 6-5."

Unfortunately for Ravech, Brothers' ninth-inning long ball occurred in the top of the ninth, and while it did give Oral Roberts the lead, it did not end the game. The Golden Eagles, who entered the ninth trailing the Horned Frogs 5-2, still needed three outs in the bottom half for Ravech's call to come to fruition.

For what it's worth, Ravech owned up to the snafu later on social media.

"It was all on me," Ravech tweeted. "Come back and do it again tomorrow. My bad."

Ravech's call didn't damper the mood for Oral Roberts, who held on for a colossal 6-5 win. After snatching victory from the jaws of defeat, the Golden Eagles avoided suffering a loss in the double-elimination round. They will now look ahead to their next matchup, facing the winner of Florida and Virginia on Sunday.

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