by
Josh Reinhart, EIU Public Information
CHARLESTON, IL (10/28/2025) In a game that felt like it might never end, former Eastern Illinois University ace Will Klein turned a World Series marathon into his personal masterpiece.
Game 3 between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays stretched to 18 innings and six hours and thirty-nine minutes - tying the longest game by innings in World Series history. Amid the exhaustion and pressure of the sport's biggest stage, Klein became an unexpected hero who kept Los Angeles alive long enough for Freddie Freeman to walk it off with a home run that will echo through October lore.
Klein brings main character energy to an 18-inning classic
When the Dodgers' bullpen was running on fumes and starters were long gone, Klein - a relative newcomer with only one inning of postseason experience just three days earlier in Toronto - took the mound, silencing one of baseball's most dangerous lineups. Across four scoreless innings, he allowed just one hit, struck out five, and threw a career-high 72 pitches, showcasing durability and composure under the heaviest pressure imaginable.
In a dugout full of All-Stars like Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Clayton Kershaw, it was the unheralded right-hander from EIU who stole the spotlight.
Klein's breakout moment didn't emerge out of the left field-the raw tools and competitive grit were visible long before he ever donned Dodger blue. At Eastern Illinois University, Klein steadily evolved from a developing freshman to one of the most electric arms in the Ohio Valley Conference. At EIU, he built a resume that hinted at greatness:
2020 (Junior): Started all four games before the season's abrupt end, throwing 24.1 innings and striking out 33 batters - ranking third in the OVC and among the nation's top 60. His 3.33 ERA and blistering high-90s fastball made him the Panthers' strikeout leader by a wide margin.
2019 (Sophomore): Worked 24.2 innings, fanning 34 hitters while earning another OVC Medal of Honor.
2018 (Freshman): Made 14 appearances, collecting 28 strikeouts and his first collegiate win.
By the time the Kansas City Royals selected him in the 5th round (135th overall) of the 2020 MLB Draft, EIU coaches already knew he had the kind of arm and mindset that could handle big-league pressure.
It wasn't just his performance that stood out; it was the narrative. The EIU kid who led the Panthers through cold spring afternoons in the OVC stood toe-to-toe with the world's best hitters, helping decide a World Series game that will live in baseball history.
As the Dodgers celebrated Freeman's walk-off blast deep into the Los Angeles night, Klein stood quietly near the dugout rail - a former Panther now etched in the elite annals of World Series heroes, and baseball history.
Game 4 of the 2025 World Series takes place tonight, beginning at 7 p.m. on FOX.
