After losing to Coastal Carolina on a walk-off single in the Super Regionals last year, the Tigers are back.
“I’ve been preparing for this since Coastal Carolina walked-off and dog-piled on my position,” said senior shortstop Kramer Robertson in a press conference following LSU’s 5-0 victory over Rice on Sunday. “I’ve been preparing for this since that day.”
That day is almost here for Robertson and the Tigers, but it may not have happened without LSU’s jaw-dropping late season run from April 27 to now. The Tigers have accumulated 19 wins and only two losses since, and are currently riding a 14-game win streak.
In the 19 victories, LSU is outscoring its opponents by an average score of 8-3. The Tigers have seen a plethora of standout performances from unexpected players, whether it was clutch hitting from the bottom of the lineup or key pitching from the bullpen.
“We are putting it all together at the right time,” Robertson said. “At certain times this year we have pitched well, but have not hit as well or vice versa. Right now we are playing with a lot of confidence, and we are a very motivated team now that the postseason is here. We don’t want to feel like we felt last year.”
In this year’s Super Regional, the Tigers will be seeing a familiar opponent, and a very familiar coach, when they take the field against Southeastern Conference foe Mississippi State and Andy Cannizaro.
Cannizaro returns to Alex Box for the first time as an opposing coach after spending the previous three years as LSU’s hitting coach. Cannizaro left LSU in November to become the head coach of the Bulldogs after former head coach John Cohen stepped down to become Mississippi State’s Athletic Director.
“I know [Cannizaro] is excited,” senior second baseman Cole Freeman said, “We are excited to show him how much better we have gotten over the last two weeks.”
Freeman said he still remains close with his former hitting coach, but their relationship won’t affect his in-game performance.
“I’m going out there trying to impress him and get a hit every time. Just wanting to beat him, and show him how much better I have gotten since he left. It’s going to be fun.”
The Tigers and the Bulldogs met on the last weekend of conference play three weeks prior to this weekend’s matchup with the SEC West on the line in Starkville. LSU wound up sweeping Mississippi State, and won the SEC West along with a share of the overall SEC regular season championship.
LSU coach Paul Mainieri said he plans on approaching the Super Regional matchup the same as he did for the weekend series against Mississippi State.
“It’s really like a weekend series,” Mainieri said. “The only difference is if you lose the first two games you don’t get Sunday to win one.”
Unlike previous weekends Mainieri said he will not reveal the starting pitcher until he has to.
“Two SEC teams going head-to-head especially Mississippi State coming here for a chance to go to Omaha, you can’t get any better than that,” junior outfielder Greg Deichmann said.
