In front of a record crowd of 7,492 at Alex Box Stadium onSunday, the LSU baseball team posted 19 hits and 20 runs to earn aspot in the College World Series in Omaha, Neb., for the first timein three years.
The Tigers lost Friday to the Bears, 4-1, and pulled out a tight6-5 victory Saturday to force the rubber match, which resulted in a20-5 rout for LSU.
“Three years, it’s exciting,” said Southeastern ConferencePlayer of the Year, Aaron Hill. “I’m really at a loss forwords.”
Tigers head coach Smoke Laval said he was surprised by theteam’s strong offensive play.
“I didn’t think we had that much power,” Laval said.
Laval said he kept the team in the locker room during Baylor’sbatting practice to keep them from getting intimidated by theamount of homers the Bears hit.
However, it was the Tigers with the strong performance at theplate, forcing Baylor to change pitchers five times.
LSU freshman starter Justin Meier gave up three runs in thefirst inning–including two home runs.
He settled down in the second and finished with a complete game.Meier gave up five runs on twelve hits.
“That three-run first inning was pretty frustrating,” Meiersaid. “I am pretty sure it was frustrating for the whole teamseeing that.”
Yet, the Tigers answered Baylor’s initial three runs with a JonZeringue three-run homer in the second.
Clay Harris’ grand slam in the sixth inning changed the momentumand pulled the Tigers’ lead to seven.
“I got fortunate,” said Harris. “The swing before that, I poppedit up and the wind blew it around and the first baseman missed it.When you get a second chance, you want to do something withit.”
Ryan Patterson followed with a home run, adding to the 11 runsthe Tigers scored in the sixth inning.
None of the current LSU players have ever played at the CollegeWorld Series and all were elated as they made their victory laparound the Box.
“I’m just kind of in shock, just being with these guys andremembering the fall and all the hard work we’ve been through,everything the team’s been through,” Hill said. “This is awesome. Ican’t wait untill next week.”
Hill, who was the 13th pick in the Major League Baseball draftby the Toronto Blue Jays, received a standing ovation from thecrowd in the ninth inning for what was possibly his last appearanceat Alex Box. Hill finished the game with an RBI single and anappreciative wave to the crowd from first base.
“It just shows how grateful we are to the fans and how much theymean to this ballclub,” Hill said. “They’re there for us everygame.”
Hill also attributed the win to the late Tiger third basemanWally Pontiff, who passed away last summer.
“I think every game we’ve gone out there and said a prayer andeverybody touched his number [on the centerfield wall],” Hill said.”He’s been with us all weekend too. I think he’s helped us withthree [Baylor] balls that should have been out the park. He’s goingto be with us in Omaha. Everyone knows his presence is there.”
Indeed, Baylor seemed unable to get outs during the long ninthinning while the crowed chanted Wally’s name.
Louisiana natives Harris and Zeringue said LSU’s history at theCollege World Series was a huge factor in their decision to attendLSU.
“You watch LSU in your living room when you’re little,” Harrissaid. “You watch Warren Morris hit his home run. That’s whyeverybody comes to LSU, for the chance to go to Omaha.”
The Tigers will try to repeat the 2000 performance that endedwith an LSU national championship. The Tigers won the nationalchampionship five times in ten years: 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997 and2000.
Laval was an assistant coach for the Tigers in ’93 under formerhead coach and current athletics director Skip Bertman and said hestill remembers his trip vividly.
“The sights, the sounds, the smells are all too familiar,” Lavalsaid, borrowing from Bertman.
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