The LSU baseball team has been tabbed as the second-best team in the nation heading into the 2010 season, the LSU Athletic Department announced Monday in a news release.
LSU ranked No. 2 in Collegiate Baseball’s preseason poll behind No. 1 Texas. The Tigers beat the Longhorns in the College World Series finals this past June to win the 2009 national championship.
Virginia, Cal State Fullerton and Arizona State, all 2009 CWS participants, round out the top five.
Six other Southeastern Conference teams join LSU in the preseason poll — No. 9 Florida, No. 22 Ole Miss, No. 23 Arkansas, No. 28 South Carolina, No. 31 Georgia and No. 32 Vanderbilt. LSU won the SEC regular-season and tournament titles last season in addition to the national title.
LSU junior pitcher Anthony Ranaudo was also named Collegiate Baseball’s preseason National Player of the Year as well as a first-team All-American. Ranaudo posted a 12-3 mark and a 3.04 ERA as the Tigers’ Friday night starter and finished No. 3 in the nation with 159 strikeouts.
Joining Ranaudo on the All-American squad are senior first baseman/outfielder Blake Dean, sophomore pitcher Matty Ott and junior catcher Micah Gibbs. All three of those players were named to the Second Team.
LSU opens the season Feb. 19 when it hosts Centenary in Alex Box Stadium.
 
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