The LSU Tigers, who finished the season and SEC Tournament with 23 consecutive wins, trailed UC-Irvine 7-4 in the ninth inning. If the Tigers lost, their season was over and the Anteaters were headed to Omaha for the second straight season, a place in college baseball who usually holds an open invitation to the Tigers each year.
Also on the table was the last game at Alex Box Stadium, one of the largest ballparks in the nation, and one of the most intimidating for opposing teams and fans. For the teams who had to walk out of the visitors locker room tunnel, and the first thing they see is the right field wall with all the Tigers national championships, this rite of passage was reserved for LSU tonight. In the Super Regionals, teams swap dugouts between the first and second game, so the Tigers had a constant reminder in front of them what they had accomplished in the past.
Like something out of a mythical movie, the Tigers went right to work. They had trailed 7-2, but a solo home run Jared Mitchell cut the deficit to 7-3. Another run scored and they were still in a tough position.
Walks, timely hits and a little help from the gods of Omaha and the Tigers pulled within one on a double to left field.
It was hero time, and who better to call on than Blake Dean. The sweet-swing of the left-handed hitting sophomore drilled a ball through the right side to give the Tigers the lead 8-7. Some young men were born heroes, as long as Dean is in Baton Rouge, he'll be one of them. Just two weeks earlier, Dean hit a walk-off home run in the 10th inning of the opening SEC Tournament game against South Carolina to culminate a five-run comeback.
The Tigers held on to win and force a third game. This time there would be no mistake. The Anteaters had their chance, but an experienced team in their home environment with Omaha on the table, was too much for them.
LSU pounced on UC-Irvine for six runs in the first inning. Before you knew it, the score was 16-2 late in the game. The final tally looked more like a football score as LSU won 21-7 and punched their ticket in the best way possible to close down Alex Box Stadium. Dean was 5-for-5 with a home run, three runs and three RBI to lead the 24-hit attack by the Tigers.
The only casualty in the game came when Leon Landry was in pursuit of a fly ball to centerfield. He jumped up to catch the ball off the wall, and boy did he ever catch it! It ricocheted off the hard outfield wall at Alex Box Stadium and caught him right in the face as he turned to look. He left with a shiner that made you wonder if he just got through a 12-round heavyweight fight. I'm sure he'll be ready for Omaha next week.
It's been awhile since LSU was in Omaha. They even missed the NCAA Tournament all together last year.
The fact is, the Tigers deserved to be there. They won 23 games in a row to finish the season. They have an upstart explosive offense and some solid pitching. Let's not forget, the Tigers were so common in Omaha that in 2001 a restaurant already had their logo painted on the window, but had to make some last minute adjustments when Tulane shot out of the New Orleans Super Regional. LSU is expected, just like Miami, Stanford and Florida State.
This field could make up one of the best ever in Omaha. I'd watch just to see those four teams. Granted, Frenso State, Rice, Georgia and the NCAA runner-up of the last two years North Carolina, will be there too, but there's something in the air in what could be the last season at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha. The site of the holy land of college baseball.
I wouldn't want it any other way!
June 14th, we're BACK HOME IN OMAHA!
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