The LSU baseball Tigers are two wins away from advancing to Omaha in the NCAA College World Series. Just a few weeks back on May 14, when the Tigers were riding a five game losing streak, competing for a national championship seemed impossible. Today, on June 3rd, it’s close to becoming a reality.
It’s almost comical how this baseball program just continues to prove the skeptics wrong almost year in and year out. The Tigers were ranked as the pre-season No. 1 team in the country, and then suffered agonizing, inexplicable defeats and frustrating injuries to key members of the pitching staff. That harsh reality opened the floodgates for Paul Mainieri and Purple & Gold doubters.
The pre-season No. 1 ranking turned into second guessing. Was this team over-valued or underachieving? I think now, in June, we have our answer. The Tigers are just two wins away from reaching Omaha and putting their guts on the line for LSU baseball’s 7th college championship.
Tiger baseball in March, April and most of May was frustrating to watch for a team with high billing. But, players who believed in themselves, a team that believed in itself and their coach remained steady in the storm of cynics. Short stop Josh Smith explained the surge of his LSU baseball team, “I think people forget we were the pre-season number one team in the country.” Yep, there’s a reason for that overwhelming confidence. The Tigers didn’t play like the No. 1 for most of the season, but they are now.
LSU will face Florida State in a best of three Super Regional this weekend at Alex Box Stadium. The Seminoles did the Tigers a favor by knocking off No. 4 seed Georgia in the regional, giving LSU a shot at home field advantage. FSU was considered a “legacy” selection to reach the NCAA tournament. Now they are considered dangerous. Manager Mike Martin is in his final season, and the Seminoles want to send him out with a trip to Omaha.
Now LSU looks to live up to a lofty pre-season ranking. What gives? We’ll find out before a sea of Purple & Gold believers at the Box.