13 conference wins proved to be enough for LSU to qualify for the NCAA baseball tournament. The selection committee is sending the Tigers to Oregon for regional play. In the Oregon regional the Ducks are the No.1 seed, Gonzaga sits at No. 2, LSU comes in third, and the No. 4 seed is Central Connecticut State.
LSU will face No. 2 seed Gonzaga Friday night at 9pm. The regional is a double elimination format. The Bulldogs of Gonzaga had a really good shot at being a host site, after going 33-17 in the regular season and 20-7 in conference play. Gonzaga's signature win this season came in March, when they knocked out TCU in two out of three games. The TCU Horned Frogs are the No. 6 national seed in this tournament.
After announcing his retirement Friday, LSU skipper Paul Mainieiri will get one last lap around the post-season. Mainieiri led the LSU Baseball Tigers to to 12 NCAA baseball tournament appearances in 15 seasons. Perhaps now Mainieiri and his Tigers can write their own version of the "Last Dance.”
Is this a winnable regional for the Tigers? “I think this is a good regional. If LSU gets out of this regional, they get a chance to avenge a series loss against Tennessee,” said the Cajun Cannon Bobby Hebert. LSU wasn't even on the bubble to qualify for this tournament. Alabama, Michigan, North Carolina, and UC Santa Barbara were the last four teams to qualify.
The Tigers have proven in a few spots this year, they are better on the road than in the friendly confines of Alex Box Stadium. Maybe, just maybe the team will be inspired by Coach Mainieri's retirement and go on an historical run. None the less, LSU's season continues Friday night in Eugene, Oregon against Gonzaga at 9pm.