LSU entered the SEC Tournament knowing they needed to win one more game to solidify a spot in the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers did more than just solidify a spot, they will end up as a two-seed in someone's four-team NCAA Regional.
The Tigers as a 11-seed, nearly won the 12-team SEC tournament. But came up a little short in the title game, falling to Tennessee four to three.
LSU played five games in six days and they are now five wins away from returning to the College World Series. Such a thought would have been unthinkable, when this team was 3-and-12 in the SEC.
But Coach Jay Johnson kept telling his team to keep believing and now this team has a feeling they can't lose.
They rallied back from an eight to nothing deficit on Saturday to stun South
Carolina in extra innings, and nearly mounted a three-run rally in the ninth inning to beat Tennessee on Sunday.
Johnson finally has settled into a line-up, starting with Michael Braswell in the
lead-off spot. Braswell was one of four LSU position players to make the All-SEC Tournament team.
Tommy White, Hayden Travinski and Steven Milam are the other three.
LSU's starting pitcher on Wednesday against Kentucky, Luke Holman, also made the team.
The Tigers will be difficult to beat in a Regional because of their top two starting pitchers, Holman and Gage Jump.
Nate Ackenhausen showed in the SEC Title game that you can count on him as a potential game three starter as he threw 2.2 innings of shutout baseball against the Volunteers and struck out six.
It seems like LSU also has more options out of the bullpen. Griffin Herring has
been a guy you can always count on, but Will Hellmers had two nice outings
during the tournament and Thatcher Hurd showed flashes he can be dominant, at least for an inning or two.
But Christian Little had to leave his outing early on Sunday because of a lat injury.
Johnson doesn't know the extent of the injury, and he would be a big loss if he can't pitch this weekend.
But the biggest thing gained from a weeklong stay in Hoover is the LSU baseball team's swagger has returned.
Johnson has said this is one of the most talented teams in the country, now the players believe it and the fans believe it.
The Regional pairings will be unveiled Monday at 11 AM. But we already know the Regional sites. LSU can not be sent to another SEC School, so here are the possible locations for the Tigers.
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Charlottesville, Viriginia
Clemson, South Carolina.
Greenville, East Carolina.
Norman, Oklahoma,
Raleigh, North Carolina.
Santa Barbara, California.
Stillwater, Oklahoma
Tallathassee, Florida
Tuscon, Arizona.