Peaking at the Perfect Time: LSU baseball enters NCAAs on fire

Ursin Anthony Champagne
May 26, 2014
What a difference a little momentum can make in sports
May 28, 2014
Ursin Anthony Champagne
May 26, 2014
What a difference a little momentum can make in sports
May 28, 2014

The SEC Tournament is annually one of the toughest and most competitive weekends in the college baseball season.

But this year’s event lacked drama from the beginning. The 2014 tournament was all about LSU.

The Tigers steamrolled the competition to take home this year’s title, winning four-straight games with a combined margin of 31-4 throughout the way.


Two of the wins came via run-rule – a rarity in the parity-clad 12-team event. The championship game was close – a showdown between the No. 3 Tigers and No. 1 Florida.

But when it was all said and done, LSU hustled the regular season champions by a 2-0 margin to earn their second-straight title and their fifth SEC title in the past seven seasons.

The only blow offensively in the win was a two-run home run by Sean McMullen in the top of the eighth inning.


But the big story was LSU’s pitching staff, led by unheralded starting pitcher Alden Cartwright. The Tigers limited the Gators to just two hits in the game – a total turnaround from the regular season when Florida swept the Tigers and scored 19 runs in the three-game series.

“This is another thrilling SEC Tournament Championship – I can tell you it never gets old,” LSU baseball coach Paul Mainieri said. “We just love coming to Hoover. From the hotel, the police escorts, the beautiful ballpark, it is a well-run tournament. … Our players just love it here. They play great. It brings out the best in us.”

For LSU, the run through the tournament was pretty easy – one shellacking after another en route to the finals.


The Tigers opened the tournament on Wednesday morning with a routine 11-1 beatdown over Vanderbilt – a game called off after seven innings because of the conference’s 10-run mercy rule.

Outfielder Mark Laird and shortstop Alex Bregman powered the Tigers offensively in the win, going 6-of-8 with 7 RBI against the Commodores.

Their output alone was easily enough to secure the win, as true freshman starting pitcher Jared Poche’ spun a gem for the Tigers. The lefty fireball pitcher limited Vanderbilt to one run and five hits in the win to improve to 9-3 on the season.


“I think we came with the approach of getting on base and putting together quality at-bats,” Bregman said following the win. “I think we let the ball travel a lot more than the first time (the teams met in the season). I think everyone else stuck with the same approach.”

Just 24 hours after beating the Commodores, LSU moved into the Semifinals after a comfortable 7-2 victory over Arkansas.

Catcher Tyler Moore was the offensive thumper for the Tigers against the Razorbacks, going 3-for-4 with 2 RBI.


Moore’s offense alone was almost enough to beat the Razorbacks, as dominant starting pitcher Aaron Nola beat the Hogs, allowing just two runs in seven and one-third innings of work.

After a day to rest, LSU beat Arkansas again in the Semifinals, this time in convincing fashion – an 11-1 run-rule game that was called after eight innings.

Moore and fellow slugger Kade Scivicque powered the Tigers past the Razorbacks in the second meeting, each plating a 3-RBI day to protect pitcher Kyle Bouman who earned the win. Bouman pitched six innings and allowed just two hits in the sparkling outing that likely solidified him as the team’s No. 3 starter in the postseason.


Bouman’s performance set the stage for the showdown with Florida and the team’s title – the icing on the cake for an eight-game winning streak the team will take into the NCAA Tournament as arguably the hottest team in the country.

TIGERS NAMED AS NCAA REGIONAL HOST SITE

Of course, LSU already knows that they will be beginning their journey in the NCAA Tournament from the comforts of home.


The Tigers were named as a Regional Host Site late Sunday afternoon – one of 16 total teams honored with the ability to host the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament.

LSU’s position as a regional host was up in the air before the SEC Tournament, but the team powered its way into the spot with the dominant weekend. They rose up the charts so far that LSU was named the No. 8 overall seed by the selection committee.

In the Baton Rouge Regional, LSU will compete in a four-team, double-elimination tournament with No. 2 Houston, No. 3 Bryant and No. 4 Southeastern Louisiana.


If LSU gets past the Baton Rouge Regional, they are paired with the Houston Regional for the next round of play. Competing in that tournament is No. 1 Rice, No. 2 Texas, No. 3 Texas A&M and No. 4 George Mason.

If LSU advances through their Regional, they will host a Super Regional regardless of who comes out of the Houston Regional.

Also of local interest, UL-Lafayette was named the No. 6 overall seed. The Cajuns will compete with No. 2 Mississippi State, No. 3 San Diego State and No. 4 Jackson State.


The LSU baseball team swarms after Sean McMullen cranked a two-run home run in the eighth inning of Sunday afternoon’s SEC Championship Game between the Tigers and No. 1 Florida. The Tigers swept through the conference tournament and elevated themselves all the way to the No. 8 National Seed. LSU will host the Baton Rouge Regional this weekend and will tangle with No. 2 Houston, No. 3 Bryant and No. 4 Southeastern Louisiana. If successful, LSU will host the winner of the Houston Regional hosted by Rice. 

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