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The already-stuffed trophy case in the LSU baseball facility got even more crowded this past weekend.
The Tigers have again won the Southeastern Conference Championship.
LSU earned its 16th-ever SEC title this past weekend when it beat South Carolina twice in three games to hold off its challengers in the standings.
The series victory finishes LSU’s regular season with a sparkling 46-9 record and a 21-8 mark in SEC games. That league play dominance outlasted Texas A&M and Vanderbilt, who entered the weekend with a slim chance at nipping the Tigers for the title, which is the third such championship of LSU coach Paul Mainieri’s career.
“Winning the SEC Championship is a tremendous accomplishment, and I’m extremely proud of the way this team has performed all season,” Mainieri said. “We’ve had a remarkable regular season and we’ve reached two of our goals-a division title and an overall conference title.”
Now the Tigers will begin the quest to accomplish its final goals-winning in the postseason and bringing home the College World Series.
By winning the SEC Championship, the Tigers will be the No. 1-seed in this week’s SEC Tournament, which will take place throughout the week in Hoover, Alabama.
But win, lose or draw in Hoover, LSU has done enough work to be a National Seed when the NCAA Tournament begins next weekend-the event that starts the road to the College World Series.
The reason for LSU’s dominance this year has been pretty simple-an offensive explosion. The Tigers have scored more than seven runs per game this season, scoring 395 times in 55 games this season.
The LSU batting lineup is lethal with eight of the nine regular offensive players hitting above .300 on the season. The leader of it all is junior shortstop Alex Bregman, who is hitting .329 with nine home runs and 44 RBI on the season with 34 total extra base hits.
But for as great as Bregman is, he’s just fifth on the LSU team in average, training Chris Chinea (.374), Kade Scivicque (.363), Andrew Stevenson (.360) and Conner Hale (.353).
LSU is blessed with power throughout, having his 46 home runs on the year. But for a powerful lineup, the team also owns speed. The Tigers have swiped 104 bags this season.
“We can beat a team a lot of different ways,” Bregman said earlier this season. “Top-to-bottom, we have players who are capable of getting on base, hitting for power and sacrificing when called upon to do so.”
On the mound, LSU isn’t deep, but it is incredibly talented at the top. True freshman pitcher Alex Lange is the Tigers’ ace, owning a glistening 10-0 record with a 2.11 ERA on the season. Sophomore Jared Poche’ is LSU’s other top starter, but he’s scuffled a bit down the stretch, including in Thursday’s loss to South Carolina when he blew a 6-2 lead.
LSU will begin its SEC Tournament conquests today and will square off against a club who will have already played a game. The Tigers will take on the winner of No. 8 Kentucky and No. 9 Auburn-a game played yesterday afternoon.
Today’s game begins at 4:30 p.m., and will be televised on the SEC Network. If LSU wins, it would play again Thursday at 4:30 p.m. on the SEC Network against the winner between No. 4 Florida and either No. 5 Arkansas or No. 12 Tennessee.
Postseason baseball is here, and that’s usually the time LSU shines brightest.
NICHOLLS HEADING TO SLCTOURNEY WITH BIG GOALS
While LSU heads to Hoover knowing that it is a sure-fire lock to reach the NCAA Tournament, Nicholls will play its conference tournament knowing that it’s a win or go home scenario.
Rain washed out a lot of Nicholls’ plans this past weekend, allowing the team to only play a little more than a game and a half against rival Northwestern.
Nicholls was shut out of the opening game Thursday night, falling 7-0 to the Demons, who entered play near the top of the Southland standings. After a washout on Friday, the Colonels were scheduled to play a double-header on Saturday, but sloppy field conditions only allowed six innings of play between the teams.
At the time that play was stopped, the Colonels were ahead 1-0. By rule, because more than half of the game was completed, it was ruled a Colonels’ victory.
The win finishes a second-straight 30-win season for the Colonels, who continue to climb under coach Seth Thibodeaux. After going 32-26 last season, Nicholls scored even higher marks in 2015, entering the Southland Conference Tournament with a 34-17-1 record.
Nicholls is the No. 3 seed in the SLC, and will open play this morning at 9 a.m. against No. 6 Central Arkansas.
The Colonels most-likely have to win the SLC Tournament to reach postseason play. If they do, it will probably be pitching that will carry them there.
Nicholls has a dominant 2.41 team ERA-a mark that is one of the best in the country.
Ace pitcher Justin Sinibaldi has been phenomenal this season, posting a 10-1 record in 12 starts, including a 1.40 ERA. Grant Borne has been just as good, going 6-4 with a 1.49 ERA.
If Nicholls enters the late stages of the game with a lead, the ballgame is just about over. Colonels closer Stuart Holmes has been automatic this season, recording 15 saves in 25 appearances with a 1.19 ERA.
All of Nicholls’ SLC Tournament games will be televised online at ESPN3.
LSU baseball standout Alex Bregman dives Into first base during a game this season. Bregman Is one of the offensive brlghtspots for the Tigers this season-the regular season Southeastern Conference Champions.
