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Written by Ken Trahan, President--NewOrleans.Com/Sports | Monday, 08 June 2009 07:16 | LSU News
• CWS pairings and times announcedO' Connor worked with Mainieri from 1995-2003 at Notre Dame. To say that they know each other well would be an understatement. While paired, Mainieri and O' Connor led the Fighting Irish to the College World Series in 2002. Additionally, LSU third base coach Javi Sanchez knows O' Connor well, having played for Mainieri and O' Connor at Notre Dame. O' Connor pitched in the College World Series at Rosenblatt Stadium with Creighton in 1991.
While Cal-State Fullerton cruised to Omaha and LSU has been spotless in the NCAA tournament, along with Southern Mississippi, no team has been as impressive in overcoming odds as Virginia.
The Cavaliers had to travel cross-country to win the toughest regional in the nation, winning against host Cal-Irvine. In their first game, they handed the nation's top pitcher, Stephen Strasburg, his first loss of the season. Then, it was on to Oxford to face a very good Ole Miss team.
After falling in a heartbreaking 12-inning opener to the Rebels, Virginia came from behind to win on Saturday to win 4-3 and then won 5-1 Sunday to earn its first-ever trip to Omaha. Suffice it to say that O' Connor has built a superb program in a short period of time.
At 48-13-1, the Cavaliers have established a school record for victories in a season. Virginia has excelled in a power league, the ACC. Their pitching is superb, setting a school record with 567 strikeouts in a single season. Of course, LSU pitchers have fanned 628 opposing hitters this season. The Wahoos have done it with pitching, defense and speed much like LSU has. Chalk it up to the similar philosophies of teacher and pupil. The Cavaliers stole 12 bases in the three-game series at Ole Miss.
Junior left-hander Matt Packer pitched in all three games of the series in a gutsy effort. Freshman third baseman Steven Proscia had three hits, stole two bases and drove in a run in yesterday's clincher while freshman designated hitter/catcher John Hicks had two hits, scored a run and drove in a run. Junior catcher Franco Valdes carries a 12-game hitting streak into the College World Series. Virginia has wins over NCAA teams Florida State, Miami, North Carolina, Georgia Tech, Boston College, Clemson, UC-Irvine, San Diego State and Ole Miss as part of an impressive resume.
Sophomore right fielder Dan Grovatt leads the Cavs in hitting at .365 with seven home runs and 50 RBI. Sophomore center fielder Jarrett Parker is hitting .364 with 16 home runs and 65 RBI. Proscia is hitting .332 with nine home runs and 57 RBI. Hicks is at .305 with seven home runs and 37 RBI. Valdes is a .288 hitter with five home runs and 41 RBI.
On the mound, freshman left-hander Danny Hultzen leads the way with a 9-1 record and a 2.09 earned run average with 95 strikeouts in 86 innings pitched. Sophomore Tyler Wilson is 9-3 with a 2.73 ERA and a save and won the clincher at Oxford. Senior Andrew Carraway is 8-1 with a 4.13 ERA. Sophomore Robert Morey is 3-0 with a 3.11 ERA and has 83 strikeouts in 63.2 innings. Sophomore closer Kevin Arico is 2-3 with a 2.06 ERA and 11 saves. Packer is 3-4 with a 3.95 ERA and three saves.
By comparison, Virginia is hitting .327 with 55 home runs, 492 runs scored and 116 stolen bases with an impressive 3.14 ERA. LSU is hitting .315 with 94 home runs, 524 runs scored and 111 stolen bases with a 3.99 ERA. Statistically, the speed, hitting and pitching are comparable with a very slight edge to Virginia. LSU's power is superior.
While Virginia is making its first trip to Omaha, LSU is making its 15th trip and its second in as many years under Mainieri. 18 players from last year's College World Series team are back for the Tigers. Give the experience edge to LSU.
The game is set for Saturday at either 1 p.m. or 6 p.m. at Rosenblatt Stadium. LSU and Virginia are paired with Cal-State Fullerton and Arkansas. LSU would have preferred to have an SEC opponent on the other side of the bracket. The Titans of Fullerton may be playing the best baseball of any team in the nation and will be tough.
On the other hand, LSU showed why it will be a very tough out in Omaha this past weekend. On Friday, the Tigers showed their hitting ability, overcoming a 4-1 deficit to bash Rice pitchers around in a 12-9 win. They showed they could hit left-handed pitching, with Ryan Schimpf and Blake Dean nailing Taylor Wall. They showed they could overcome shoddy defense (4 errors Friday). They showed they can play defense, with D. J. LeMahieu making two superb plays, Austin Nola overcoming a throwing error Friday to play flawless at shortstop, Micah Gibbs stopping the Rice running attack with his strong arm and Mikie Mahtook making a highlight-reel catch on Friday.
Of course, more than anything else, LSU displayed the biggest reason for high hopes of winning a sixth national championship--pitching. Anthony Ranaudo, Louis Coleman and Matty Ott are as good a combination of starters and a closer as there is in the country. If LSU can stay in the winner's bracket, that edge should manifest itself. Of course, that will require the teacher schooling the pupil. LSU fans are hoping Mainieri has withheld some secrets from his student.
