1996 LSU Tigers baseball team

The 1996 LSU Tigers baseball team won the NCAA national championship in one of the most memorable College World Series games in history.

1996 LSU Tigers baseball
National Champions
SEC Champions
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
DivisionWest
1996 record52-15 (20-10 SEC)
Head coachSkip Bertman
Home stadiumAlex Box Stadium
1996 Southeastern Conference baseball standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW L PCT  W L PCT
Eastern Division
No. 3 Florida  x‍†‍‍ 20–10 .667  50–18 .735
No. 12 Tennessee  ‍‍‍ 18–12 .600  43–20 .683
Kentucky  ‍‍‍ 15–14 .517  35–24 .593
Vanderbilt  ‍‍‍ 14–16 .467  29–25 .537
South Carolina  ‍‍‍ 13–17 .433  25–28 .472
Georgia  ‍‍‍ 8–21 .276  24–30 .444
Western Division
No. 5 Alabama  x‍†‍‡‍ 20–10 .667  50–19 .725
No. 1 LSU  x‍†‍‍ 20–10 .667  52–15 .776
No. 27 Mississippi State  ‍‍‍ 17–13 .567  38–24 .613
Arkansas  ‍‍‍ 15–15 .500  39–20 .661
Auburn  ‍‍‍ 12–18 .400  32–24 .571
Ole Miss  ‍‍‍ 7–23 .233  24–30 .444
x – Division champion
† – Conference champion
‡ – Tournament champion
y – Invited to the NCAA Tournament
As of June 30, 1996[1]; Rankings from Collegiate Baseball

The Tigers, coached by Skip Bertman, had already established themselves as a premier college baseball program, having won two previous national championships in 1991 and 1993. The 1996 version built on this reputation by compiling a 52-15 record, including going 20-10 in the Southeastern Conference, winning the SEC championship as well.

Regular season

The Tigers regular season record was 43-13 with notable losses coming against conference rivals Alabama and a 3-game sweep at the hands of Florida.

SEC Tournament

LSU defeated Tennessee in the first game of the 1996 SEC Baseball Tournament but then lost to Florida (their fourth loss to them in as many games) and Kentucky and were eliminated.

NCAA Tournament Regional

LSU cruised through the regional round (hosted by LSU at Alex Box Stadium) of the NCAA Tournament defeating Austin Peay 9-3, UNLV 7-6, UNO 17-4 and Georgia Tech 29-13.

College World Series

The Tigers opened the College World Series by defeating Wichita State 9-8, the same team they beat in the championship games of 1991 and 1993. LSU then moved on to play conference rival Florida (who had beaten the Tigers in all four games played earlier in the season). LSU won 9-4. Florida then came back through the losers bracket to face LSU again. The Tigers won the second game 2-1 to move onto the championship game.

The championship game featured a match-up of two college baseball powers in LSU and Miami (Florida). Both teams had previously won 2 national championships (Miami: 1982 & 1985) and were vying for their third. Miami featured future major leaguers Alex Cora and Pat Burrell, who helped the Hurricanes to establish a 7-3 lead in the game. However, the Tigers would fight back to tie the game. Cora then reclaimed the lead for Miami with an RBI single and the Hurricanes then led 8-7 heading into the 9th inning.

With 2 outs and a runner on third base LSU only needed a base hit or a wild pitch to tie the game. An unlikely hero emerged from the LSU dugout in Warren Morris, who had been hurt most of the year. He stepped to the plate and faced pitcher Robbie Morrison. Morris swung on Morrison's first pitch and lined the ball just inches over the right field fence for a 2 out, game winning walk off home run. This was his first home run of the season.

Aftermath

Morris' home run would later win the 1997 Showstopper of the Year ESPY Award.[2]

The Tigers won their third national championship and would follow it up with three more in 1997, 2000 and 2009. Miami would recover and go on to win two more national championships as well in 1999 and 2001.

Schedule/Results
1996 LSU Tigers baseball game log
Post-Season
SEC Tournament
# Date Opponent Site/Stadium Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall Record SECT Record
57-TennesseeRegions Park3-1----44-131-0
58-FloridaRegions Park2-6----44-141-1
59-KentuckyRegions Park11-12----44-151-2
NCAA South II Regional (Baton Rouge, LA)
# Date Opponent Site/Stadium Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall Record NCAAT Record
60May 23Austin PeayAlex Box Stadium9-3----45-151-0
61May 24UNLVAlex Box Stadium7-6----46-152-0
62May 25University of New OrleansAlex Box Stadium17-4----47-153-0
63May 26Georgia TechAlex Box Stadium29-13----48-154-0
College World Series
# Date Opponent Site/Stadium Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall Record NCAAT Record
64June 1Wichita StateRosenblatt Stadium9-8----49-151-0
65June 3FloridaRosenblatt Stadium9-4----50-152-0
66June 6FloridaRosenblatt Stadium2-1----51-153-0
67June 8Miami (Florida)Rosenblatt Stadium9-8----52-154-0

Roster

[3]

Coaches
Name Position
Skip Bertman Head Coach
Mike Bianco Assistant Coach
Dan Canevari Administrative Assistant
Daniel Tomlin Volunteer Assistant Coach

Players
Name Position
T.J. Arnett RHP
Tom Bernhardt OF
Eric Berthelot LHP
John Blancher INF
Justin Bowles RF
Matt Colvin LHP
Patrick Coogan RHP
Chad Cooley LF
Casey Cuntz INF
Brian Daugherty RHP
Chris Demouy LHP
Nathan Dunn 3B
Jake Esteves RHP
Eddy Furniss 1B
Dan Guillory RHP
Jeff Harris RHP
James Hemphill OF
Conan Horton C
Sonny Knoll RHP
Mike Koerner CF
Tim Lanier C
Brett Laxton RHP
Antonio Leonardi-Cattolica RHP
Trey McClure INF
Jeramie Moore 1B
Warren Morris 2B
Joey Painich RHP
Keith Polozola INF
Kevin Shipp RHP
Bill Bridges RHP
Kevin Ward C
Jason Williams SS
Brad Wilson DH
Jeremy Witten OF
Eddie Yarnall LHP

References
  1. "College Baseball Conference Standings -- 1996". Boydsworld.com. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
  2. ESPY Past Winners
  3. Jim Schwanke Assistant Coach
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