OHAMA, Neb. — Neither team has lost on the second Saturday at Rosenblatt Stadium. This time, something has to give as No. 2 LSU and No. 1 Stanford square off for the National Championship at the 2000 College World Series on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
The game will be nationally televised on CBS. The Internet broadcast and pregame show with Jim Hawthorne and Bill Franques can be heard live starting at 1:15 p.m.
right here on LSUsports.net.
LSU (51-17) was the “Team of the Decade” in the ’90s, winning four national championships including two of the past four. Stanford (50-15) dominated college baseball in the late ’80s by winning the College World Series in both 1987 (9-5 over Oklahoma State) and 1988 (9-4 over Arizona State).
For the fifth time in school history, LSU has entered the national championship game undefeated. In both of Stanford’s title runs, the Cardinal came out of the loser’s bracket and won five CWS games to take the championship.
The two teams have a very short but storied rivalry, as LSU defeated Stanford in two of the three meetings.
In 1997, the Tigers knocked Stanford out of the CWS with consecutive victories, 10-5 and 13-9, on its way to its fourth national championship. In the first game, Patrick Coogan pitched 7 1/3 innings and allowed only three earned runs to improve to 14-3 on the season. In the bracket final, Mike Koerner hit two homers and drove in five runs while seven Tiger pitchers held off the Cardinal and Coogan closed out the game to pick up his third save.
LSU senior Blair Barbier, a freshman in 1997, went 2-for-7 with two runs scored and two RBI in two games against against the Cardinal. Jeremy Witten and Brad Cresse are the only other Tigers on the 2000 squad to play against Stanford in the 1997 CWS. Each went 0-for-1 in relief appearances.
In 1988, Stanford’s lone win in the series between the schools was described by the 2000 LSU Baseball Media Guide as “perhaps the most heart-wrenching episode in the annals of LSU Baseball.”
After breaking a 2-2 tie in the top of the ninth with three runs, LSU looked to advance to the bracket final against Texas. However, Tiger relievers loaded the bases with one out. Freshman Ben McDonald then allowed Stanford’s Paul Carey to lift a fly ball into the Rosenblatt winds and over the left field fence for a grand slam and a 6-5 win.
More than 12 years later, the two teams meet again for the national championship with their pitching aces on the mound.
LSU junior lefthander Brian Tallet (15-3) faces Stanford’s righthander Justin Wayne (15-3) or Jason Young (9-1) in a game that features the nation’s top two teams in both polls.
Wayne set the school’s single season record for victories after beating Clemson, 10-4, on Sunday. He ranks among the school’s Top 10 in strikeouts (356, 2nd), winning percentage (31-4, .886, 3rd), victories (31-4, 5th), innings pitched (338.1, 6th) and strikeouts per nine innigns (9.47, 7th). He has posted a 3-0 record with two complete games in 2000 postseason play.
In six career postseason starts, Wayne has a 5-0 record with a 3.71 ERA. He has given up only three earned runs in his past 19 2/3 innings pitched over his past three starts.
Young, the starter of the Cardinal’s first game of the CWS, is 2-1 in postseason play this season and 5-1 in his career with four complete games and a 3.38 ERA in seven starts. He has won 15 of his past 16 decisions.
LSU defeated Florida State Thursday evening, 6-3, with three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Stanford advanced to the title game by beating Louisiana-Lafeyette, 19-9, after trailing 6-0 early in the game.
|
TALE OF THE TAPE |
||
|
|
LSU |
Stanford |
|
Record |
51-17 |
50-15 |
|
Ranking |
No. 2 (BB America) |
No. 1 (BB America) |
|
Winning Streak |
12 |
5 |
|
Last Loss |
5/14 vs. Alabama (14-0) |
6/2 vs. Nebraska (7-2) |
|
Last game |
6-3 over Florida St. |
19-9 over ULL |
|
2000 CWS Rec. |
3-0 |
3-0 |
|
2000 NCAA Rec. |
8-0 |
8-2 |
|
NCAA Appearances |
16 |
20 |
|
All-time NCAA Rec. |
85-28 (.752) |
87-45 (.659) |
|
Team Batting Ave. |
.341 (856 of 2512) |
.310 (713 of 2301) |
|
Team ERA |
4.42 (300 ER – 612.2 IP) |
3.91 (253 ER – 582 IP) |
|
Starter |
Justin Wayne or |
|
|
Starter’s stats |
15-3, 3.32 ERA, 138.1 IP |
15-3, 3.04, 139 IP |
|
Top Reliever |
Jeff Bruksch |
|
|
Reliever’s stats |
1-2, 2.68, 7 Saves |
4-4, 3.16, 13 Saves |
|
BA Leader |
Brad Cresse (.389) |
Chris O’Riordan (.365) |
|
HR Leader |
Brad Cresse (30) |
Edmund Muth (22) |
|
Runs Leadser |
Mike Fontenot (93) |
Eric Bruntlett (73) |
|
RBI Leader |
Brad Cresse (105) |
Edmund Muth (81) |
|
2B Leader |
Brad Hawpe (36)* |
Eric Bruntlett (24) |
|
SB Leader |
Jeremy Witten (19/24) |
Eric Bruntlett (10/12) |