ADELANTO, Calif. — Fresh off his College World Series game winning hit on June 17, former LSU catcher Brad Cresse opened his professional career with the California League’s High Desert Mavericks by going 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and five RBI, including another game winning hit on Sunday.
Down 8-7 in the eighth, Cresse belted a two-run single to right field to keep the rally alive in what would become a 10-run inning and a 15-8 victory over the Lake Elsinore Storm.
Ex-LSU center fielder Cedrick Harris also debuted for the Mavericks and picked up his first hit and RBI as a professional. Harris went 1-for-4 and drove in the ninth run of the eighth inning.
On Monday, Cresse and Harris each went 1-for-4 in a 6-2 loss to the Storm. In his third minor league season, former Tiger Chris Demouy (3-1) picked up the victory for Lake Elsinore by pitching five scoreless innings while allowing three hits and striking out five.
Demouy, a three-year letterman at LSU from 1996-98, helped LSU to its fourth national championship in 1997 by pitching three innings of relief of starter Doug Thompson in a 5-4 CWS opening-game come-from-behind victory over Rice.
In his first minor league season, Demouy was 5-1 with a 1.54 ERA allowing only four earned runs in 23 1/3 innings pitcher while picking up nine saves for the Boise Hawks. Last year, Demouy was 2-1 with a 2.40 ERA and 16 saves in 46 appearances with the Cedar Rapids Kernels.
Lake Elsinore, Boise and Cedar Rapids are each single-A minor league affiliates of the Anaheim Angels.
The High Desert Mavericks are the single-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Arizona selected Cresse in the fifth round of the first-year draft before selecting Harris in the 10th round.
Here’s a look at where members of the 2000 Tigers have landed in the minor leagues:
2000 LSU Tigers Drafted/Signed:
(through June 23, 2000)
| Rd. (Pk) | Name | Team | Signed? | Affiliate |
| 2nd (55) | Brian Tallet | Indians | Not Yet | |
| 5th (159) | Brad Cresse | Diamondbacks | Yes | A – High Desert |
| 7th (193) | Ryan Jorgensen | Cubs | Yes | A – Eugene (Ore.) |
| 10th (309) | Cedrick Harris | Diamondbacks | Yes | A – High Desert |
| 11th (317) | Brad Hawpe | Rockies | Yes | A – Portland (Ore.) |
| 12th (351) | Heath McMurray | Brewers | Yes | R – Ogden (Utah) |
| 17th (520) | Trey Hodges | Braves | Yes | A – Jamestown (NY) |
| 25th (734) | Billy Brian | Royals | Not Yet | |
| Not Drafted | Blair Barbier | Cubs | Yes | A – Eugene (Ore.) |
| Not Drafted | Hunter Gomez | Brewers | Yes | R – Helena (Mont.) |