by Joey Papania
LSUsports.net
You could say game 1 of the New Orleans Super Regional between LSU and Tulane likened a blockbuster movie hit. The previews claimed to have all the drama, action, and thrilling edge-of-your-seat excitement any baseball fan could hope for and lived up to the hype.
Friday night’s 4-1/2 hour marathon needed four extra innings before declaring LSU the 4-3 victor. The unlikely heroes for the Tigers came in the form of freshmen pitchers Lane Mestepey and Brian Wilson and the bottom third of the Tigers’ order that, after an 0-for-13 performance, provided the game-winning run.
Tulane came knocking on the door on several occasions Friday evening, including a 400-plus fly ball that came just a few feet from stealing victory from the defending national champs, but LSU right fielder, Ray Wright, caught up with the ball at the warning track. The Green Wave also left 12 runners stranded on base, eight of those in scoring position.
Game 2, unfortunately, didn’t match its predecessor in drama, but it did set the stage for an exciting conclusion to this best-of-three series.
There are some obvious milestones at stake when the two teams take the field on Sunday.
This is the first time a Tulane team has advanced to the Super Regional, and a trip to the College World Series would be the first in school history.
LSU holds an impressive 17-0 mark in NCAA Tournament games against in-state competition. The Tigers also carry with them a 21-2 overall record in championship games heading into Sunday afternoon’s contest.
The Friday night lost was the first of the season against in-state rivals for the Green Wave. Entering Sunday Tulane holds an impressive 13-1 record against Louisiana competition, including a 3-1 record against the Tigers.
But above all is the looming possibility that this game could represent the final game of LSU head coach Skip Bertman‘s illustrious coaching career. The Skipper coached his final game at Alex Box Stadium last Sunday with a 14-9 victory over VCU.
At the Box, Bertman leaves with a 547-124-1 (.815) record, including 17 of Bertman’s 18 seasons with at least 25 wins at home.
His resume includes five national championships and six national Coach of the Year awards (every year the Tigers won the national title and also in1986). He has sent 27 players to the major leagues and oversaw three national players of the year.
Seven former LSU assistant coaches have learned at the hands of Skip Bertman and have since found head coaching positions across the country, including Mike Bianco, Ray Tanner, and Jim Wells, the current head coaches of Ole Miss, South Carolina, and Alabama, respectively.
To continue listing Bertman’s accomplishments could take a lifetime, and to put into words what he has done for college baseball is almost impossible.
But the question remains, is the possibility that Skip Bertman‘s career could end Sunday afternoon enough motivation for the 2001 LSU Tiger baseball team to claim victory over highly ranked Tulane?
We’ll find out Sunday at Zephyr Field beginning at 12:30 p.m.