Take a look back at the highlights of the 2005 LSU Baseball season, one which featured a trip to the NCAA Tournament for the 17th-straight season and a 40-22 overall record.
TIGERS EARN SEC WEST TITLE, NCAA REGIONAL NO. 1 SEED
The 2005 Tigers advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 17th straight season, recording a 40-22 final overall record. LSU played host to an NCAA Regional tournament for the 16th straight year, competing as a No. 1 seed for the 14th time in 16 seasons. LSU reached the 40-win mark for the 17th consecutive season.
- The LSU baseball program earned its 17th consecutive final Top 20 ranking in 2005, as the Tigers were ranked No. 18 in the Baseball America poll and No. 19 in the Collegiate Baseball poll prior to the start of the College World Series.
- LSU coach Smoke Laval, the 2003 SEC Coach of the Year, directed the Tigers to the 2005 SEC Western Division championship with an 18-12 conference mark. The division title was the 13th in school history and the fourth for LSU this decade. LSU has finished no lower than second in the SEC West and no lower than fourth in the overall league race during Laval’s four seasons as head coach.
- During his four-year tenure, Laval has guided LSU to two College World Series berths, two NCAA Super Regional titles, three NCAA Regional championships, one SEC title, two SEC Western Division crowns and Top 10 finishes in two of the past three seasons.
- Laval has led LSU to the best SEC regular-season record in the past four seasons, posting a 75-43-1 (.634) mark. South Carolina is second (73-46, .613) and Florida is third (70-49-1, .588).
SEC Regular Season Records (2002-2005)
Team
Record
Pct.
LSU
75-43-1
.634
South Carolina
73-46
.613
Florida
70-49-1
.588
Ole Miss
67-53
.558
Alabama
61-59
.504
Arkansas
59-58
.504
Mississippi State
57-60
.487
Auburn
58-62
.483
Tennessee
57-62
.479
Georgia
56-63
.471
Vanderbilt
50-68
.424
Kentucky
29-89
.246
Overall Wins by SEC Teams (2002-2005)
South Carolina
196
LSU
175
Florida
174
Ole Miss
159
Alabama
158
Arkansas
154
Mississippi State
153
Auburn
142
Tennessee
142
Georgia
136
Vanderbilt
130
Kentucky
94
- The 2005 Tigers featured two all-America players, senior outfielder Ryan Patterson and junior left-handed pitcher Greg Smith. Patterson, a first-team all-America and first-team all-SEC selection, batted .369 (92-for-249) in 2005 with 23 doubles, two triples, 20 homers, 74 runs and 56 RBI, leading the Tigers to the SEC Western Division title. He was selected in the fourth round of the MLB draft by the Toronto Blue Jays. Smith, a sixth-round draft selection of the Arizona Diamondbacks, was named third-team all-America and first-team all-SEC in 2005, posting a 10-3 mark with a 2.60 ERA and three complete games, including two shutouts. He worked 104 innings, allowing 99 hits and 30 earned runs with 25 walks and 82 strikeouts.
- Senior outfielder Nick Stavinoha was named second-team all-SEC in 2005, batting a team-high .370 (95-for-257) with 23 doubles, one triple, 18 homers, 50 runs and 65 RBI. He was named the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional, hitting .647 (11-for-17 in four games with three doubles, one homer, three runs and six RBI. Stavinoha was chosen in the seventh round of the draft by the St. Louis Cardinals.
- Senior second baseman Clay Harris, an all-SEC selection in 2003 and 2004, was the ninth-round draft selection in 2005 of the Philadelphia Phillies. Harris hit .362 (88-for-243) on the year with 20 doubles, one triple, nine homers, 41 runs and 60 RBI. Harris started 200 games during his career at first base, second base and third base, and he made 16 appearances as a pitcher.
- Sophomore left-handed pitcher Clay Dirks and senior infielder/DH Blake Gill earned second-team all-SEC recognition. Dirks posted a 10-4 mark with a 3.24 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 94.1 innings. Gill batted .320 (70-for-219) with 11 doubles, one triple, seven homers and 48 RBI.
- Left-handed pitcher Jason Determann was named the 2005 SEC Baseball Scholar-Athlete of the Year with a 3.781 GPA in biology. He was also voted to the ESPN The Magazine second-team Academic All-America squad. Determann received his undergraduate degree in May, and he has been accepted to the LSU Medical School in New Orleans. Determann, the 35th-round selection of the Boston Red Sox, was 5-0 this season with a 2.30 ERA and seven saves. He recorded 12 walks and 74 strikeouts in 62.2 innings, making 27 appearances (one start).
- Senior right-handed pitcher Jordan Faircloth received the SEC Community Service Post-Graduate Scholarship, and he was named to the SEC Good Works Team. Faircloth, who received his LSU degree in political science with a 3.383 GPA, was a volunteer speaker to children at local schools, served food at homeless shelters and was active in Habitat for Humanity, building homes for needy families. He was a member of the 2005 SEC Academic Honor Roll and a five-time member of the LSU Dean’s List.
- LSU placed 12 players on the 2005 SEC Academic Honor Roll, the highest total in the program’s history. The following players were named to the honor roll: catcher Brad Bass (kinesiology), outfielder Steven Broschofsky (undeclared), pitcher Chase Dardar (general studies), catcher Will Davis (secondary education), pitcher Jason Determann (biology), pitcher Jordan Faircloth (political science), infielder Bryan Harris (kinesiology), pitcher Chris McDougall (kinesiology), pitcher Lane Mestepey (kinesiology), pitcher Brandon Nall (horticulture), outfielder Bruce Sprowl (mass communication) and outfielder Nick Stavinoha (management).
- Six LSU players were selected in the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft, the highest total since eight Tigers were drafted in 2001. Players chosen in the ’05 draft included: senior outfielder Ryan Patterson (fourth round, Toronto); junior left-handed pitcher Greg Smith (sixth round, Arizona); senior outfielder Nick Stavinoha (seventh round, St. Louis); senior infielder Clay Harris (ninth round, Philadelphia); junior catcher Matt Liuzza (30th round, Chicago Cubs); and left-handed pitcher Jason Determann (35th round, Boston).
- LSU’s 2005 total home attendance with 36 playing dates was 270,300, the seventh-largest figure in LSU history. The average paid attendance in 2005 was 7,508, which is the third-highest average in LSU annals. LSU has been ranked No. 1 in the nation in attendance in each of the last 10 seasons (1996-2005).