BATON ROUGE — LSU has entered its final phase of fall baseball practice, which culminates next week with the Purple-Gold World Series in the original Alex Box Stadium.
The Purple-Gold World Series ? a three-game intrasquad series that concludes the six-week fall practice session ? begins at 3 p.m. Tuesday. Game 2 is set for 3 p.m. Wednesday and Game 3 starts at 3 p.m. Thursday. The games are open to the public, and admission is free.
LSU coach Paul Mainieri, the 2008 Rivals.com National Coach of the Year, said the Tigers have enjoyed a productive fall session.
“Fall practice has gone extremely well, and I couldn’t be more pleased,” Mainieri, entering his third seasons at LSU, said. “Our team has a strong aura of confidence because of the experience we gained last year at the College World Series.”
The Tigers return 25 players that contributed to the club’s success last season, when LSU advanced to the CWS and finished No. 6 in the final national polls. The Tigers also captured the SEC Western Division and SEC Tournament titles, and LSU won a conference-record 23 straight games from April 22-June 1.
Sophomore catcher Micah Gibbs, junior second baseman Ryan Schimpf, sophomore shortstop DJ LeMahieu, junior outfielder Blake Dean, senior infielder Derek Helenihi, junior outfielder Jared Mitchell and sophomore outfielder Leon Landry are back this season after leading the Tigers to Omaha in 2008.
LSU features 11 pitchers that recorded innings last season, including top reliever Louis Coleman and projected starters Anthony Ranaudo, Austin Ross and Daniel Bradshaw.
The veteran players are complemented by 10 true freshmen, including four that were selected in the 2008 MLB Draft.
“We have a tremendous mix of returning veterans and talented newcomers, and we feel like the future is very bright here,” Mainieri said. “We’re excited about the possibilities.”
The excitement level is heightened by the highly-anticipated opening of the New Alex Box Stadium, a state-of the-art facility located 200 yards south of the original, 70-year-old “Box.” LSU begins the 2009 season on February 20 versus Villanova in the new stadium.
“I stop by the new stadium just about every day now,” Mainieri said, “and it really is a beautiful, first-class facility. Our players can’t wait to move into it, and I know our fans will be very pleased when they step into it for the first time.”