BATON ROUGE — The top-ranked LSU baseball team held its first full-squad practice Sunday, completing the workout with a 2.5-inning scrimmage as light rain fell on the field of the original Alex Box Stadium.
“It was a good first day,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “I was very pleased with the intensity of the practice and the work ethic demonstrated by our players. We started with a great round of batting practice, and I thought our focus was very good throughout the scrimmage.”
LSU will have an off day on Monday, and the squad is scheduled to practice at the New Alex Box Stadium for the first time on Tuesday.
The 2009 season begins on February 20 when LSU faces Villanova in the New Alex Box Stadium.
LSU is No. 1 in the Collegiate Baseball and ESPN/USA Today preseason polls. The Tigers were ranked as high as No. 2 last season, when they posted an SEC-record 23-game win streak and advanced to the 2008 College World Series. LSU finished No. 6 in the final national polls after posting a 49-19-1 record (18-11-1 in the SEC). The Tigers captured four titles in ?08, winning the SEC Western Division, the SEC Tournament, the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional and the NCAA Baton Rouge Super Regional.
“There is a lot of excitement surrounding our program with the opening of the new stadium and the No. 1 ranking,” Mainieri said. “We know we’re going to have to work hard every day in order to accomplish our goals. LSU is not going to sneak up on anybody this season.”
LSU returns 24 players that made significant contributions last season, including eight starters in the batting order. Sophomore catcher Micah Gibbs, junior second baseman Ryan Schimpf, sophomore shortstop DJ LeMahieu, junior outfielder Blake Dean, junior catcher/first baseman Sean Ochinko, senior infielder Derek Helenihi, junior outfielder Jared Mitchell and sophomore outfielder Leon Landry all played instrumental roles in the leading the Tigers to Omaha in 2008.
LSU welcomes back nine pitchers that recorded innings last season, including top reliever Louis Coleman, who elected to stay in school for his senior season after he was the 14th-round draft selection in June of the Washington Nationals.
The veterans are complemented by a talented class of 11 newcomers, including four players selected in the 2008 Major League draft.