I wasn’t a bit surprised when Paul Mainieri made the decision to play his first game of the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional at night.
Why not? Alex Box Stadium rocks on Friday night in the SEC and it absolutely rolls now that LSU plays a good majority of its Saturday SEC games at night.
It was a no brainer. Play at 7 p.m. Friday and in the regional that means the place is both rocking and rolling, sometimes at the same time.
Of course you can have night play and being the second game backfire on you i.e. Kentucky-Kent State in the first game at Gary, Ind., on Friday going 20-plus innings and the second game not starting until a sleep-inducing 10:40 p.m. Central Time. Think Jim Hawthorne and Charlie Hanagriff would have enjoyed that affair and I won’t even begin to get into Jim’s thoughts of having to call a game longer than nine innings.
But that’s what makes regionals so special. It’s the unpredictability, the sense that teams want to show they belong. It’s the desire to extend the season, to be Cinderella, to prove the committee right.
Then there are the No. 1 seeds like LSU, just trying to keep a good season rolling along. These teams know the goal is in sight. It’s still a ways away, but it’s still just a couple of weeks away.
Then there is hosting a regional and all the good fan karma that comes with it.
Because of those ingredients, it has meant combustible nights at the old and new Alex Box Stadium. Have to admit, I’m getting used to our digs here in the Hall of Fame Room where our media headquarters are. Air conditioning, plenty of room for photographers and television people who take up a lot more these days because of their editing equipment.
When I worked my first regional in 1990 we were headquartered in trailers in right field. You remember those. We had our own little village of motor homes and tents. Right field and the bullpen were our home away from home and that first year, our home nearly got blown away by a big windstorm.
USC and LSU were playing in the first game of a possible two on championship Sunday. USC forced the if game but right after the game, dark tornado like clouds lowered on the box and caused some damage to the right field fence that couldn’t be repaired.
I’m not sure LSU would have advanced to Omaha in 1990 without that storm because the Tigers looked spent on a humid Sunday. But the next night before a juiced up Memorial Day evening crowd, the Tigers had new life and another trip to Omaha with a 7-6 win.
Now championship Sundays have been pretty special at the old and the one time at the new box, but it is when the lights have shone over the park on Saturday night. Some years in the old format, that meant wild, nothing to lose elimination games and strange things usually happened.
Now Saturday night means championship Sunday night with a 6:30 p.m. start. Three straight night games with the possibility of a fourth. I’m in heaven. So’s our crowd. Let’s see Saturday there was friend chicken, sausage, stew, chicken wings and that was in just a five foot square in the parking lot I visited. I’m not going to say anything but I enjoyed it all.
This is just the second time in four years at the new park, but let’s keep a tradition going. Let’s try to do it again next weekend and host a super regional. ESPN I’m begging you. If LSU gets through this week, think night baseball is the best at The Box. Let’s make it prime time at Alex Box and I guarantee you two things. The crowd will be amped to a fever pitch and the parking lot will bring the truck and the talent, especially the talent, some great, great food. I know from experience.
But first things first. A regional has to be won. Pace yourself crowd. We’ll need you all the way on every pitch in every inning. Geaux Tigers!!!