by Joey Papania
LSUsports.net
The NCAA Division I Baseball Committee has selected and paired the teams for the 2000 college baseball regionals. Theres little surprise that the LSU Tigers have earned the right to play and host in this years tournament, but five other Louisiana schools have earned a spot in the sub-regional tournament catching the attention of the rest of the nation.
In fact, not only have six Louisiana schools earned the right to play in the postseason, but the schools hold a No.1, three No.2, and two No. 3 seeds, as well as two host sites among them.
“The state of Louisiana has got a lot of good baseball,” said LSU assistant coach Bill Dailey. “In other parts of the country people talk about mid-week games as preparation for the weekend. But in the state of Louisiana, mid-week games are wars just like in the SEC. There isnt an easy game on our schedule. Its very competitive, and its great for the state.”
The LSU Tigers are making their 16th appearance in a regional tournament, the 12th straight dating back to 1989. Also, Alex Box Stadium has been chosen as a regional host site for 11th straight year. Overall, the Tigers hold a 77-28 overall record in the NCAA tournament, a 63-19 record in years when the Tigers have hosted a regional.
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette has also been chosen to host a regional for the first time in school history. As a No.2 seed, the Rajun Cajuns finished the season with a 42-17 overall record and spent the majority of the season ranked in the top 10. This marks the fourth straight regional appearance for Lafayette, winners of last years regional at Houston.
Also in the Lafayette regional as the No. 3 seed is McNeese State making their third regional appearance. The Cowboys finished the year with a 39-18 record, 20-7 in conference play. Head Coach Mike Bianco led his club to a co-championship in the Southland conference
The Tulane Green wave head to Starkville, Mississippi as the No. 2 seed for the universitys third consecutive regional appearance, the fifth under head coach Rick Jones. The Green Wave finished the 2000 regular season with a 37-20-1 record.
Also advancing to this years regional tournament is the University of New Orleans. A No. 2 seed in Baton Rouge, the Privateers are making their 11th regional appearance since becoming a part of Division I in 1976. Head coach Randy Bush is in his first year as head coach of the Privateers, leading them to a 37-23 overall record and just their second Sun Belt Conference Championship.
Joining the Tigers and the Privateers in Baton Rouge as the No. 3 seed is the University of Louisiana at Monroe. Under seventh year head coach Smoke Laval, the Indians are making their third NCAA Regional appearance. The last time ULM advanced to the postseason was in 1995 at Alex Box Stadium. The Indians are searching for their first regional victory in the postseason.
“I think the Louisiana schools are starting to resemble the teams in the SEC,” said ULM head coach Smoke Laval. “I think the number of teams in the regional can be attributed to the high power ratings. When you play the other teams in the state every year, its like playing in the SEC. Its only going to really get better because the strength of the schedules among Louisiana schools has made it that way.”
In fact, Louisiana is putting in as many teams in this years regional tournament as the South Eastern Conference, regarded as one of the best conferences in college baseball. With the growing success of baseball within Louisiana, in-state recruiting has become much more difficult.
“One of the things you talk about in recruiting is controlling your home state first,” Dailey said. “You used to have to be worried about other people coming into your state and taking your talent. Now you have to worry about other schools within your state taking that talent away.
“But it gives Louisiana kids an opportunity to stay at home and play. You do have to work harder when recruiting Louisiana kids, and you cant miss anyone because if you do someone else is going to go get him. Then you have to face him during the middle of the week and hes going to be fired up.”
Some have attributed the states recent success to the emergence of the TOPS program as a means of keeping Louisiana talent in the state. But that is only a small part of equation. The fact is these schools have done a tremendous job of finding and hiring quality coaches. Much can be attributed to the success of LSU head coach Skip Bertman.
“What coach Bertman has done here has elevated the play of other schools throughout the state,” explained Dailey. “Other schools have followed the lead of LSU and have gotten quality coaches. It makes for a lot of good competition both on the field and from a recruiting standpoint. To me, competition breeds success, in whatever you do in life.”
Unfortunately, only three Louisiana teams will be able to advance to next weeks Super Regionals because of the sub-regional pairings. But coach Laval is right, baseball in Louisiana will only get better.