LSU Gold

#5 Derek Helenihi Season 2009

Position
Infield
Height
6'0
Weight
170
Class
Senior
Hometown
Livermore, Calif.
Previous School
Ohlone College
B/T
R
High School
Granada HS

An excellent athlete who started 85 games for LSU in two seasons, mostly in right field and at third base … signed with the Tigers in the summer of 2007 as a defensive specialist with an outstanding arm … has the ability to drive the ball deep at the plate … very instinctive on the base paths.

SENIOR SEASON (2009)
Played in 45 games (27 starts), batting .255 (27-for-106) with two doubles, one triple, four homers, 23 RBI and 20 runs … started 20 games at third base and seven in right field … batted .364 (12-for-33) on the year with runners in scoring position .. started at third base in all six of LSU’s College World Series game, making several outstanding defensive plays … posted a 1.000 fielding percentage in the CWS in 17 chances … hit .500 (3-for-6) in NCAA Super Regional vs. Rice with one homer, two RBI and one run — the homer and two RBI came in Game 2 of the Super Regional vs. Rice (June 6), a 5-3 LSU win that advanced the Tigers to the College World Series … launched three-run homer vs. Alabama in SEC Tournament (May 21) that proved to be the difference in the Tigers’ 9-6 win over the Crimson Tide … inside-the-park home run vs. Grambling (April 8), the first in the history of the New Alex Box Stadium … 2-for-4 with one double, one homer and three RBI at South Carolina (March 22).

JUNIOR SEASON (2008)
Played as the Tigers’ primary starter in right field (41 starts); started 10 games at third base when regular 3B Michael Hollander was out with a hamstring injury (March 28-April 6) … also started four games at DH, two in center field and one at second base … batted .295 (71-for-241) on the year with 10 doubles, four triples, three homers and 43 RBI … third on the squad with 12 stolen bases … batted .293 (36-for-123) in SEC regular-season games with five doubles, two triples, two homers and 24 RBI … 3-for-11 in the College World Series with one run scored … launched three-run homer to lead LSU to SEC Tournament win over Vanderbilt (May 22) … batted .384 (33-for-86) with runners in scoring position … first career homer on April 6 vs. Alabama; solo shot in eighth inning gave LSU a two-run cushion in a 9-7 series-clinching victory … 4-for-5 vs. Stetson on March 8 with one double and one RBI … 3-for-4 vs. Northwestern State on March 25 with one double and two RBI.

JUNIOR COLLEGE
A speedy infielder during his two seasons at Ohlone College in Fremont, Calif. … was named to the All-Coast Conference team and the All-Northern California team in 2007 … led Ohlone College in batting with a .371 (59-for-159) average in 2007 … collected 12 doubles, one triple, four homers and 36 RBI in ‘07 … also stole 19 bases and scored 27 runs.

HIGH SCHOOL
An all-state performer at Granada High School in Livermore, Calif.

PERSONAL
Majoring in general studies at LSU … born February 24, 1987.

Helenihi’s LSU Career Highs
At-Bats:  6 vs. UC Irvine (6/9/08)       
Hits:  4 vs. Stetson (3/8/08)
Runs Scored: 4 vs. Duquesne (3/1/08)
Doubles: 2 vs. Arkansas (3/22/08)
Triples:  1 five times; last at New Orleans (3/3/09)
Home Runs: 1 seven times; last vs. Rice (6/6/09)
RBI: 3 six times; last vs. Alabama (5/21/09)

 

Full Bio