 LSU Tigers baseball player Jared Mitchell celebrates with teammates after hitting a three run homerun in the top of the 1st inning in LSU's 11-4 National Championship win against Texas. (US Presswire) The LSU Tigers baseball team entered Omaha's Rosenblatt Stadium on Wednesday night with a clear goal. They wanted to walk out of the stadium with the school's sixth National Championship in school history. When the lights dim tonight at Rosenblatt, it won't be able to slow the party for the LSU Tigers. With an 11-4 win over Texas on Wednesday night, the Tigers laid claim to their sixth National Championship, setting off a party in Omaha and Baton Rouge that will last well into the night.
The Tigers jumped all over the Longhorns early on, as Jared Mitchell blasted a two out, three run homerun in the top of the 1st inning, giving LSU a lead they wouldn't let go of. Micah Gibbs scored on an RBI single in the top of the 2nd inning to give the Tigers an early 4-0 lead. But the Longhorns pitching staff, which was widely regarded as the best in the nation this year, quieted the LSU bats throughout the middle innings. Texas scored two runs in both the 3rd and the 5th innings to tie the game at 4-4 heading into the top of the sixth inning. Suddenly, the Tigers woke up and roared back with a five run 6th inning to take a commanding 9-4 lead. Pitcher Anthony Ranaudo left the mound after one out in the bottom of the sixth inning to a standing ovation and a win in the National Championship game, something he'll never forget. LSU added a run in the top of the 8th inning and then, in a touching move, brought on senior pitcher Louis Coleman to close the game. The Tigers added one final run in the top of the 9th, before Coleman struck out three consecutive hitters to etch the 2009 LSU Tigers baseball team into Omaha and College World Series lore. With their sixth National Championship, the Tigers are now second on the all-time NCAA Championships list, tied with their opponent Texas. It was LSU's second National Championship of the decade and their sixth in the past 18 years. |