BATON ROUGE, La. – With the top seeds holding serve in the first day of the Baton Rouge regional Friday at Alex Box Stadium, it set the stage for an early NCAA tournament meeting of national powers.
No. 7 LSU (44-16), the region's top seed, will face No. 17 Oregon State (39-18), the tourney's No. 2 seed. The pair have won three of the last six national championships and their conferences have won five of the last six national titles.
"It's SEC vs. Pac-12," LSU coach Paul Mainieri said. "That's a big game."
No. 7 LSU (44-16), the region's top seed, will face No. 17 Oregon State (39-18), the tourney's No. 2 seed. The pair have won three of the last six national championships and their conferences have won five of the last six national titles.
"It's SEC vs. Pac-12," LSU coach Paul Mainieri said. "That's a big game."
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Quick thoughts from Alex Box Stadium, where No. 7 LSU (44-16) downed Louisiana-Monroe (31-29) to advance into the winner's bracket of the Baton Rouge regional of the NCAA Division I NCAA Baseball Championship.
Overview: Much like Friday afternoon's early game between Oregon State and Belmont, the Tigers and Warhawks settled in to quite an epic pitching duel to start the regional nightcap.
For roughly seven innings, LSU's Aaron Nola (7-4) and ULM's Randy Zeigler (5-7) pitched absolute gems on the way to a tense 1-1 tie. With a strong wind blowing in from right field and both pitchers baffling the opposing lineups, the game had a just four combined hits heading into the deep innings.
Overview: Much like Friday afternoon's early game between Oregon State and Belmont, the Tigers and Warhawks settled in to quite an epic pitching duel to start the regional nightcap.
For roughly seven innings, LSU's Aaron Nola (7-4) and ULM's Randy Zeigler (5-7) pitched absolute gems on the way to a tense 1-1 tie. With a strong wind blowing in from right field and both pitchers baffling the opposing lineups, the game had a just four combined hits heading into the deep innings.
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Regional Reaction: Oregon State 2, Belmont 1
June, 1, 2012
6/01/12
6:12
PM ET
By
David Helman | ESPN.com
If the scoreline wasn't evidence enough, expect runs to come at a premium no matter which of these squads LSU faces on Saturday.
Pitching was on display during Friday's regional opener between Oregon State (39-18) and Belmont (39-23). The Beavers eked out a 2-1 victory against the Bruins despite managing a paltry three hits all afternoon. The Bruins didn't fare much better with just six hits of their own, but they could muster only one run to compete with Oregon State's pair.
Those runs weren't easily earned, either. The Beavers opened the scoring in the second frame when Ryan Barnes doubled to open the inning and moved to third on a fielder's choice. Kavin Keyes brought Barnes home on a sacrifice fly with one out.
The Bruins responded to tie the score in the fifth inning when Dylan Craig hit a leadoff triple before scoring on a fielder's choice -- but that would be the only run Belmont could muster -- although there were opportunities. The Oregon State pitching staff was clutch when it needed to be, as the Beavers wound up stranding nine Belmont runners. The most glaring gaffe was a two-out rally in the fourth inning, when the Bruins loaded the bases with two men gone but couldn't push a run across.
The pitching performances will give LSU's righty-laden lineup something to think about. The Beavers used two lefties to devastating effect. Starter Jace Fry went five innings and allowed four hits and one run, and reliever Matt Boyd went 2.1 innings and allowed just one hit to pick up his third save. Right-handed reliever Tony Bryant (6-2) picked up the win while working in between Fry and Boyd.
Impressive as the Oregon State bullpen looked (just two hits allowed over four innings of work), LSU will be happy it dodged a potential matchup with Belmont starter Chase Brookshire (8-4). Brookshire was the definition of a tough luck loser Friday. He went seven innings against the Beavers and allowed just three hits and two earned runs. But he picked up the loss when the Beaver bullpen shut down the comeback attempt.
If the regional opener is any indication, LSU is in for quite a struggle at the plate on Saturday -- regardless of whom the Tigers face.
Pitching was on display during Friday's regional opener between Oregon State (39-18) and Belmont (39-23). The Beavers eked out a 2-1 victory against the Bruins despite managing a paltry three hits all afternoon. The Bruins didn't fare much better with just six hits of their own, but they could muster only one run to compete with Oregon State's pair.
Those runs weren't easily earned, either. The Beavers opened the scoring in the second frame when Ryan Barnes doubled to open the inning and moved to third on a fielder's choice. Kavin Keyes brought Barnes home on a sacrifice fly with one out.
The Bruins responded to tie the score in the fifth inning when Dylan Craig hit a leadoff triple before scoring on a fielder's choice -- but that would be the only run Belmont could muster -- although there were opportunities. The Oregon State pitching staff was clutch when it needed to be, as the Beavers wound up stranding nine Belmont runners. The most glaring gaffe was a two-out rally in the fourth inning, when the Bruins loaded the bases with two men gone but couldn't push a run across.
The pitching performances will give LSU's righty-laden lineup something to think about. The Beavers used two lefties to devastating effect. Starter Jace Fry went five innings and allowed four hits and one run, and reliever Matt Boyd went 2.1 innings and allowed just one hit to pick up his third save. Right-handed reliever Tony Bryant (6-2) picked up the win while working in between Fry and Boyd.
Impressive as the Oregon State bullpen looked (just two hits allowed over four innings of work), LSU will be happy it dodged a potential matchup with Belmont starter Chase Brookshire (8-4). Brookshire was the definition of a tough luck loser Friday. He went seven innings against the Beavers and allowed just three hits and two earned runs. But he picked up the loss when the Beaver bullpen shut down the comeback attempt.
If the regional opener is any indication, LSU is in for quite a struggle at the plate on Saturday -- regardless of whom the Tigers face.
If you wanted to keep the Florida series alive, you were in luck Friday as SEC presidents and athletic directors voted to adopt a 6-1-1 schedule format.
That means six games against division foes, one game against a permanent cross-division opponent and one against a rotating opponent from the opposite division.
The permanent cross-division opponent for LSU will be Florida. It's for this reason that LSU was openly opposed to the 6-1-1 format. Florida offers the Tigers a difficult opponent, but not necessarily the natural rivalry of an Alabama-Tennessee or Georgia-Auburn cross-division game.
But LSU is stuck with it. And the Tigers will also have Western Division games every year against Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas and incoming member Texas A&M.
This will guarantee that, in most seasons, LSU's schedule will be among the nation's most difficult, even if Tigers don't play a tough non-conference game, like the 2011 opener against Oregon.
That means six games against division foes, one game against a permanent cross-division opponent and one against a rotating opponent from the opposite division.
The permanent cross-division opponent for LSU will be Florida. It's for this reason that LSU was openly opposed to the 6-1-1 format. Florida offers the Tigers a difficult opponent, but not necessarily the natural rivalry of an Alabama-Tennessee or Georgia-Auburn cross-division game.
But LSU is stuck with it. And the Tigers will also have Western Division games every year against Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas and incoming member Texas A&M.
This will guarantee that, in most seasons, LSU's schedule will be among the nation's most difficult, even if Tigers don't play a tough non-conference game, like the 2011 opener against Oregon.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Mom could barely talk.
It was an emotional scene at the conclusion of the Nike Football Training Camp on Friday when Frank Herron announced he was committed to LSU.
Surrounded by coaches, friends and family, the four-star defensive end from Memphis East High School shared the news in what has become a familiar method made popular by NBA superstar LeBron James.
It was an emotional scene at the conclusion of the Nike Football Training Camp on Friday when Frank Herron announced he was committed to LSU.
Surrounded by coaches, friends and family, the four-star defensive end from Memphis East High School shared the news in what has become a familiar method made popular by NBA superstar LeBron James.
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It was just a few days ago when I said LSU would be wise to turn its attention to the defensive side of the ball regarding its 2013 class. In recent weeks the Tigers have added a wide receiver, a quarterback and an offensive tackle, with not much development in the defensive hotspots.
That all changed Friday, when the Tigers picked up a commitment from four-star defensive end Frank Herron (Memphis/Central) at the Memphis NFTC. Herron gives LSU 14 commitments for 2013, and he is the Tigers' third four-star commitment in the last 10 days, behind quarterback Hayden Rettig and offensive tackle Ethan Pocic.
Even more exciting than that Herron is the third four-star recruit in the last two weeks to come from outside Louisiana. Sure, Memphis is much closer than Rettig's hometown of Los Angeles or Pocic's Lemont, Ill., but the exposure and notoriety of LSU's run to the BCS Championship Game seems like it's paying dividends on the national recruiting scene.
That all changed Friday, when the Tigers picked up a commitment from four-star defensive end Frank Herron (Memphis/Central) at the Memphis NFTC. Herron gives LSU 14 commitments for 2013, and he is the Tigers' third four-star commitment in the last 10 days, behind quarterback Hayden Rettig and offensive tackle Ethan Pocic.
Even more exciting than that Herron is the third four-star recruit in the last two weeks to come from outside Louisiana. Sure, Memphis is much closer than Rettig's hometown of Los Angeles or Pocic's Lemont, Ill., but the exposure and notoriety of LSU's run to the BCS Championship Game seems like it's paying dividends on the national recruiting scene.
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Few football players – regardless of classification – have the combination of offers that 2014 cornerback Nick Watkins (Dallas/Bishop Dunne) holds.
Alabama. LSU. Ohio State. Arkansas. Michigan. Georgia. Just a few of the programs that Watkins will have the opportunity to choose from when it’s his time to commit.
Watkins added Oklahoma on Friday, upping his list of offers to 11. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound cornerback picked up an offer from Notre Dame on Thursday. LSU and Georgia offered on Wednesday.
Alabama. LSU. Ohio State. Arkansas. Michigan. Georgia. Just a few of the programs that Watkins will have the opportunity to choose from when it’s his time to commit.
Watkins added Oklahoma on Friday, upping his list of offers to 11. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound cornerback picked up an offer from Notre Dame on Thursday. LSU and Georgia offered on Wednesday.
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Much to his delight, four-star defensive tackle Scott Pagano (Honolulu/Moanalua) received a scholarship offer from the Florida Gators on Thursday morning. The 6-foot-3, 279-pound defensive tackle said he was thrilled to get an offer from one of his childhood favorites.
"Very, very, very, very big in my opinion," Pagano said of the Florida offer. "That's a top school that I have been dying to hear from. When they came with the offer it was very exciting. So far I only have them and LSU as an official visit. The other three I will name in July."
Pagano holds offers from Georgia, Florida State, Oklahoma, Michigan, Miami, Oregon, USC and many more. He says that in addition to the Florida and LSU official visits, he also plans to unofficially visit Texas, LSU, Alabama and either Florida or Florida State in July.
"Very, very, very, very big in my opinion," Pagano said of the Florida offer. "That's a top school that I have been dying to hear from. When they came with the offer it was very exciting. So far I only have them and LSU as an official visit. The other three I will name in July."
Pagano holds offers from Georgia, Florida State, Oklahoma, Michigan, Miami, Oregon, USC and many more. He says that in addition to the Florida and LSU official visits, he also plans to unofficially visit Texas, LSU, Alabama and either Florida or Florida State in July.
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BATON ROUGE, La. -- Ty Ross is on quite the recovery timetable, given how his month has gone.
As No. 7 LSU (43-16) gears up for the its NCAA tournament opener on Friday against Louisiana-Monroe, the Tigers' defensive lynchpin at catcher expects to start at least three, if not four or five games in the coming days. That in itself shouldn't be surprising for a mainstay with 48 starts on the season and a .305 batting average.
It's a little more impressive when one considers that just about three weeks ago, Ross underwent an emergency appendectomy during LSU's weekend series against conference foe Vanderbilt. When he woke up ahead of that weekend's Saturday game, Ross knew something was wrong.
"Breathing hurt, moving hurt, riding in a car over a bump hurt -- coughing was miserable," he said. "I just knew it wasn't right that morning, and I kind of had an idea it was appendicitis just because of where it was."
Because of his recovery period, the sophomore didn't pick up a bat until last week's SEC tournament as a pinch hitter against Mississippi State. He returned to catching the next day against Ole Miss, and as the postseason begins, Ross said he's ready to go the distance.
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Andrew Woolley/Four Seam Images via AP ImagesTy Ross has returned to the field faster than expected after surgery.
It's a little more impressive when one considers that just about three weeks ago, Ross underwent an emergency appendectomy during LSU's weekend series against conference foe Vanderbilt. When he woke up ahead of that weekend's Saturday game, Ross knew something was wrong.
"Breathing hurt, moving hurt, riding in a car over a bump hurt -- coughing was miserable," he said. "I just knew it wasn't right that morning, and I kind of had an idea it was appendicitis just because of where it was."
Because of his recovery period, the sophomore didn't pick up a bat until last week's SEC tournament as a pinch hitter against Mississippi State. He returned to catching the next day against Ole Miss, and as the postseason begins, Ross said he's ready to go the distance.
Louisiana sports fans will likely remember this story from earlier this spring. In a do-or-die district baseball battle, Jesuit High School and Archbishop Rummel High School allowed their starting pitchers to fire a combined 347 pitches.
The aces, Jesuit's Emerson Gibbs and Rummel's Mitch Sewald threw 193 and 154 pitches, respectively, in the Blue Jays' 2-1, 18-inning victory against Rummel. The absurdly high pitch count has drawn a lot of national attention, including from famed orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews, as highlighted in this story from ESPNHS writer Matthew Muench.
The aces, Jesuit's Emerson Gibbs and Rummel's Mitch Sewald threw 193 and 154 pitches, respectively, in the Blue Jays' 2-1, 18-inning victory against Rummel. The absurdly high pitch count has drawn a lot of national attention, including from famed orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews, as highlighted in this story from ESPNHS writer Matthew Muench.
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Will LSU-UF remain permanent rivals? 
May, 31, 2012
5/31/12
8:00
AM ET
By
Gary Laney and
Michael DiRocco | ESPN.com
The addition of Missouri and Texas A&M has necessitated a re-examination of the Southeastern Conference’s football schedule. One possible format would be a 6-1-1, meaning each team would play every team in its division, have one permanent foe from the other division, and play the remaining six teams in the other division on a rotating basis.
Florida-LSU is one of those permanent matchups, but there’s debate about whether the series should continue. The teams have met every year since 1971, but could 2012 be the end?
Here’s a look at it from each school’s perspective …
Florida-LSU is one of those permanent matchups, but there’s debate about whether the series should continue. The teams have met every year since 1971, but could 2012 be the end?
Here’s a look at it from each school’s perspective …
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With the dog days of summer hitting Baton Rouge, here are the five things to know about perhaps the hottest position in LSU's program, the defensive line.
1. The talent well runs deep: When the St. Louis Rams moved to shore up its run defense by picking LSU defensive tackle Michael Brockers with the 14th overall pick in the NFL draft, it was further evidence of what anybody who has paid attention already knew: few schools produce NFL-quality defensive linemen like LSU.
Brockers' selection marked the ninth straight year an LSU defensive lineman was picked in the draft, including four in the first round. The Tigers' line streak figures to continue in the 2013 draft with defensive ends Barkevious Mingo and Sam Montgomery both in the top five on Mel Kiper's big board. It's a remarkable run considering how difficult it is for most programs to find dominant defensive linemen.
1. The talent well runs deep: When the St. Louis Rams moved to shore up its run defense by picking LSU defensive tackle Michael Brockers with the 14th overall pick in the NFL draft, it was further evidence of what anybody who has paid attention already knew: few schools produce NFL-quality defensive linemen like LSU.
Brockers' selection marked the ninth straight year an LSU defensive lineman was picked in the draft, including four in the first round. The Tigers' line streak figures to continue in the 2013 draft with defensive ends Barkevious Mingo and Sam Montgomery both in the top five on Mel Kiper's big board. It's a remarkable run considering how difficult it is for most programs to find dominant defensive linemen.
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On Monday, LSU might be playing to continue its baseball season.
But its most notable player will also be getting his name called on the first day of Baseball's First-Year Player Draft.
Kevin Gausman, the LSU right-hander who will pitch Saturday, is likely to be among the first picks, if not the first pick, when the draft starts Monday.
"Hopefully, we'll all be together Monday night to watch it, but for a positive reason," LSU coach Paul Mainieri said Thursday after his team held a brief practice before Friday's start of the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional.
But its most notable player will also be getting his name called on the first day of Baseball's First-Year Player Draft.
Kevin Gausman, the LSU right-hander who will pitch Saturday, is likely to be among the first picks, if not the first pick, when the draft starts Monday.
"Hopefully, we'll all be together Monday night to watch it, but for a positive reason," LSU coach Paul Mainieri said Thursday after his team held a brief practice before Friday's start of the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional.
Robinson camps at Texas, LSU in top 3
May, 30, 2012
5/30/12
5:12
PM ET
By
William Wilkerson | ESPN.com
The Longhorns will host one of the nation’s top 2014 offensive linemen on Saturday when Cameron Robinson (Monroe, La./Ouachita Parish) takes an unofficial visit.
The 6-foot-6, 320-pound Robinson will also participate in Sunday’s camp that will feature mostly 2013 Texas commitments and targets.
The man to thank for getting Robinson to Austin: offensive line coach Stacy Searels.
The 6-foot-6, 320-pound Robinson will also participate in Sunday’s camp that will feature mostly 2013 Texas commitments and targets.
The man to thank for getting Robinson to Austin: offensive line coach Stacy Searels.
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DESTIN, Fla. – Alabama coach Nick Saban hasn’t held back from talking about his disdain for placing only conference champions in a four-team playoff. He’s very much for a four-team playoff, but he won’t go for one that alienates teams by only picking the top four conference champions.
The whole reason any of this playoff talk even started is because people outside of the game are passionate about seeing one in college football. To take away the chance for the four BEST teams to play makes no sense to Saban.
“There’s no question that we’re even doing the top four because fans and the people who are interested in college football are interested in seeing the best four teams play in a playoff,” Saban said Tuesday at the 2012 SEC spring meetings.
“Now, we’re going to mess that up by saying you have to be a conference champion. I think somebody’s a bit self-absorbed and worrying about how it affects them and how they can best get somebody in the (national championship) all the time, rather than getting the best four teams. I don’t think that’s fair to the fans and the people who really have made it known that they want to see the four best teams play in a playoff.
“The bigger these conferences get the better chance you have to have two very good teams in that.”
Saban didn’t go as far as to name names, but anyone paying attention to all of this playoff talk knows he’s talking about Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany, who has been extremely outspoken about having only conference champions represented in a four-team playoff and has taken a few shots at Alabama and its 2011 title along the way.
The whole reason any of this playoff talk even started is because people outside of the game are passionate about seeing one in college football. To take away the chance for the four BEST teams to play makes no sense to Saban.
“There’s no question that we’re even doing the top four because fans and the people who are interested in college football are interested in seeing the best four teams play in a playoff,” Saban said Tuesday at the 2012 SEC spring meetings.
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AP Photo/Dave MartinA four-team playoff shouldn't be limited to conference champions, Alabama head coach Nick Saban reiterated.
“The bigger these conferences get the better chance you have to have two very good teams in that.”
Saban didn’t go as far as to name names, but anyone paying attention to all of this playoff talk knows he’s talking about Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany, who has been extremely outspoken about having only conference champions represented in a four-team playoff and has taken a few shots at Alabama and its 2011 title along the way.
ABOUT GEAUX TIGER NATION
Gary Laney
Gary Laney joined ESPN.com in 2012 after spending a year and a half as online sports editor of the Baton Rouge (La.) Advocate. Before that, he covered LSU sports for the Advocate. He has also been the sports editor at the Beaumont (Texas) Enterprise and covered McNeese State athletics for the Lake Charles (La.) American Press. Laney currently lives in Baton Rouge. Email him at glaneyespn@gmail.com