1996 LSU Tigers baseball team

NCAATeamSeason
Mode = baseball
Year = 1996
Team = LSU Tigers


ImageSize = 150
Conference = Southeastern Conference
Division = West
ShortConference = SEC
CoachRank =
APRank =
Record = 52-15
ConfRecord = 20-10
HeadCoach = Skip Bertman
HitCoach =
PitchCoach =
StadiumArena = Alex Box Stadium
Champion = National Champions
SEC Champions
BowlTourney =
BowlTourneyResult =

The 1996 LSU Tigers baseball team won the NCAA national championship in one of the most memorable College World Series games in history.

The Tigers, coached by Skip Bertman, had already established themselves as a premier college baseball program, having won two previous national championships in 1991 and 1993. The 1996 version built on this reputation by compiling a 52-15 record, including going 20-10 in the Southeastern Conference, winning the SEC championship as well.

Regular Season

The Tigers regular season record was 43-13 with notable losses coming against conference rivals Alabama and a 3 game sweep at the hands of Florida.

EC Tournament

LSU defeated Tennessee in the first game of the 1996 SEC Baseball Tournament but then lost to Florida (their fourth loss to them in as many games) and Kentucky and were eliminated.

NCAA Tournament Regional

LSU cruised through the "regional" round (hosted by LSU at Alex Box Stadium) of the NCAA Tournament defeating Austin Peay 9-3, UNLV 7-6, UNO 17-4 and Georgia Tech 29-13.

College World Series

The Tigers opened the College World Series by defeating Wichita State 9-8, the same team they beat in the championship games of 1991 and 1993. LSU then moved on to play conference rival Florida (who had beaten the Tigers in all four games played earlier in the season). LSU won 9-4. Florida then came back through the losers bracket to face LSU again. The Tigers won the second game 2-1 to move onto the championship game.

The championship game featured a match up of two college baseball powers in LSU and Miami (Florida). Both teams had previously won 2 national championships (Miami: 1982 & 1985) and were vying for their third. Miami featured future major leaguers Alex Cora and Pat Burrell, who helped the Hurricanes to establish a 7-3 lead in the game. However, the Tiger would fight back to tie the game. Cora then reclaimed the lead for Miami with an RBI single and the Hurricanes then led 8-7 heading into the 9th inning.

With 2 outs and a runner on third base LSU only needed a base hit or a wild pitch to tie the game. An unlikely hero emerged from the LSU dugout in Warren Morris, who had been hurt most of the year. He stepped to the plate and faced pitcher Robbie Morrison. Morris swung on Morrison's first pitch and lined the ball just barely over the right field fence for a 2 out, game winning walk off home run. This was his first home run of the season.

Aftermath

Morris' home run would later win an ESPY award for "Showstopper of the Year." [ [http://espn.go.com/espy2005/s/pastwinners.html ESPY Past Winners] ]

The Tigers won their third national championship and would follow it up with two more in 1997 and 2000. Miami would recover and go on to win two more national championships as well in 1999 and 2001.

eason Results

ee also

*LSU Tigers baseball

References

External links

* [http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/sbcfs3.htm USAToday.com: LSU dramatics trigger memory]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcwksNneZv8 Video of Morris' home run]