Will LSU Baseball Make the NCAA Tournament?

Will LSU Baseball Make the NCAA Tournament?
As the season winds down, we take a look at the Tigers’ chances of making the big dance.

NCAA tournament history

The LSU Tigers baseball team has a long and storied history in the NCAA tournament, dating back to their first appearance in the tournament in 1953. The Tigers have made 27 appearances in the tournament, including 14 in the last 20 years. They have a record of 41-26 in the tournament, and have made it to the College World Series six times.

LSU’s tournament history

Since the NCAA Division I baseball tournament began in 1947, LSU has made 31 appearances in the postseason event. The Tigers have made it to the College World Series 10 times and have won six national championships, the most recent coming in 2009.

LSU’s first appearance in the tournament came in 1950, when the Tigers went 2-1 in regional play before losing to Texas in the semifinals. The Tigers didn’t make it back to the postseason until 1957, when they went 1-2 in regional action.

It would be another eight years before LSU made it back to the NCAA tournament, and this time, the Tigers made a run all the way to Omaha. LSU went 5-1 in regional play, then defeated Houston and Southern California en route to the College World Series. The Tigers went 2-2 at Omaha, finishing in fourth place.

In 1977, LSU made its second trip to Omaha and this time, came away with a national championship. After going unbeaten in regional play, the Tigers won four straight games at Omaha, defeating Arizona State 9-8 in the final. It would be another 20 years before LSU won another national championship.

Recent tournament appearances

The LSU baseball team has made 35 NCAA tournament appearances, tied for 10th most all-time. The Tigers have played in the College World Series 19 times, tied for fourth most, and have won six national championships, tied for fifth most. LSU’s most recent national championship came in 2009.

LSU has appeared in the NCAA tournament every year since 1987, the second-longest streak in postseason play behind Miami (44). The Tigers have reached the CWS 10 times since 2000, tied with Florida State for second most behind only Stanford (11).

The current team

The current LSU baseball team is one of the best in the country. They have a great pitching staff and a lot of depth. Their outfield is also one of the best in the country. They have a lot of speed and can hit for power.

Pitching staff

The Pitching staff for the 2019 season is anchored by Junior right hander Ma’Khail Hilliard. Hilliard was recruited to LSU as a first baseman, but was converted to a pitcher during his freshman year. He has a career ERA of 3.86 and has appeared in 19 games, with 12 starts. He is the Friday night starter for the Tigers and will be counted on to lead the team in pitching this season.

Redshirt Sophomore right hander Zack Hess will be the Saturday starter. Hess was injured for much of last year, but when he did pitch he was very effective. In 2018, Hess had an ERA of 2.16 in 16 games, with 10 starts. He will look to build on that success this season and help lead LSU to a deep run in the NCAA tournament.

Sophomore right hander Caleb Gilbert will be the Sunday starter for LSU. Gilbert made 17 starts last season as a freshman and posted a 3.96 ERA. He pitched well down the stretch for the Tigers last year and will look to continue that success this season.

Infield

The infield is the area of the baseball field closest to the batter. It generally contains four positions: first base, second base, third base and shortstop. The first baseman fields balls hit to the pitcher’s left, the second baseman fields balls hit in the infield to the pitcher’s right, and the third baseman fields balls hit to the pitcher’s left-center. The shortstop is a defensive position played between second and third base.

Outfield

The Outfield for the LSU Baseball team is looking very promising this season. With returning starters in Daniel Cabrera and Antoine Duplantis, as well as new talented freshman in Giovanni DiGiacomo, the outfield has a good mix of youth and experience. The outfield should be a strength for the team this season.

Catchers

There are two main types of catchers – those that hit for power and those that hit for average. Power hitters are typically bigger and stronger, while average hitters are more agile and have better field vision.

LSU has two main catching options – junior Saul Garza and sophomore Chris Cullen. Garza is the power hitter, while Cullen is more of an average hitter. Both have good arm strength and are excellent at blocking pitches.

The schedule

LSU baseball will need to win some big games in order to make the NCAA tournament. They have a lot of tough competition, but if they can manage to win some of those games, they will definitely be in the running.

Upcoming series

After dropping the first game of their series against Mississippi State, the LSU baseball team has an upcoming three-game series against Alabama. The Tigers currently sit at 24-14 on the season with a 12-6 record in SEC play. While their RPI is not as strong as it was earlier in the season, they are still in a good position to make the NCAA tournament if they can finish strong.

The Tigers will need to win at least two of their three games against Alabama to have a chance at making the NCAA tournament. They will also need to hope that other teams ahead of them lose some games. If the Tigers can finish the season on a high note, they should be able to make the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2015.

Key games

In order for LSU to make the NCAA tournament, they need to win some key games.

The NCAA tournament is a single-elimination baseball tournament that is held each year to determine the national champion of college baseball.

The tournament consists of 64 teams, which are all selected by the NCAA Division I Baseball Committee.

To be selected for the tournament, teams must have an excellent record during their regular season and also during their conference tournament.

Some teams are automatic qualifiers for the NCAA tournament by winning their conference tournaments, while other teams are at-large selections.

LSU’s journey to the NCAA tournament begins with the SEC tournament, which is being held from May 23rd to May 27th.

If LSU wants to make the NCAA tournament, they will need to win some key games in order to be selected.

NCAA tournament projections

It’s that time of year again where college baseball teams are vying for a spot in the NCAA tournament. LSU is currently ranked #5 in the nation and is looking good for a bid. However, they will need to win some key games in the coming weeks to solidify their spot. Let’s take a look at their chances.

RPI

The Rating Percentage Index (RPI) has been used by the NCAA Selection Committee as a tool to assist in the evaluation of teams since the 1981 baseball season. The basic RPI formula between 0 and 1.000 measures a team’s relative strength based on two factors:
– Their own winning percentage (WP)
– The winning percentage of their opponents (OWP)

ESPN

As the regular season comes to a close, Baseball America’s NCAA tournament projection has LSU as a No. 4 seed hosting Loyola Marymount in the Baton Rouge Regional.

The Southeastern Conference is projected to place 11 teams in the tournament, which would be a record for one conference. The current mark is 10, set by the ACC in 2006.

The top eight seeds, according to Baseball America, would be Vanderbilt, Georgia, Florida, LSU, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Auburn and Texas A&M.

Baseball America

As the college baseball season enters its final weeks, the sport’s premier publication has LSU ranked No. 19 in its latest NCAA tournament projections.

Baseball America released its latest NCAA tournament field on Tuesday morning, and the Tigers (37-15, 16-9 SEC) are one of four SEC teams projected to make the 64-team tournament.

The only other SEC teams projected to make the field are Florida (No. 3), Mississippi State (No. 6) and Arkansas (No. 7).

Conclusion

It is very likely that LSU baseball will make the NCAA tournament. They have a strong team and are currently ranked high in some polls.