From LSU media relations

An autograph session with LSU’s 2009 national championship baseball team will be held on Saturday after the Tigers receive their 2009 College World Series championship rings.

The team will receive rings at Alex Box Stadium during a special ceremony that begins at 4 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, and all gates to the stadium will open at 3:30 p.m.

The ceremony will feature remarks from Director of Athletics Joe Alleva and coach Paul Mainieri, along with a video presentation that captures the spirit of the 2009 national championship club.

The Tigers will sign autographs for one hour following the conclusion of the ceremony on the concourse level inside Alex Box Stadium.

“This team had tremendous chemistry and work ethic, and it proudly represented LSU and our entire state,” Mainieri said. “This ceremony will be a fitting tribute to the accomplishments of our players, coaches and staff.”

From LSU media relations

The 2009 LSU baseball team will receive its national championship rings at 4 p.m. Saturday at Alex Box Stadium.

Each member of the squad will receive his ring from LSU Director of Athletics Joe Alleva during a special ceremony that will take place prior to the LSU-Tulane football game.

The ring ceremony is free and open to the public. Gates 1 and 3 of Alex Box Stadium will open at 3:30 p.m.

“The symbol of excellence in college athletics is a national championship ring, and we’re thrilled to hold this ceremony and honor our team in a unique way," LSU coach Paul Mainieri said. "This might be the last time the 2009 team is together for a while, and we certainly encourage all Tiger fans to join us and witness a very meaningful event.

“We would love to have everyone who is on campus tailgating for the football game join us for the ceremony.”

The event will feature remarks from Alleva and Mainieri, along with a video presentation that captures the spirit of the 2009 national championship club.

“This team had tremendous chemistry and work ethic, and it proudly represented LSU and our entire state,” Mainieri said. “This ceremony will be a fitting tribute to the accomplishments of our players, coaches and staff.”
 

Provided photo/

Beau Didier

One to watch
After missing last season, redshirt freshman Beau Didier started swinging a bat in June and should be ready for modified duty when LSU begins fall practice in October.

The big infielder underwent ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction, or Tommy John surgery, early last season. In his only at-bat, the Federal Way, Wash., native slammed a pinch-hit home run in his only at-bat last season.

LSU coach Paul Mainieri said Didier will bat in fall practice and be limited to playing first base to protect the rebuilt elbow.

“He looks good,” Mainieri said. “He’s a big, strong that kid might really be something for us.”

Didier will be in the battle for the starting jobs at third base and can also play first base or left field.

Claim to fame
New Tigers sophomore Trey Watkins is expected to vie for playing time in the outfield after carving out NJCAA Division II All-American honors last spring at LSU-Eunice after an eye-popping offensive season: .418 batting average, 95 runs scored and 58 steals in 61 attempts.
 
But Watkins might be just as proud of his accomplishments on another playing field.
 
Watkins played football and baseball at Destrehan and was a starting defensive back for both of the Wildcats 5A state championship teams.
 
When Mainieri asked Watkins if he had ever intercepted former teammate and current LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson in practice, Watkins told him “All the time, Coach.”
 
Jefferson didn’t deny it.
 
“He was a good cornerback and he did get me a few times,” Jefferson said before adding a disclaimer with a smile. “But I wasn’t used to throwing the ball as much back then.” 
 
 

LSU baseball coach Paul Mainieri said Monday afternoon that pitcher Brody Colvin is apparently headed to Major League baseball instead of LSU.

Colvin was on campus Monday and went through freshman orientation, Mainieri said, but a last-day signing bonus offer of $900,000 from the Philadelphia Phillies lured him away. Philadelphia drafted Colvin the seventh round of the 2009 MLB draft.

Colvin and Mainieri have not spoken since the final offer was made, but the LSU coach said he believes Colvin has accepted the offer and will pursue pro baseball.

Earlier Monday various reports in New York City indicated that LSU signee Slade Heathcott had agreed to a multi-million dollar bonus with the New York Yankees. The Yankees picked Heathcott with the 28th pick of the first round.

LSU claimed the school's sixth national championship by finishing off Texas, 11-4, in the decisive game of the College World Series championship series.

The Tigers added a run in the ninth on Sean Ochinko's leadoff home run inside the left-field foul pole. Ochinko finished with a 4-for-5 night and three runs batted in after being benched Tuesday night.

Louis Coleman survived a four-pitch leadoff walk by finishing the championship run and his college career by striking out the side.

Coleman got Connor Rowe to swing at a 1-2 frisbee slider for the final strike. Then Coleman fired his glove into the air before catcher Micah Gibbs and the rest of the Tigers convened for the obligatory dog pile.

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Mark Saltz/The Advocate

LSU's Ryan Schimpf (16) applauds from the dugout.

LSU added another run to take a 10-4 lead into the ninth.

Austin Nola led off the top of the eighth with an opposite-field double that trickled into foul ground down the right-field line. Nola moved to third after DJ LeMahieu bounced a line drive off the leg of Texas reliever Austin Wood to knock him out of the game.

Lefty Keith Shinaberry came in and gave up a sacrifice fly to Schimpf to put LSU in double figures. Blake Dean ended the inning by bouncing into a 3-6-1 double play.

Louis Coleman, who started for LSU on Monday night, came in after Jones pitched 1 2/3 innings of no-hit, scoreless ball.

Coleman, who gave up five solo homers against the Longhorns two nights ago, allowed a one-out double to Texas' Michael Torres. LSU third baseman Derek Helenihi followed with a Graig Nettles impression, circa the 1978 World Series, with a diving stop and throw to retire Travis Tucker for the second out. Then first baseman Sean Ochikno smothered a hard shot to first to retire Brandon Belt and end the inning.

I'll be a bit late with the final-inning post because I have to fulfill some other obligations for our Web site. You'll see a purple "Sports Alert" bar at the top of the site almost immediately after the final out.

So feel free to click the link in the purple bar when the game is over, and check back to this blog for the final-inning wrap-up not too long after that.

Eric Francis/AP

LSU pitcher Chad Jones and teammate Buzzy Haydel, right, celebrate after Jones struck out Texas' Russell Moldenhauer in the sixth inning. Jones also worked a scoreless inning in the seventh for the Tigers.

LSU went quickly and quietly in order in the top of the inning, but Chad Jones also kept Texas off the board as the Tigers still lead, 9-4.

Jones hit Kevin Keyes in the front foot with a breaking ball with one out.

But Jones got Connor Rowe to pop to first and retired Preston Clark on a fly out to left.

LSU's offense awakened after a three-inning nap to reclaim the lead, re-living the 11th inning of Monday night's game in the process.

The Tigers sent 10 men to the plate, scoring five times to take a 9-4 advantage in the top of the inning.

Mikie Mahtook's RBI double off Texas reliever Brandon Workman broke a 4-4 tie and put the Tigers back on top. Two nights ago, Mahtook reached Workman for an RBI single in the top of the 11th inning that was the decisive run in LSU's 7-6 victory.

Derek Helenihi followed with a sacrifice fly to the edge of the warning track in left. After the Tigers loaded the bases, Blake Dean was hit by a pitch to score a run and Sean Ochinko drove in two more with a single.

The top of the inning started when Jared Mitchell ended a streak of nine consecutive LSU batters retired with a leadoff walk. It was a good at-bat for Mitchell, who fell behind 0-2 before working the count for the bases on balls.

Mitchell moved to second on a wild pitch after Mikie Mahtook squared to bunt but got out of the way of a first-pitch, high-and-inside fastball. Then Mahtook lined a 3-2 fastball to right-center field for the go-ahead double that chased Workman from the game.

Micah Gibbs followed with a sacrifice bunt and reached first on an errant throw by new Texas pitcher Austin Dicharry. The error put LSU runners at first and third with none out. Helenihi followed with his sacrifice fly to score Mahtook.

Gibbs moved to second on a ground out and to third on a wild pitch. DJ LeMahieu walked and Texas lefty reliever Austin Wood came in and nicked Ryan Schimpf to load the bases. Then Wood nipped Dean to force in a run and give LSU a 7-4 cushion. Ochinko followed with a chopper through the left side to put the Tigers ahead, 9-4.

In the bottom of the inning, LSU's Anthony Ranaudo departed in favor of lefty Chad Jones after retiring the first Texas hitter of the bottom of the fifth. Jones struck out the next two batters to end the inning.

Ranaudo's pitching line
5 1/3 innings pitched, eight hits, four earned runs, five walks, four strikeouts, 119 pitches

Texas pitching lines
Workman: Three-plus innings, two runs, two hits, one walk.

Dicharry: Two-thirds of an inning, two unearned runs, one walk.