LSU Notes for May 12, 2008

• By CARL DUBOIS AND RANDY ROSETTA
• Advocate sportswriters
• Published: May 12, 2008 - Page: 8C - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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The last home game on LSU’s schedule this season drew the largest crowd of the year at Alex Box Stadium but didn’t set a record.

The number of tickets sold did.

LSU reported ticket sales of 8,701 for Sunday’s game, a 9-6 victory against Mississippi State. A season-high crowd of 6,556 passed through the gates, LSU officials said.

That’s the largest crowd at The Box since 6,631 saw Rice defeat the Tigers 9-7 in a second-round game in the 2005 regional, the most recent regional at the ballpark.

The attendance record of 7,607 was set in the final game of the 2004 season, a super regional victory against Texas A&M that sent LSU to the College World Series.

Earlier that year, LSU sold 8,683 tickets for a weekend game against Houston.

That was the record for tickets sold until Sunday’s game, the final regular-season home game.

LSU drew 110,411 fans this season for 36 home games, an average of 3,067 per game. The school sold 270,845 tickets, an average of 7,523 per game.

Last season, Paul Mainieri’s first as LSU coach, the Tigers drew 97,856 for 35 home games, an average of 2,796 per game. Ticket sales totaled 256,537 for an average of 7,330 per game.

In 2006, Smoke Laval’s final season as coach of the Tigers, LSU drew 98,260 for 37 home games, a per-game average of 2,656. Ticket sales totaled 270,341 for a per-game average of 7,307.

First in line
For the first time since last season, LSU arranged the 12 Southeastern Conference pennants beyond left field in the order of the conference standings. Senior associate athletic director Herb Vincent said fans approached him during the weekend and requested a return to that tradition for the final scheduled game at The Box.

The first-place team in the SEC West, LSU was first on the row of flags, closest to the left-field foul pole.

Pregame talk
Mississippi State coach Ron Polk shook hands with the Tigers before the game and told them Alex Box Stadium is a special place filled with history.