Texas vs. LSU full of tradition

• By RANDY ROSETTA
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Jun 21, 2009

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OMAHA, Neb. — Two of the college baseball’s bluebloods will collide for the College World Series championship starting Monday and for No. 1-ranked but third-seeded LSU, tangling with Texas is a perfect scenario.

The Longhorns (49-14-1) are the top seed in the CWS field and ranked No. 4 or 5 in all four major polls.

Texas won the Big 12 Conference regular-season championship by a half game over Oklahoma and prevailed in the league’s postseason tournament by bouncing back after an opening-day loss to Baylor.

Like the Tigers (54-16), UT is 3-0 in Omaha. Unlike LSU, the ’Horns have had to scratch, claw and use a flair for the dramatic to get to the finals.

The sport’s winningest coach, Augie Garrido, will be in the UT dugout in search of his sixth national championship overall, and his third national crown with Texas since 2002.

All numbers aside, all that matters to the Tigers is that the team across the diamond is wearing that burnt orange with the familiar ‘T’ on its caps.

“I love it,” LSU senior Louis Coleman said. “Growing up, I didn’t know too much about college baseball but when I started listening, all I heard about was Texas and LSU being the greatest programs.”

Tigers coach Paul Mainieri admitted he was hoping that if his team made the championship round, Texas would be the opponent.

“All the teams here are outstanding, but I just felt like Texas represents a program of excellence,” Mainieri said. “Augie Garrido has won more games (1,717) than any coach in college baseball and has won five national championships. That’s the kind of team you’re supposed to beat to win a national championship.”

Mainieri is looking for his first title in 21 years as a Division I coach and LSU’s sixth, which would match Texas for second place all-time behind Southern California’s 12.

Before Saturday’s practice, a day after both teams punched tickets to the CWS final round, the third-year Tigers coach was peppered with questions about Garrido’s affinity for small ball and the Longhorns talent, etc.

“If you’re afraid of those challenges, you’re in the wrong business,” Mainieri said. “I just thought this would be a great matchup — one made for television. You think there might be some tickets sold?”

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