LSU's CWS champs gather to get rings

• By RANDY ROSETTA
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Nov 1, 2009

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A baseball dugout is usually a lively place, whether it’s boys barely able to grip a bat or grown men in the glare of the seventh game of the World Series.

Yet LSU’s home dugout at Alex Box Stadium was noticeably quiet while the 2009 Tigers fans watched the highlight video from the 2009 College World Series along with 2,800 fans.

Almost four months later, in one of their last moments together, the Tigers relished one more celebration.

This time, it was to receive national championship rings in a ceremony at the Box, an idea of coach Paul Mainieri — admittedly for selfish reasons.

“It’s such a bittersweet feeling because we’re running out of reasons to get them all together,” Mainieri said. “This is such a tremendous group, I hate to say goodbye. We lost some great ballplayers, but even greater people.”

Mainieri, LSU Chancellor Mike Martin and Athletic Director Joe Alleva all spoke to crowd that gathered on a cool Halloween day. The video featured highlights from the Tigers’ march to the CWS crown, culminating with the 2-to-1 championship series triumph over Texas.

As each highlight and interview flashed up, the players — clad in the yellow-gold jerseys they wore that night at Rosenblatt Stadium — stood quietly, almost respectfully, and soaked in the moments.

The only players missing were infielder DJ LeMahieu, who is in the Dominican Republic for winter ball, and Chad Jones, whose day was occupied across the street as the starting free safety for the LSU football team.

There were a few jabs at Sean Ochinko’s base-running exploits, some chuckles when Buzzy Haydel did postgame interviews and a murmur when Louis Coleman’s final pitch blew past Texas hitter Connor Rowe to trigger a dog pile celebrating LSU’s sixth baseball national championship.

“You get chills about every 3 minutes watching that thing,” said Coleman, who took the field last and drew the loudest ovation. “It seems like yesterday. It’s real special to be together one more time. It means a lot and gives another memory to add to all the ones last season gave me.”

For one more day, those memories were kept alive.

Mainieri took the microphone and thanked his players, the LSU administration and the Tigers’ fan base. He lauded the fans for the 403,000 who went through the turnstiles last year in the debut season of the new Box.

“What a day, what a dream,” Mainieri said. “As a young boy, you dream about a day like this. It’s even better than your dreams.”