The LSU Tigers have already had their first bit of good baseball fortune. Rain came to Rosenblatt Stadium about 11:45 am.
The tarp was pulled on the field and practice was halted. The ever prepared Mainieri knew the rain was coming. At 11 am he gathered his team on the field and told them to move quickly through their first workout.
The most touching moment of the day was Mainieri's hug with his former Notre Dame pitching coach Brian O'Connor. O'Connor has taken Virginia to their first ever College World Series.
Said Mainieri, “I told Brian, I taught you everything you know, but not everything I know.”
Good line.
Another good omen for LSU. Blake Dean stepped in the cage and ripped a drive to left off the wall. Said Dean, “it is deja vu all over again.”
Dean's hit off the wall last year gave LSU's its lone 2008 CWS win over Rice.
Some notes about Virginia: The Cavaliers lead the ACC in batting, earned run average, and stolen bases.
How far has the Virginia program come: in 2000, LSU beat Virginia three games. LSU won each game by at least 8 runs.
Virginia is expected to start freshman lefthander Danny Hultzen against LSU. Hultzen has been outstanding in the NCAA tournament. On May 30th, he pitched 7.1 innings of shutout ball against UC-Irvine. June 5th, he allowed 2 runs in 5.1 innings against Ole Miss. Hultzen is 9-1 with a 2.09 earned run average.
Texas coach Augie Garrido, who made his first CWS trip with Cal Fullerton in 1975, said one of the eight teams will get hot. Said Garrido, “a team will gain confidence and momentum.” Added Garrido, “the unexpected will decide the championship.”