LSU Sits Atop Collegiate Preseason Poll

The LSU Baseball season could not start more perfect, as they sit atop the Collegiate Baseball Magazine preseason poll.

Paul Maneri had this to say when he arrived at LSU from Notre Dame, "Make no mistake about it. The goal is to return LSU to the pinnacle position in college baseball." That goal is now complete; hopefully he can achieve an even bigger goal as he and the Tigers hope to take it to the top, and win a sixth national championship for the LSU baseball program.

Paul Maneri said last year at the beginning of the season that he wouldn't be suprised if this team were to make it to the world series. After he said this, people called him crazy. Then the team jumped to a 12-1 start, and eyebrows began to rise as LSU began SEC play at Tennessee. That trip didn't go according to plan for the Tigers, as they went to Tennessee with 12 wins and came back with 12 wins as Tennessee beat them by scores of 6-5, 7-3 and 7-3. The Tigers then would go up and down on the SEC schedule until they hosted Georgia.

LSU lost the first two games of the series, but then tied the third against a top 10 ranked Bulldog team. After that, the magic started. LSU would go on a 23 game winning streak through the toughest part of its schedule, the middle of the SEC. They went on to go to the College World Series and go 1-2.

This season, the Tigers return many started including first team all american Blake Dean. Some of the other players LSU returns are Mcah Gibbs, Ryan Schimpf, D.J. LeMahieu, Derek Helenihi, Jared Mitchell, and Nick Pontiff.

One problem the Tiger baseball team will have to overcome is losing some of their top pitching. They lost their top pitcher in Jared Bradford, but along with him go starters Ryan Verdugo, and Blake Martin. But it's not all said as the Tigers return Louis Coleman who really thrived late and pitched great in the 23 game winning streak and in the College World Series.

One good aspect is that he can't do any worse than he ended last season: In the ninth, he threw a pitch that was sent into the bleachers for a grand slam that basically ended LSU's season, but there is no way the Tigers make it that far without him.

LSU begins this season with a clean slate. It's the beginning of a new era in LSU baseball as the New Alex Box will be ready for the LSU season opener against Villanova. Hopefully the tigers can take it one step further than last season and win a national championship.