When the LSU Tigers and the Texas Longhorns take the field at Rosenblatt Stadium Monday night, they will play a best-of-three series and try and bring the crown back to their respective universities. They are two different teams, but similar in some ways.
When it comes to the two offenses, they are at two different ends of the spectrum. LSU likes to swing the stick and play for the long ball and big innings, while the 'Horns like to work and get the lead off hitter on then move him around. The Tigers high-powered offense is led by junior sluggers, Blake Dean and Ryan Schimpf. Schimpf leads the Tigers with 21 home runs, but Dean is right behind him with 17 of his own. LSU's lineup is full of hitters with 8 guys hitting over .300, and 4 guys with 10 plus home runs. Though they often hit for power, they are also a patient team at the plate as they have 327 walks from their starting 9.
LSU also likes to be thieves on the base paths, as they have stolen 112 bases out of 154 attempts, led by LSU Wide Receiver/ Right Fielder Jared Mitchell, who stole 35 bases out of 44. They will definitely look to test Texas catcher Cameron Rupp who has only thrown out 12 out of 38 runners or 32%. With LSU playing a high powered offense, the Texas Longhorn offense plays a completely different style.
Texas looks to get a run at a time, and plays lots of small ball. Texas enjoys the ability to get the lead off hitter on base and then sacrifice bunt him over to 2nd, and take 2 opportunities to get him over and in. The Longhorns led the nation this year with 100 sacrifice bunts, and it has showed often in the CWS. Though they have been playing small ball here in Omaha, Texas has also showed the long ball. As the saying goes, "chicks dig the long ball." They have been led by Cameron Rupp, who has now saved their season twice in two games against ASU, by hitting two bombs, one that cleared the batters eye to tie the game in the 9th inning on Friday night. Augie Garrido expects all his hitters to lay a bunt down at any time, as three-hole hitter, Brandon Belt was 2nd on the team with 11.
After the offensive side is where the two teams even it out. LSU's pitching staff is led by big senior right hander, Louis Coleman, who is 14-2 on the year with a 2.68 ERA and had 132 strikeouts over 121 innings. Once you get finished with Coleman though it doesn't get any easier as LSU sends out the six-foot seven sophomore righty Anthony Ranaudo. Ranaudo was 11-3 on the year with a 2.87 ERA, and struck out 155 over 119 innings. Ranaudo has a fastball that sits at 90-94 and a curveball and changeup that fools the hitters when they are expecting to see that fastball run up and bust them on their hands. Both these pitchers feel safe when they leave the game with a lead late in the ball game, as the Tiger pen is locked down by closer Matty Ott. Ott, a true freshman, wasn't expected to be the team's closer at the beginning of the year, but earned it as he finished the year with a 3-2 record and 16 saves. Though it seems LSU would have the edge here, Texas matches up well on the pitching end.
Texas is led by sophomore ace, Chance Ruffin, who went 10-2 with a 3.27 ERA. He led the Horns rotation in innings pitched with a 118 1/3 while striking out 104. A big surprise for the Texas pitching staff came from true freshman Taylor Jungmann (yung-men) who finished the year 10-3 with a 2.10 ERA. He threw 85 2/3 innings and struck 92. The Texas bullpen is locked down by senior lefty, Austin Wood. Wood known for his stellar outing against Boston College, where he went 13 innings and the 1st 12 1/3 were for no hit. Wood is side arm lefty who deceives hitters by coming from a different angle and making it tough on hitters to pick up.
The way I see this series coming to an end is in two games, which will be close pitcher's duels with LSU being too overpowering and will sweep the series 2-0, and bring the 2009 National Championship back to Baton Rouge.
Here's to a great series that hopefully puts college baseball back on the map and get more games on television during the year.
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