Gavin Dugas Gearing Up For Final Run In Alex Box Stadium
Gavin Dugas has felt the highs and lows of what college baseball has to offer. The seasoned veteran understands what it takes to be successful and he’s rubbed off on his teammates all season long.
Now, the “old head” in the locker room has one last chance to punch his ticket to Omaha and he isn’t one to waste an opportunity.
The decision to return for another season was an easy one for the standout second baseman. Dugas had a goal in mind of winning a title, and with a star-studded roster coming in this season, he knew what he had to do.
Now, the Tigers are a series win away from getting to Omaha with a National Championship in mind.
Reflecting on the Journey
Dugas is one of the few players who have been here for the long haul, but as an experienced player, he understands the meaning of this weekend’s series. This team isn’t just playing for one another, they’re playing for the entire LSU fan base.
The journey has been a long one for Dugas and the memories will last a lifetime from his time in Alex Box Stadium.
“There’s a book I can right about the stuff I’m going to miss when it’s all said and done," Dugas said. "It’s hard to say, but most of all I’ll miss my teammates. Year in and year out it’s always tough saying goodbye to a group of guys that you know will never be together again. That’s one thing we’re trying to emphasize.
“You never want to end the year on a loss. You want to end the year how we want it to happen and that’s our ultimate goal.”
The Relationships Built Within This Squad
It’s no secret the 2023 LSU squad is a superteam. From Dylan Crews to Paul Skenes to Tommy White, there’s no shortage of star caliber players suiting up in the purple and gold, but there’s one trait that stands out to Dugas: the unselfishness.
Dugas detailed how close this team is and how rare it is for such a powerful group to play not just for themselves, but for each other.
“Guys have done a lot of things unselfishly to compete for one another and to have fun. I saw somebody say in one of our things in the locker room that this is the most willing team for each other that we’ve had. It was a previous player, and just hearing him say that is something I’ve always wanted to have said about our team,” Dugas said.
The Significance of Omaha
Heading into this season, it was always National Championship or bust for the Tigers, and with this squad two wins away from punching their ticket to Omaha, they’re inching closer to the ultimate goal.
There are several hurdles left in front of them, but Dugas understands what must be done to get there and that’s taking it one game at a time. It starts with Kentucky this weekend.
“It would mean the world. It’s been a little bit since LSU made a trip to Omaha. At the end of the day we have a game on Saturday and that's what we're worried about," Dugas said. "If we take care of what we need to take care of, that'll get us where we need to go. It’s as simple as that and that’s how we’re going to roll until we get to where we want to go.”