LSU Baseball Enters Regional With Something to Prove, Return Berry and Doughty
The Tigers look to throw their inconsistent regular season in the rearview mirror as they begin their College World Series run against Kennesaw State at 6:00 PM in the Hattiesburg Regional. With a dynamic group of teams featuring No. 1 Southern Miss, No. 3 Kennesaw State and No. 4 Army, along with the No. 2 seeded Tigers, there’ll be no shortage of talent this weekend.
LSU enters the regional with both Jacob Berry and Cade Doughty returning to the lineup, a huge lift to the Tigers who couldn’t quite get the bats rolling in the SEC tournament. Despite the Tigers inconsistency throughout the year, one thing fans could count on was Dylan Crews. The slugger has taken his sophomore year by storm, entering the regional batting .345 with 21 HR’s and 68 RBI’s.
For the Tigers to see success against a fiery Kennesaw State team Friday evening, they’ll need to see the bats come out firing to keep up. The Owls are led by first-year head coach Ryan Coe who has taken this team to the next level. With a weaker bullpen, it’s been their offense that has elevated them to see success, even stealing 49 bases on 64 tries.
A key piece to their offense has been senior Josh Hatcher. Batting .386 with 13 HR’s, 55 RBI’s and 13 stolen bases, Hatcher has stepped up in big-time moments for the Owls who ultimately enter the Hattiesburg Regional with something to prove.
It’ll be a hard-fought weekend for the Tigers, with the chance to face a dominant Southern Miss team or an Army squad who is hot at the right time.
Southern Miss has been a well-oiled machine all year for Head Coach Scott Berry. Boasting a 43-16 record, facing a myriad of challenging SEC opponents along the way, the road hasn’t been easy for the Golden Eagles. Pulling the “weaker competition” card doesn’t fit this team, who has beaten Mississippi State as well as Alabama this season.
A talented bullpen, the Golden Eagles’ pitching rotation has certainly been one to watch on the year. Led by RHP Tanner Hall (8-2, 2.69 ERA, 130 K), his dominance on the mound has certainly given this Southern Miss squad a boost. At the plate, the Golden Eagles have a flurry of heavy hitters, led by Dustin Dickerson and his .340 batting average.
Dickerson’s consistency has given them a push, but freshman Carson Paetow’s strength at the plate has done tremendous damage on their opponents. With 13 HR’s on the season and 44 RBI’s, Paetow has been a pleasant surprise for the Golden Eagles as they look to translate their regular season success into the regional.
Southern Miss will face a scorching hot Army group. A squad that is hot at the right time, Army enters the weekend winning six of their last seven games with a 31-23 record, winning the Patriot League title.
Lacking significant power at the plate, Army makes the most of their chances when on base, ranking 21st in the country with 101 stolen bases. As a team, the Knights fly around the bases, but Hunter Meade has really stolen the show with his timely base running. Stealing 31 bases on 34 attempts, Meade has been a spark for Army down the stretch of their season.
The Hattiesburg Regional will be a challenge for the Tigers, but returning Berry and Doughty to the lineup is a surefire way to increase their chances. After facing a difficult SEC schedule all season, LSU enters the weekend with a chance to showcase what they’ve been capable of all year long.