# 1996 LSU Tigers baseball team

The 1996 LSU Tigers baseball team won the NCAA national championship in one of the most memorable College World Series games in history.
The Tigers, coached by Skip Bertman, had already established themselves as a premier college baseball program, having won two previous national championships in 1991 and 1993. The 1996 version built on this reputation by compiling a 52–15 record, including going 20–10 in the Southeastern Conference, winning the SEC championship as well.

## Regular season

The Tigers regular season record was 43–13 with notable losses coming against conference rivals Alabama and a 3-game sweep at the hands of Florida.

## SEC tournament

LSU defeated Tennessee in the first game of the 1996 SEC baseball tournament but then lost to Florida (their fourth loss to them in as many games) and Kentucky and were eliminated.

## NCAA Tournament Regional

LSU cruised through the regional round (hosted by LSU at Alex Box Stadium) of the NCAA Tournament defeating Austin Peay 9-3, UNLV 7-6, UNO 17–4 and Georgia Tech 29-13.

## College World Series

The Tigers opened the College World Series by defeating Wichita State 9-8, the same team they beat in the championship games of 1991 and 1993. LSU then moved on to play conference rival Florida (who had beaten the Tigers in all four games played earlier in the season). LSU won 9-4. Florida then came back through the losers bracket to face LSU again. The Tigers won the second game 2–1 to move onto the championship game.
The championship game featured a match-up of two college baseball powers in LSU and Miami (Florida). Both teams had previously won 2 national championships (Miami: 1982 & 1985) and were vying for their third. Miami featured future major leaguers Alex Cora and Pat Burrell, who helped the Hurricanes to establish a 7–3 lead in the game. However, the Tigers would fight back to tie the game. Cora then reclaimed the lead for Miami with an RBIs single and the Hurricanes then led 8–7 heading into the 9th inning.
With 2 outs and a runner on third base LSU only needed a base hit or a wild pitch to tie the game. An unlikely hero emerged from the LSU dugout in Warren Morris, who had been hurt most of the year. He stepped to the plate and faced pitcher Robbie Morrison. Morris swung on Morrison's first pitch and lined the ball just inches over the right field fence for a 2 out, game winning walk off home run. This was his first home run of the season.

## Aftermath

Morris' home run would later win the 1997 Showstopper of the Year ESPY Award.
The Tigers won their third national championship and would follow it up with four more in 1997, 2000, 2009, and 2023. Miami would recover and go on to win two more national championships as well in 1999 and 2001.

## Schedule/Results

1996 LSU Tigers baseball game log :
Regular Season :
| # | Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall record | SEC record |
| 1 | - | Western Kentucky | Alex Box Stadium | 9–0 | - | - | - | - | 1–0 | - |
| 2 | - | Western Kentucky | Alex Box Stadium | 18–0 | - | - | - | - | 2–0 | - |
| 3 | - | Western Kentucky | Alex Box Stadium | 18–1 | - | - | - | - | 3–0 | - |
| 4 | - | Centenary | Alex Box Stadium | 6–1 | - | - | - | - | 4–0 | - |
| 5 | - | Southern Mississippi | Winn-Dixie Showdown (New Orleans, LA) | 7–4 | - | - | - | - | 5–0 | - |
| 6 | - | Ole Miss | Winn-Dixie Showdown (New Orleans, LA) | 9–7 | - | - | - | - | 6–0 | - |
| 7 | - | Mississippi State | Winn-Dixie Showdown (New Orleans, LA) | 8–4 | - | - | - | - | 7–0 | - |
| 8 | - | Tulane | Alex Box Stadium | 10–0 | - | - | - | - | 8–0 | - |
| 9 | - | Louisiana Tech | Alex Box Stadium | 6–1 | - | - | - | - | 9–0 | - |
| 10 | - | Duquesne | Alex Box Stadium | 14–7 | - | - | - | - | 10–0 | - |
| 11 | - | Duquesne | Alex Box Stadium | 9–5 | - | - | - | - | 11–0 | - |
| 12 | - | Loyola-New Orleans | Alex Box Stadium | 22–2 | - | - | - | - | 12–0 | - |
| 13 | - | Vanderbilt | Hawkins Field | 15–0 | - | - | - | - | 13–0 | 1–0 |
| 14 | - | Vanderbilt | Hawkins Field | 2–3 | - | - | - | - | 13–1 | 1–1 |
| 15 | - | Vanderbilt | Hawkins Field | 14–4 | - | - | - | - | 14–1 | 2–1 |
| 16 | - | Dayton | Alex Box Stadium | 15–2 | - | - | - | - | 15–1 | - |
| 17 | - | Dayton | Alex Box Stadium | 6–7 | - | - | - | - | 15–2 | - |
| 18 | - | Georgia | Alex Box Stadium | 14–4 | - | - | - | - | 16–2 | 3–1 |
| 19 | - | Georgia | Alex Box Stadium | 12–5 | - | - | - | - | 17–2 | 4–1 |
| 20 | - | Georgia | Alex Box Stadium | 23–5 | - | - | - | - | 18–2 | 5–1 |
| 21 | - | UNO | Alex Box Stadium | 16–8 | - | - | - | - | 19–2 | - |
| 22 | - | Northeast Louisiana | Alex Box Stadium | 10–0 | - | - | - | - | 20–2 | - |
| 23 | - | Florida | McKethan Stadium | 6–7 | - | - | - | - | 20–3 | 5–2 |
| 24 | - | Florida | McKethan Stadium | 5–9 | - | - | - | - | 20–4 | 5–3 |
| 25 | - | Florida | McKethan Stadium | 1–2 | - | - | - | - | 20–5 | 5–4 |
| 26 | - | Southern | Alex Box Stadium | 19–0 | - | - | - | - | 21–5 | - |
| 27 | - | McNeese State | Alex Box Stadium | 16–0 | - | - | - | - | 22–5 | - |
| 28 | - | Tennessee | Alex Box Stadium | 9–2 | - | - | - | - | 23–5 | 6–4 |
| 29 | - | Tennessee | Alex Box Stadium | 5–3 | - | - | - | - | 24–5 | 7–4 |
| 30 | - | Tennessee | Alex Box Stadium | 9–1 | - | - | - | - | 25–5 | 8–4 |
| 31 | - | Tulane | Greer Field at Turchin Stadium | 3–1 | - | - | - | - | 26–5 | - |
| 32 | - | Northwestern Louisiana | Alex Box Stadium | 5–10 | - | - | - | - | 26–6 | - |
| 33 | - | Northwestern Louisiana | Alex Box Stadium | 5–6 | - | - | - | - | 26–7 | - |
| 34 | - | South Carolina | Carolina Stadium | 15–2 | - | - | - | - | 27–7 | 9–4 |
| 35 | - | South Carolina | Carolina Stadium | 0–2 | - | - | - | - | 27–8 | 9–5 |
| 36 | - | South Carolina | Carolina Stadium | 4–2 | - | - | - | - | 28–8 | 10–5 |
| 37 | - | Southeastern Louisiana | Alumni Field | 5–2 | - | - | - | - | 29–8 | - |
| 38 | - | Nicholls State | Alex Box Stadium | 14–0 | - | - | - | - | 30–8 | - |
| 39 | - | Ole Miss | Oxford-University Stadium at Swayze Field | 6–5 | - | - | - | - | 31–8 | 11–5 |
| 40 | - | Ole Miss | Oxford-University Stadium at Swayze Field | 10–1 | - | - | - | - | 32–8 | 12–5 |
| 41 | - | Ole Miss | Oxford-University Stadium at Swayze Field | 9–2 | - | - | - | - | 33–8 | 13–5 |
| 42 | - | Southeastern Louisiana | Alex Box Stadium | 7–4 | - | - | - | - | 34–8 | - |
| 43 | - | Arkansas | Alex Box Stadium | 2–3 | - | - | - | - | 34–9 | 13–6 |
| 44 | - | Arkansas | Alex Box Stadium | 11–4 | - | - | - | - | 35–9 | 14–6 |
| 45 | - | Arkansas | Alex Box Stadium | 9–4 | - | - | - | - | 36–9 | 15–6 |
| 46 | - | University of New Orleans | Maestri Field | 8–4 | - | - | - | - | 37–9 | - |
| 47 | - | Louisiana College | Alex Box Stadium | 20–0 | - | - | - | - | 38–9 | - |
| 48 | - | Alabama | Alex Box Stadium | 8–6 | - | - | - | - | 39–9 | 16–6 |
| 49 | - | Alabama | Alex Box Stadium | 4–17 | - | - | - | - | 39–10 | 16–7 |
| 50 | - | Alabama | Alex Box Stadium | 5–12 | - | - | - | - | 39–11 | 16–8 |
| 51 | - | Auburn | Samford Stadium – Hitchcock Field at Plainsman Park | 14–2 | - | - | - | - | 40–11 | 17–8 |
| 52 | - | Auburn | Samford Stadium – Hitchcock Field at Plainsman Park | 6–0 | - | - | - | - | 41–11 | 18–8 |
| 53 | - | Auburn | Samford Stadium – Hitchcock Field at Plainsman Park | 3–7 | - | - | - | - | 41–12 | 18–9 |
| 54 | - | Mississippi State | Alex Box Stadium | 8–7 | - | - | - | - | 42–12 | 19–9 |
| 55 | - | Mississippi State | Alex Box Stadium | 17–9 | - | - | - | - | 43–12 | 20–9 |
| 56 | - | Mississippi State | Alex Box Stadium | 10–11 | - | - | - | - | 43–13 | 20–10 |
Post-Season :
SEC Tournament :
| # | Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall record | SECT Record |
| 57 | - | Tennessee | Regions Park | 3–1 | - | - | - | - | 44–13 | 1-0 |
| 58 | - | Florida | Regions Park | 2–6 | - | - | - | - | 44–14 | 1-1 |
| 59 | - | Kentucky | Regions Park | 11–12 | - | - | - | - | 44–15 | 1-2 |
NCAA South II Regional (Baton Rouge, LA) :
| # | Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall record | NCAAT Record |
| 60 | May 23 | Austin Peay | Alex Box Stadium | 9–3 | - | - | - | - | 45–15 | 1-0 |
| 61 | May 24 | UNLV | Alex Box Stadium | 7–6 | - | - | - | - | 46–15 | 2-0 |
| 62 | May 25 | University of New Orleans | Alex Box Stadium | 17–4 | - | - | - | - | 47–15 | 3-0 |
| 63 | May 26 | Georgia Tech | Alex Box Stadium | 29–13 | - | - | - | - | 48–15 | 4-0 |
College World Series :
| # | Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall record | NCAAT Record |
| 64 | June 1 | Wichita State | Rosenblatt Stadium | 9–8 | - | - | - | - | 49–15 | 1-0 |
| 65 | June 3 | Florida | Rosenblatt Stadium | 9–4 | - | - | - | - | 50–15 | 2-0 |
| 66 | June 6 | Florida | Rosenblatt Stadium | 2–1 | - | - | - | - | 51–15 | 3-0 |
| 67 | June 8 | Miami (Florida) | Rosenblatt Stadium | 9–8 | - | - | - | - | 52–15 | 4-0 |

## Roster
### Coaches

| Name | Position |
| Skip Bertman | Head coach |
| Mike Bianco | Assistant coach |
| Dan Canevari | Administrative Assistant |
| Daniel Tomlin | Volunteer Assistant Coach |

### Players

| Name | Position |
| T.J. Arnett | RHP |
| Tom Bernhardt | OF |
| Eric Berthelot | LHP |
| John Blancher | INF |
| Justin Bowles | RF |
| Matt Colvin | LHP |
| Patrick Coogan | RHP |
| Chad Cooley | LF |
| Casey Cuntz | INF |
| Brian Daugherty | RHP |
| Chris Demouy | LHP |
| Nathan Dunn | 3B |
| Jake Esteves | RHP |
| Eddy Furniss | 1B |
| Dan Guillory | RHP |
| Jeff Harris | RHP |
| James Hemphill | OF |
| Conan Horton | C |
| Sonny Knoll | RHP |
| Mike Koerner | CF |
| Tim Lanier | C |
| Brett Laxton | RHP |
| Antonio Leonardi-Cattolica | RHP |
| Trey McClure | INF |
| Jeramie Moore | 1B |
| Warren Morris | 2B |
| Joey Painich | RHP |
| Keith Polozola | INF |
| Kevin Shipp | RHP |
| Bill Bridges | RHP |
| Kevin Ward | C |
| Jason Williams | SS |
| Brad Wilson | DH |
| Jeremy Witten | OF |
| Eddie Yarnall | LHP |