LSU’s win over Oregon State in the Baton Rouge Regional final on Monday secured a super regional hosting spot for the first time since 2017. But the excitement of the moment was overshadowed by bittersweet news.
Pitching coach [autotag]Wes Johnson[/autotag], a new addition to the staff this season from the Major League Baseball ranks, will leave the program to become the head coach at Georgia. Johnson will remain with the Tigers through the remainder of the postseason.
Head coach [autotag]Jay Johnson[/autotag] said the team is not getting distracted by the news, though he was disappointed to see it leak when it did. ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported on Johnson’s departure minutes following the end of the game.
“We’re dialed in. That’s the way of the world now,” Johnson said per On3’s Matthew Brune. “You don’t get to choose things all the time. Our plan was to let them know Monday morning, but to get it to them, I thought it was important they heard it from me and Wes. It stinks a little bit that they just won a championship and that’s what it should be about. We had another meeting, and we’re locked in from now until the end. It helps that we have great leaders like Paul (Skenes) and Ty (Floyd).”
Floyd told the media that while the news indeed came as a bit of a shock to the team, he wishes Johnson well in his next stop.
“We were all surprised and sad he’s leaving, but we’re excited to see him go to Georgia and have a lot of success after this season is over,” Floyd said. “He’s had a huge impact on me. I’m not the same pitcher I was last year and that’s thanks to him.”
The Tigers hope to keep the distractions at a minimum as the team prepares to host the Kentucky Wildcats in the Baton Rouge super regional this weekend. The first game is 2 p.m. CT on Saturday.
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