That was a wild ride.
It’s hard to think of a better way to sum up LSU baseball in its first year under coach [autotag]Jay Johnson[/autotag]. The Hattiesburg Regional was just one weekend, but it represented what LSU was in 2021.
They were a fun team capable of providing fireworks and winning any game. They were also a group that could never find consistency.
Despite offensive superstars like [autotag]Dylan Crews[/autotag] and [autotag]Jacob Berry[/autotag], LSU just did not have the run prevention to back it up.
Pitching and defense were spotty from the start to the finish this year and LSU. They were weaknesses that were revealed once again in Hattiesburg as LSU dropped that crucial Game 7.
Despite all that, it’s hard not to be optimistic about where this program is headed.
Johnson checked a lot of boxes in his first year. He led a team that showed fight and never quit. He had to find ways to manage a pitching staff that rarely gave length and, to be frank, was overmatched at times.
On top of that, Johnson and staff killed it on the recruiting trail and are slated to bring in the top class in the country.
LSU is always going to have talent. In 2021, a transition year, Johnson managed to sign a top 10 class. In 2020, LSU’s class was ranked in the top five.
The Tigers will have big-time firepower at the plate again next year. A couple of sluggers are likely headed off to the MLB, but Crews will be back along with [autotag]Tre Morgan[/autotag].
The lineup depth could even be improved with more production from the bottom half.
It would be unfair for LSU to magically solve their pitching woes in one year. Pitching is something that takes time to develop, but the Tigers should be improved.
There will be a natural progression of guys already on the staff, and plenty of talent will be coming in. LSU could also be active in the transfer portal.
There’s good reason to have confidence in Johnson’s ability to figure it out. He’s proven himself to be a coach that does just that.
It’s been a while since LSU has been to Omaha, and the Tigers will have to wait at least one more year. But going forward, they have positioned themselves to be a power in the sport.
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