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4 RBI in victory over China.

It feels good to beat Rice. Owls sent us home before in the post-season; it’s always good to return the favor.

Speaking of revenge, the Tigers get UNC again on Thursday.

On another note, I do wish LSU would come up with a few more 21-7 thumpings. They’re gonna kill poor Skip (who, by the way, had a terrific interview in the final game against UCI) and the rest of us Tiger fans.

21-7. Nope, not a halftime score at the LSU homecoming game.

LSU shellacked UC-Irvine Monday night to move on to the College World Series. More coverage to come in this week’s Tiger Weekly, available tomorrow.

5 runs in the 9th gives LSU yet another come from behind victory.

No, that’s not a headline about Leon Landry’s beautiful catch that should have been the Pontiac Game Changing Performance.

It’s a headline about how an umpire made a call without seeing a play. It’s about how David Rogers, second base ump, had his back to the action, turned around and saw a second baseman selling the play harder than Richard Simmons’s last workout VHS, and made a call based on what he saw of the aftermath.

He called DJ LeMahieu out without even seeing UCI’s player make the tag! When he turned around, LeMahieu was standing on second and the second baseman was running around with his hands in the air in a performance that would have made George Clooney proud.

Yes, LSU was down by 4 at the time. However, the Tigers would have had the bases loaded with a pitcher on the ropes.

Yes, you should never put yourself in the position where an umpire decides the outcome of the game. However,  these guys are playing against a Top 16 team in the nation. It’s gonna be close.

That said, UC-Irvine played a heck of a game. If they somehow take one of the next two against our Tigers, I’ll be rooting for them in Omaha.

With their victory Sunday night, LSU moved on to Super Regional play. The win was their 23rd in a row and moved them ahead of South Carolina for most consecutive wins in SEC history.

The Tigers will host the Super Regional this weekend at Alex Box Stadium against UC Irvine (41-16), winner of the Lincoln Regional.

UC Irvine advanced to the Super Regional by virtue of two victories over #3 seed  Oral Roberts and one over #1 seed Nebraska.

The UC Irvine Anteaters boast a solid pitching staff. Their 2.87 ERA is second in the nation. The Tigers have been on fire offensively of late, but will face a three-man rotation of sophomore Scott Gorgen (1.90 ERA), sophomore Bryce Stowell (3.04 ERA), and freshman Daniel Bibona (3.10 ERA) for the best of three series.

The Tigers come into the series batting .305 as a team. UC Irvine is hitting at a .304 clip.

With their win in Sunday’s SEC Tournament championship game, the Tigers have now won 20 consecutive games, the most in school history. It is LSU’s first Tourney victory since 2000.

Alex Box Stadium is a regional host, and some publications have LSU as high as a four seed nationally.

The Tigers are once again something to plan your weekends around. (And Blake Dean needs a nickname. I’ll throw out Mr. May. Help is obviously needed.)

Tiger fans were cautiously optimistic coming into the season, but most didn’t peg LSU as Western Division champs.  As mid-season rolled around, the number of fans with those same thoughts had dwindled to virtually none. And, I should admit, I was one of those that didn’t give these Tigers a chance to win the division crown.

Well, we were proven wrong.

With Friday’s victory over Auburn–the 15th straight win and 11th consecutive SEC victory–the Tigers clinched the SEC West and the #2 seed in the SEC Tournament.

In an email from LSU, the Ole Miss football game will now be referred to as one of these five nuggets of awesomeness:

1. Southern Showdown

2. Southern Shoot-Out

3. Duel Under The Oaks

4. Magnolia Classic

5. Magnolia Bowl

So, I take it that Toilet Bowl didn’t make the cut.

“Ryan was given every opportunity to be a part of this football team,” a statement from coach Les Miles said. “In the end, he didn’t fulfill his obligation as an LSU student-athlete. We hope that a new beginning will benefit him.”

My vote goes to Jordan Jefferson at QB.