Robertson did it all in LSU comeback

The Tigers had done nothing against Rice pitcher Willy Amador for six innings and trailed 2-0. However, LSU rallied for five runs over the next two innings to capture the Baton Rouge Regional 5-2 on Tuesday afternoon.

Everyone pointed to two players as the Tigers heroes.

Greg Deichmann slammed a two-run homer over the centerfield fence in the seventh inning to put LSU in front 3-2. Jared Poche, working on three days’ rest, came out of the bullpen and threw six scoreless innings to keep the Tigers in the game.

There is no questioning the contributions from both Deichmann – not only in the regional title game, but throughout the entire tournament. Deichmann, the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, was 9-for-15 with three homers and 10 RBIs. Poche allowed one run in 12 innings as he picked up two victories.

However, one can make the claim that LSU would not be preparing for a super-regional matchup with Coastal Carolina were it not for the contributions of Kramer Robertson. In four games, Robertson was 8-for-14 with a homer and three RBIs. Robertson also scored a team-high six runs.

Following the championship-game victory against Rice, Robertson repeated a line made to him numerous times by his mother – Baylor women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey. “Big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games.”

There was no doubt that Robertson answered that call against Rice on Tuesday. In fact, Owls coach Wayne Graham said that Robertson was the one Tigers player responsible for his team’s season-ending defeat.

Let’s count the ways.

Do you want defense?

Robertson made a diving catch in shallow leftfield of Ford Proctor’s pop up with the bases loaded and two out in the second inning. LSU already was trailing Rice 2-0.

Do you want offensive execution?

With the Tigers trailing 2-0 in the seventh, Robertson was given the hit-and-run sign with Jake Fraley on first base and no one out. Robertson got his hands on top of a helmet-high pitch and bounced the ball through a vacated hole at second base. The rally was in motion.

Do you want alert base-running?

With Fraley at third and Robertson at first, Bryce Jordan lifted a foul fly ball down the rightfield line. Robertson followed the textbook rules. He tagged up on the foul ball and advanced into scoring position when rightfielder Charlie Warren’s throw went to the plate.

Do you want clutch hitting?

One inning later, Fraley was at third base with two out. A Michael Papierski home run had given LSU a two-run advantage. Robertson increased the Tigers lead by one with a double to rightcenterfield.

Robertson’s spectacular season continued Tuesday as the Tigers won their sixth regional championship in Paul Mainieri’s ten years as coach. He is batting .331 with two homers and 39 RBIs. Robertson has accounted for 96 runs in 64 games. A year ago, Alex Bregman was responsible for 99 runs in 66 games.

What transpired at The Box on Tuesday was not a common occurrence for LSU. In school history, the Tigers trailed after six innings in an elimination game 24 times. In just seven of those contests did LSU come back for a victory – the last coming against Rice in the 2008 College World Series.

The Tigers exhibited the proper recipe for advancing in the postseason during the rain-plagued Baton Rouge Regional. There was excellent pitching from the top hurlers, clutch hitting from a few batters and solid defense from the entire team.

Starting pitchers Alex Lange and Poche combined for all three victories. In 20 innings, they gave up three runs and 11 hits with two walks and 24 strikeouts. Closer Hunter Newman registered two saves with two one-inning scoreless appearances.

Three LSU hitters – Deichmann, Robertson and Fraley – were a combined 23-for-45 (.511). They hit six homers – three by Deichmann and two by Fraley – and drove in 17 runs. The Tigers scored just five runs not knocked in by these three players in the tournament.

LSU committed just two errors – one by Robertson and one by second baseman Freeman. Neither miscue led to a run. The opposition stole only three bases in the four games.

The Tigers have now won 17 of their last 20 games. Winning two of its next three games will put LSU in the College World Series for consecutive years for the first time since 2008-09.

Here are LSU’s win-or-go-home games in the NCAA tournament in which it trailed after six innings.

1975 Regional: trailed Miami 8-0; lost 8-1

1986 CWS: trailed Miami 4-1; lost 4-3

1987 CWS: trailed Arkansas 2-0; won 5-2

1989 Regional: trailed Texas A&M 4-3; won 5-4

1989 CWS: trailed Texas 11-4; lost 12-7

1990 CWS: trailed Oklahoma State 8-3; lost 14-3

1992 Regional: trailed Cal State Fullerton 8-0; lost 11-0

1993 Regional: trailed South Alabama 4-3; won 9-4

1993 CWS: trailed Long Beach State 3-2; won 6-5

1994 CWS: trailed Cal State Fullerton 19-5; lost 20-6

1995 Regional: trailed Rice 11-7; lost 16-9

1998 CWS: trailed Southern California 4-0; lost 7-3

1999 Regional: trailed East Carolina 10-9; won 12-10

1999 Super Regional: trailed Alabama 6-1; lost 13-5

2001 Super Regional: trailed Tulane 7-1; lost 7-1

2002 Super Regional: trailed Rice 2-0; lost 3-0

2004 CWS: trailed South Carolina 7-3; lost 15-4

2008 Super Regional: trailed Cal Irvine 7-2; won 9-7

2008 CWS: trailed Rice 4-0; won 6-5

2010 Regional: trailed Cal Irvine 4-1; lost 4-3

2012 Super Regional: trailed Stony Brook 6-1; lost 7-2

2013 CWS: trailed North Carolina 3-1; lost 4-2

2014 Regional: trailed Houston 9-2; lost 12-2

2015 CWS: trailed TCU 6-3; lost 8-4

2016 Regional: trailed Rice 2-0; won 5-2