After three energetic and spirited years of baseball, a somber Mikie Mahtook addressed the media for potentially the final time as an LSU Tiger on Monday.
The centerfielder watched with his teammates as the 64 team NCAA tournament field was announced-- LSU was not.
“We were shocked,” Mahtook said. “We thought we did enough to get in. It’s tough for us.”
The Tigers finish the season at 36-20, but their 13-17 Southeastern Conference record was good for ninth place, a spot the selection committee felt was unworthy of a spot in the NCAA tournament.
“This is one of the most disappointing days,  professionally, that I’ve had in 29 years of coaching. My heart really bleeds for (the players).”
- LSU head coach Paul Mainieri |
Teams around the country played in conference tournaments this week, some bolstering their resume as the Tigers could only practice and wait.
“Honestly, I thought we were in,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “When I saw some of the schools going up in the early part of the selection show, quite frankly I didn’t even think they were in the competition with us for a bid.”
The Tigers were edged out by schools like St. John’s and Dallas Baptist.
“Many of the committee members feel like a second-place finish in the Big East is more deserving than an eighth-, ninth-, whatever-place finish in the ACC, SEC, Big 12,” said Tim Weisner, chairman of the NCAA selection committee.
Weiser also cited the fact that six of LSU’s 13 conference wins were against the teams that finished 11th and 12th in the SEC, Kentucky and Tennessee.
“There is no way to spin 13-17,” Mainieri said. “We can’t put ourselves in this position again.”
The sting is sharper considering the Tigers played their best baseball of the season down the stretch, finishing 12-3 over the last 15 games and winning three of their final four series.
In the end, LSU’s 7 one-run losses was one too many, and they’ll have a long eight months to think about what might have been.
“This is one of the most disappointing days, professionally, that I’ve had in 29 years of coaching,” Mainieri said. “My heart really bleeds for (the players).”
Mahtook was flanked by a visibly distraught Austin Nola. Nola slumped in his chair and remained largely quiet as Mahtook took the majority of the questions.
When he did speak, the junior shortstop was emotional.
“You don’t come to LSU expecting to go 13-17,” Nola said. “We’ve got to accept this decision and live with it now.”
LSU’s absence from the field is the first since 2007, Mainieri’s first year on the job.
“Back in 07, my first year here, I didn’t think we deserved to get in,” Mainieri said. “I don’t feel that way this time.”
Now that the book is closed on the 2011 season, the focus for Mainieri and his players is on summer league play and the 2012 season.
When asked if staff changes fit into the equation, Mainieri declined to comment.
