GAMETHREAD: 1996 CWS Final, LSU vs Miami, 7pm, SEC Network

We’ve all got nothing better to do, and the SEC Network is finally providing us with some real entertainment. Tonight, they will re-air the 1996 CWS Final in it’s entirety, giving us an opportunity to pretend that baseball is happening, if only for a few hours.

Miami breezed through Bracket 1, first defeating Clemson 7-3, then dismantling the #1 seed Alabama 15-1 and stomping down a comeback from the loser’s bracket for Clemson with a 14-5 win. With *only* 85 home runs on the year, Miami’s strengths in ‘96 were defense and pitching. The Canes will be starting J. D. Artega (entered CWS with 12-1, 3.99 ERA, 97 IP, 29 BB/84 K)

LSU also swept their side of the CWS bracket, but had a tougher time doing it. After edging by Wichita St 9-8, the Tigers had to face Florida twice, a Gators team that had swept LSU in 4 meetings in the regular season and SEC Tournament. After a 9-4 win in the their first meeting in Omaha, LSU narrowly escaped Florida in a 2-1 win in the rematch, behind the pitching of Eddie Yarnall and the winning run coming on bases loaded RBI single from RF Justin Bowles in the 6th. LSU will be starting Kevin Shipp (entered CWS with 5-4, 2.39 ERA, 75.1 IP, 27 BB/ 67 K) After only facing 1 batter against Florida, Patrick Coogan should be available for relief.

Here are the announced starters for this afternoon’s tonight’s game. Comeback at 7pm and follow me on twitter @valleyshook for live gamethread coverage

Miami (50-13)

• CF Ryan Grissett
• 2B Rudy Gomez
• 3B Pat Burrell
• RF Eddie Rivers
• LF Michael DeCelle
• 1B T.R. Marcinczyk
• SS Alex Cora
• DH Rick Saggese
• C Jim Gragiulo
• LHP J.D. Arteaga

LSU (51-15)

• SS Jason Williams
• CF Mike Koerner
• 3B Nathan Dunn
• 1B Eddie Furniss
• LF Chad Cooley
• DH Brad Wilson
• RF Justin Bowles
• C Tim Lanier
• 2B Warren Morris
• RHP Kevin Shipp