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LSU Best For Second Year in a Row

Even after winning the College World Series last year, Louisiana State thought it had something to prove.

“We were the SEC conference champions this year, not Alabama,” Tiger Coach Skip Bertman said. “We showed them that we’re No. 1.”

LSU won its second consecutive NCAA baseball title, defeating the top-seeded Crimson Tide, 13-6, on Saturday in the CWS championship game as Danny Higgins hit a solo homer and two-run single in a six-run first.

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“I was too anxious,” Higgins said. “So I said: ‘Hey, relax and have fun. I went out and hit the ball and a great time.’ ”

Second-seeded LSU (57-13) tied the record for the most runs in a championship game, set by Oklahoma in 1994. The Tigers won the title for the fourth time in seven seasons, following championships in 1991, 1993 and last year.

“It’s a great feeling,” said Brandon Larson, voted the series’ outstanding player after going seven for 18 (.389) with six runs scored, three homers and eight runs batted in. “LSU is going to be here for years to come. We’re a dynasty!”

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Higgins led off the first with his 11th homer, a drive off Michael Daniel (5-1). Tom Bernhardt hit a two-run double, Mike Koerner’s run-scoring single made it 4-0 and Higgins’ single stretched the lead to six.

“We were talking about needing to score first,” Higgins said. “I really wasn’t trying to hit a home run, just to get on base.”

After second baseman Joe Caruso misplayed a grounder for an error in the second, Wes Davis hit a three-run double for a 9-0 lead.

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Despite the big lead, Tiger starter Patrick Coogan failed to get the victory, giving up four runs and six hits in 4 1/3 innings. Doug Thompson (12-4) relieved with the bases loaded and LSU ahead, 9-4, then struck out two. He finished the game, giving up two runs and five hits in 4 2/3 innings.

“My job is to hold the damage down,” Coogan (14-3) said. “This was the third time I’ve faced Alabama this year. They knew what I had. It was just a matter of confidence.”

The Crimson Tide defeated Coogan, 6-4, on May 9 in his last loss of the season.

Daniel lasted just two-thirds of an inning for Alabama (56-14), giving up five runs--four earned--and five hits.

Alabama, seeking its first title, started to come back in the all-SEC final with Joe Caruso’s two-run homer in the third and Robbie Tucker’s two-run single in the fourth.

Larson hit a two-run single in the sixth off Heath Henderson and Tom Bernhardt hit his 17th homer in the seventh for a 12-4 lead.

“I wanted to beat Alabama with all of the hoopla going on about how they beat us 28-2,” Larson said, referring to a May 10 game that was the Tigers’ worst loss ever.

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Caruso had a two-run double in the eighth, giving him four RBIs in the game and a record 14 hits in the CWS. Larson added an RBI grounder in the bottom half.

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