2006 Season Notebook INTRO Final Record: 3 5-24 (13-17 in SEC) THIS IS LSU SEC Tournament Partcipants PREVIEW Laval Era Ends at LSU TIGERS Raymond "Smoke" Laval completed his five- COACHES season LSU head coaching career in 2006, posting REVIEW an overall record of 210-109-1 and an SEC mark of HISTORY 88-60-1. He guided the Tigers to two College World RECORDS Series berths, two NCAA Super Regional titles, LSU three NCAA Regional championships, one SEC title, two SEC division championships and two Top 10 finishes. Athletics Director Skip Bertman announced on June 4 that Laval had resigned his position. Laval, the 2003 SEC Coach of the Year, directed the 2006 Tigers to a 35-24 overall mark, 13-17 in the SEC. The Tigers qualified for the SEC Tournament as the No. 8 seed, and, after defeating top-seeded Alabama in its tournament opener, LSU suffered consecutive defeats to Ole Miss and Alabama and Walk-Off Win/Loss Michael Hollander was eliminated from the event. For the first time LSU both reaped the rewards and suffered the agony this season of a walk-off homer. Shortstop since 1988, LSU failed to receive an NCAA Michael Hollander belted a one-out, walk-off homer to break a 6-6 tie in the bottom of the ninth Tournament invitation, ending a string of 16 straight inning versus to beat Arkansas (April 28). It was the first walk-off blast by a Tiger since Clay Harris NCAA Regional appearances. hit one in a victory over Ole Miss on April 16, 2005. However, LSU suffered a heartbreaking loss via a walk-off homer in Game 2 at Florida (May 19). LSU No. 1 in SEC Regular Season Reliever Will Harris was one out away from helping the Tigers clinch the series, but Chris Woods Winning Percentage Since 2002 chopped a single into left before Stephen Barton hit his second homer of the year. It was the first time Despite finishing with a 13-17 mark in SEC play in LSU has lost on a walk-off homer since March 22, 1996 in a 16-inning game at Florida in the same 2006 – LSU’s first losing record in league play since ballpark. 1983 – the Tigers are No. 1 in SEC regular-season winning percentage over the past five seasons: Stewart’s 23 homers in 2006 ranks as the making the move late in games from third base. THE TOP 5 SEC RECORD/PCT. eighth-highest single-season total in LSU history. A With 19 innings under his belt, Harris became LSU 88-60-1 (.594) first-team all-SEC selection, he batted .287 with LSU’s most prominent two-way player since Keith South Carolina 88-61 (.591) nine doubles, three triples and a team-best 56 RBI. Osik in 1990. Osik served primarily as the Tigers’ Ole Miss 84-66 (.560) As a fifth-year college senior, Stewart, a native starting catcher but worked 10.7 innings on the Alabama 81-69 (.540) of Rowlett, Texas, was eligible to sign a free-agent mound. Osik, who went on to a successful major Florida 80-69 (.537) deal with the team of his choice, and he came to league career with several teams, once played all terms with Tampa Bay. nine positions for LSU in a game against UL-Monroe Ranking Game Stewart was also named to the 2006 American on April 24, 1990. LSU was 9-11 against ranked teams in 2006. The Baseball Coaches Association All-South Region first Harris was selected in the ninth round of the Tigers have won five out of their last nine games team. He tied an LSU single-game record on March 2006 Major League Baseball Draft by the Colorado against teams in the Top 15. LSU won two out of three 11 of this season when he unloaded three home runs Rockies. Harris posted a 1-2 mark, four saves and a games in home series versus No. 8 Alabama (April in a victory over Stetson in Alex Box Stadium. 3.79 ERA out of the bullpen in 2006. The Slidell, La., 14-16) and No. 11 Arkansas (April 28-30). The Tigers Stewart, who transferred to LSU prior to the native worked 19 innings, recording seven walks defeated Alabama in the opening round of the SEC 2003 season from Odessa (Texas) Junior College, and 20 strikeouts. Tournament when the Tide was ranked No. 6. started 129 games for the Tigers and recorded a .281 As LSU’s starting third baseman in ’06, Harris hit The Tigers faced a No. 1-ranked team on two (136-for-484) career batting average. He produced .252 with six homers, 30 RBI and a team-high 18 occasions this year – LSU dropped two of three 25 doubles, six triples, 33 homers, 99 RBI and a .562 doubles. games to No. 1 Mississippi State on March 24-26 in slugging percentage. Baton Rouge, and the Tigers were defeated 6-3 by Liuzza, Ramirez Selected in MLB Draft top-ranked Rice at Zephyr Field in Metairie, La. on Harris Does It All As Two-Way Player LSU senior catcher Matt Liuzza and junior right- May 16. For the first three years of his LSU career, senior handed pitcher Edgar Ramirez were selected on the pitcher/third baseman Will Harris played as a first second day of Major League Baseball first-year Q-uite A Ride For Stewart baseman. In 2004, the right-hander worked three player draft. Senior Quinn Stewart finished the season No. 2 innings of relief on the mound, but he did not pitch Liuzza, a native of Metairie, La., was selected in in the nation in home runs, trailing only Kellen in 2005. Harris entered 2006 as LSU’s starting third the 19th round by the Toronto Blue Jays, while Kulbacki of James Madison, who had 24 dingers. baseman, and on Feb. 12 returned to the mound for Ramirez, a Miami native, was chosen in the 36th Stewart was bidding to become LSU’s first national the first time in two years with three innings of round by the New York Mets. leader in homers since Brad Cresse launched 30 in relief against North Florida. On April 30 he qualified Liuzza, a 30th-round selection in the 2005 draft 2000. Eddy Furniss is the only other Tiger to lead for his first save in a dominant inning versus by the Chicago Cubs, improved his stock at LSU this the country in homers when he produced 26 HR in Arkansas. He converted four out of five save season by hitting .317 (58-for-183) with 13 doubles, 1996. opportunities in SEC games as the Tigers’ closer, three homers and 21 RBI. 92 2007 LSU BASEBALL OFFICIAL YEARBOOK 2006 Season Notebook Ramirez made 17 appearances on the mound for INTRO the Tigers in 2006, recording a 2-1 mark and a 6.69 THIS IS LSU ERA. Ramirez registered 19 walks and 38 strikeouts in 35 innings of work. PREVIEW TIGERS Triple Threat COACHES Senior outfielder Bruce Sprowl tallied five triples REVIEW in 2006, ranking fourth in the SEC. Sprowl was one HISTORY triple away from tying for fourth place in LSU annals RECORDS for single-season triples. Todd Walker holds the LSU LSU single-season record with 11 in 1993. Sprowl was also been an excellent defensive player, committing only one error during his entire career. The Knoxville, Tenn., native committed his first error in 169 games when he dropped a fly ball versus Rice (5/16) in the Wally Pontiff Jr. Classic. Sprowl was named SEC Player of the Week on Feb. 27 by the league office after leading the Tigers to four consecutive victories from Feb. 21-26. Sprowl batted .533 (8-for-15) in the Tigers’ four victories Southeastern Louisiana and Temple, collecting two doubles, two triples, six RBI and three runs. He also walked twice, contributed a 2006 SEC Home Run Leader Quinn Stewart sacrifice fly and posted a .556 on-base percentage. Sprowl was 6-for-10 in the Temple series with Dardar Joins Rockies Hollander Voted All-SEC two doubles, two triples and five RBI. Senior reliever Chase Dardar signed a free-agent Sophomore shortstop Michael Hollander was deal with the Colorado Rockies and joined the Tri- voted to the second-team all-SEC squad by the City Dust Devils, the Rockies’ single-A affiliate in league coaches. Hollander, a native of Mandeville, Pasco, Wash. La., batted .280 on the year with 11 doubles, three Dardar, a right-hander from Marrero, La., pitched triples, five homers, 33 RBI, 41 runs and five steals. two seasons at LSU after transferring from Delgado A starter in all 59 of the Tigers’ games in ’06, Community College in New Orleans. Hollander posted a nine-game hitting streak from Dardar worked as the Tigers’ closer in 2006, April 16-30, batting .351 during that span. He also recording a 6-3 mark in 20 appearances with a 3.19 launched walk-off solo homer inside the left-field ERA and four saves. He worked 36.2 innings and fair pole in bottom of ninth inning vs. Arkansas limited opponents to a .218 batting average. (4/28), lifting LSU to a 7-6 victory. The walk-off HR Dardar was a member of the Southeastern was the first by LSU since April 16, 2005, when Clay Conference Academic Honor Roll, and he graduated Harris delivered a game-ending blast. from LSU with a general studies degree. He was also named Young But Wise second-team all-Louisiana this Second baseman J.T.