“We’re not thinking about super regionals or a return to the College World Series,” said Mitchell. “We’re just focused on Southern and the first game of the regional Friday.”
After winning a share of the Southeastern Conference regular season title this year and coming through the loser’s bracket to win the SEC baseball tournament last week, Mitchell and the Tigers earned the No. 3 national seed and play host to an NCAA regional at home this weekend. Southern University, Baylor and Minnesota visit Alex Box for the regional which begins Friday at 1 p.m. when LSU plays crosstown rival Southern.
 LSU’s Jared Mitchell, right, leaps after scoring the tying run past UC Irvine catcher Aaron Lowenstein in ninth inning of their baseball game on June 8, 2008, at the Baton Rouge NCAA Super Regional in Baton Rouge. Mitchell, a junior from New Iberia, and his LSU teammates open an NCAA Regional tournament this weekend in Baton Rouge with a game Friday against Southern University. Associated Press / Tim Mueller Advertisement
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“It was a great season,” said Mitchell. “You look at the accomplishments we made throughout the season. We had 40 wins before the regular season was over.
“We only lost back-to-back games one time this season. I think that we played really well. Of course we can get better and that’s what we’re looking to do.
“We were real consistent throughout the season and that’s what it takes to be a championship team.”
Mitchell started 55 games, batted .326 with 11 doubles, four triples, eight home runs and 40 RBIs and stole 30-of-37 bases this year. LSU won five straight games in the SEC Tournament after losing their first game to Vanderbilt, dodging rain and a four hour rain delay on Saturday against Georgia on the way to a championship game rematch with Vandy, which the Tigers won, 6-2.
“It’s a tough thing to do to win five games in a row in a league like this against tough competition,” said Mitchell. “We put ourselves in the hole by losing that first one, but we sat down as a team and talked and said let’s not think in terms of what we have to do to win the tournament but let’s just win game-by-game and see how far we can go.
“That’s what we did and it worked out for us. You have to be mentally tough to overcome losing that first game and overcome the weather delays. That shows that we have a bunch of mature, veteran guys on this team that are mentally tough and are committed to doing what needs to be done to be successful on the field. It’s great to see that come together.”
While Mitchell is pleased with what he was able to do this year, he is by no means resting on what he did in the past. Last season Mitchell sparked the Tigers’ late season run to the College World Series that included a school-record 23-game win streak, batting .356 as LSU won 24 of 25 games heading into the CWS.
“I feel like I could have been a lot better,” said Mitchell of the 2009 season. “There is always room to improve but I feel like I’ve improved a lot from last year. That’s all you can ask from yourself, to come out here and get better each day and that’s what I look to do.”
LSU baseball coach Paul Mainieri said Mitchell is one of the key players on the team and has seen the improvement in the speedy outfielder. Mitchell is fifth on the team with a .326 batting average with 11 doubles, eight homers and 40 RBIs. He leads the Tigers with four triples and 47 walks and is second with 55 runs scored.
“Jared Mitchell is one of the greatest athletes that I’ve ever had the honor of coaching,” said Mainieri. “He’s an electric player and he can influence a game in so many ways.
“This year I feel that he’s come into his own. He hasn’t been perfect, he’s struck out a little more than you would like and a few other things at times, but he’s been a lot better player this year than his first two years.
“The reason that was possible is because (LSU football coach) Les Miles gave him the opportunity to concentrate fully on baseball this spring. He didn’t have to go through spring football practice, he wasn’t away from the team for a while and I think that really helped him become more comfortable in the game, understand the game.
“I think he’s had a great year, I think that he is going to be a better pro than a college player once he’s able to fully dedicate himself to baseball and I think we’re going to see him play in the big leagues some day.”
But for now, Mitchell is just focusing on playing Southern on Friday.
“It’s going to be fun,” said Mitchell. “We’ve got some good quality ballclubs coming in this weekend. By no means will any game be a pushover this weekend. I’m looking forward to it.
“Southern has a real good ball team and is going to be pumped up coming in here. It’s going to be fun. I’m looking forward to it.
“It’s going to be rocking at the Box this weekend.”
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