Latest news with #NCAABaseball
New York Times
08-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Toughness defines Daniel Dickinson's unlikely journey from walk-on to MLB Draft pick
The intricate tattoo sleeve inscribed on the left arm of Daniel Dickinson took two years to complete. Woven throughout are distinct messages chosen specifically by LSU's star second baseman to serve as a reminder. There are large roses that accompany the birthdates of his mom and grandmother. A depiction of a stairway to heaven with a wolf at the bottom of the steps explains the twists and turns of his life as an only child. Street signs represent the address of the house where he grew up in Richland, Wash., and there's a memory dedicated to one of his best friends in high school, who passed away in a car accident. Advertisement One declaration, however, proved to be the most fitting at the start of the Tigers' postseason charge toward the national title: 'Time is currency you can only spend once.' Dickinson's time at LSU was brief — he's very likely to hear his name called in the first three rounds of the upcoming MLB Draft — but the most prominent chapter of his baseball journey had one hell of an ending. Facing a 2-2 count in his first at-bat of LSU's NCAA Regional opener against Little Rock on May 30, Dickinson was late on a fastball on the outside edge of the plate and flicked his bat at the ball to stay alive in the count. He connected. The ball went foul. He felt a shooting pain in his left arm. The 21-year-old didn't know it at the time, but he had suffered an injury that typically keeps players out for a minimum of three to four weeks. The at-bat ended in a popout to the first baseman. Dickinson's next plate appearance in the second inning was so painful that he could barely swing. He still groans thinking about the weak tapper to the shortstop. He asked the LSU medical staff to wrap his hand and give him some medication to help combat the throbbing pain. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Dickinson launched a home run to left field. The next inning, he did it again. X-rays after the win revealed the severity of the injury. The hamate bone in his left wrist had broken cleanly in two. Dickinson walked into the office of LSU coach Jay Johnson inside Alex Box Stadium and broke the news. He wanted to keep playing but understood if Johnson thought it was best for the team to keep him out of the lineup. 'I've had two other really good players (break their hamate bones) and they were out,' Johnson said. 'So when he told me, my heart sank for a second because, it's like, the two guys I'm talking about were really tough guys, really good players, and they just couldn't do it.' Dickinson did. For the next month, as the Tigers went 10-1 in the postseason, No. 14 was in the lineup. Dickinson didn't swing away as freely as he usually does. He had only six hits in the 10 games following the injury — though two came in the national title-clinching 5-3 win over Coastal Carolina on June 22. One team, obviously unaware of the injury, intentionally walked him. Advertisement 'Every time I'd swing, I'd feel excruciating pain,' Dickinson said. 'The grip strength is gone. You can't squeeze anything. I couldn't even squeeze my glove.' Amid the locker room euphoria following the national title, the pain vanished for a bit. He lightly gripped a celebratory cigar and posed with his teammates. There's a photo of a grinning Dickinson on the flight home cradling the trophy with his left hand, as 'Time is currency you can only spend once' can be seen exposed on his left bicep. His final season stat line was a .315 average, which included 75 hits, 67 runs and 12 home runs. He drew 40 walks in 305 plate appearances and had a .982 fielding percentage, committing four errors. 'LSU baseball won a national championship largely because I got to write Danny Dickinson's name in the lineup for 68 straight games,' Johnson said. Dickinson's road to LSU and a national championship started in the Tri-Cities area in southeastern Washington — not exactly known as a burgeoning hub of baseball talent. He learned how to count by watching sports on television with his mom, Sharee. They'd watch Mariners games or Seahawks games and call out jersey numbers. Eventually, she began quizzing him on addition by asking how many runs the Mariners scored on extra-base hits or homers. While many of this year's draft-eligible players have their own unique and uplifting stories, it might be hard to top Dickinson's journey. He was conceived by an anonymous insemination donor and was raised by Sharee, who got him involved in as many sports as possible, including teeball starting at the age of 3. When he was in elementary school, he was asked in a survey to predict his career. 'MLB player' was his answer. Long before he broke his hand, gutted through the constant month-long pain and earned the ultimate payoff, he was a raw high school senior at Kennewick High School, part of the generation of players who didn't get enough in-person recruiting eyeballs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a fortuitous twist of fate, former Utah Valley University coach Eddie Smith was in attendance for the 3A state baseball playoff tournament in Pasco, Wash., scouring for talent. Advertisement Dickinson led off the semifinal game and roped a double off his metal bat that Smith said woke him up from a long, tiring day. From that point on, Smith, now the head coach at Washington, was tantalized by Dickinson's potential. He had no scholarship money left and didn't have a guaranteed roster spot available for him. But he asked Dickinson to give UVU a shot. Dickinson was committed to Ottawa University, an NAIA school in Surprise, Ariz., but Smith's pitch to start at the Division I level — UVU plays in the WAC — was too good to pass up. 'There were many diamonds in the rough that got overlooked during that time,' Smith said, 'with Danny being one of them.' Dickinson's next two years were a swift transition from unknown walk-on to everyday starter for the Wolverines. He was part of an overloaded roster due to the number of players with extra eligibility due to the pandemic. That first year, he was a teenager competing for a roster spot with players as old as 25. That first fall semester in 2022 Dickinson was homesick. He missed Sharee. Missed his friends. Missed the comfort zone that allowed him to thrive at Kennewick. As the temperatures in Utah dropped and snow began to dust the mountains above the university, he utilized the batting cage with 24-hour access inside UCCU Ballpark. Solace came with the sound of the ping of his bat. Still, Dickinson felt a piece missing. He'd look up in the empty stands during fall ball. There was no Sharee. Just knowing she was there allowed him to take the necessary deep breath to slow his heart rate down and lock in before every at-bat. It's easy to be vulnerable with your mom when she's your best friend, so he told her that he'd love to see her at some games in the spring. She did him one better. Sharee retired from her job as director of services at the Hanford Site, the largest nuclear cleanup project in the world where she spent the past 15 years for the U.S. Department of Energy. In total, she had 30 years of federal service. Daniel Dickinson's mom retired to watch him play baseball at LSU ❤️@michellachester sits down with Sharee to talk about how much of a blessing it's been to retire and attend every game to watch Daniel play for the Tigers. #MCWS x @LSUbaseball — NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 19, 2025 In the blink of an eye, Sharee found an Airbnb in Utah as a temporary home base. She bought a brand new 2022 white Toyota Tacoma. And she planted herself in the stands of every UVU game for the next two seasons. She drove to most of the road games in the WAC but flew to Texas-Rio Grande Valley in order to make it back for the ensuing midweek games. Advertisement 'She's my rock,' Daniel said. 'She's my everything.' Sharee was there to see him blossom into an all-conference player. As a sophomore, he led UVU in batting (.367), hits (90), total bases (192) and stolen bases (32) and tied the program's single-season home run record with 18. In the summer of 2024, baseball hit overdrive. Dickinson played in the Cape Cod League for the Harwich Mariners and was soon invited to USA Baseball's collegiate training camp, which featured more than 50 of the best players in the country. Competing against such higher-caliber players made him realize he wanted to pursue a national title. So he entered the transfer portal in late June, and within minutes, some of the top programs in the nation were calling, texting and emailing just to get a few minutes of Dickinson's time. 'It was honestly too many to count,' Sharee said. 'There were so many that he wouldn't have had time to respond to everyone.' Dickinson narrowed his choices to LSU, Tennessee and Vanderbilt. His first on-campus visit was to LSU. And Johnson's pitch was so good that when he dropped the Dickinsons off at the airport, the decision was already made. Dickinson called both Vanderbilt and Tennessee to thank them for their interest but it was going to be the Tigers. Sharee packed up the Tacoma and moved in January 2025 to Baton Rouge, where she found a furnished apartment for the next six months. Same as she's always done, she got to soak up her son's career from the stands of ballparks around the country. She put an estimated 18,000 miles on her truck since relocating. 'Best decision of my life,' Sharee said. Now comes the hardest part. The waiting game. Dickinson had surgery to remove the hamate bone on July 1. Once the two-week marker hits, he'll be able to return to baseball activity. And by about that time, he'll know where his professional career will begin. Whether Sharee will pack up the Tacoma again to relocate once more for minor league baseball is up to her son. 'I always try to tell him: Everything is an adventure,' Sharee said.
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tennessee baseball receives two transfer commitments
Tennessee baseball received two transfer commitments on Sunday. Henry Ford announced his commitment to the Vols after entering the NCAA transfer portal. He played in 111 games for the Cavaliers from 2024-25. Advertisement Ford was one of four Cavaliers to start all 50 games, 34 in right field and 16 at first base, during the 2025 season. In 2024 as a freshman, he appeared in 61 games, including 61 starts, primarily at first base. Ford recorded a .348 batting average, 28 home runs, 115 RBIs, 102 runs, 160 hits, 22 doubles, two triples, 50 walks, seven stolen bases and was hit by six pitches from 2024-25. More: Transfer catcher commits to Tennessee baseball Bowling Green transfer DJ Newman also committed to the Vols on Sunday. "I want to thank my teammates and coaches for a great three years at BGSU, but now it's time for the next chapter," he announced. "Let's get to work." Advertisement The 6-foot, 189-pound pitcher and outfielder appeared in 101 games, including 89 starts, from 2023-25 at Bowling Green. He also appeared in 27 contests (15 starts) as a pitcher. Newman (7-4) totaled 91 strikeouts and a 3.60 ERA in 85.0 innings. He recorded 15 home runs, 64 RBIs, 101 runs, 20 doubles, five triples, 55 walks, 28 stolen bases and a .388 batting average. More: Three Vols projected in 2025 MLB mock draft first round Follow Vols Wire on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter). This article originally appeared on Vols Wire: Two transfers commit to Tennessee baseball
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Final 2025 USA TODAY Sports baseball coaches poll unveiled: Was Alabama ranked?
For the sixth straight college baseball season, an SEC team took home the Men's College World Series trophy in Omaha on Sunday. The LSU Tigers defeated Coastal Carolina, 5-3, in the CWS Finals at Charles Schwab Field to win their second national championship in three years under coach Jay Johnson, and their eighth overall title in school history. Advertisement LSU finished the year 53-15 overall and were the unanimous No. 1 in the final USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, released Monday. Alabama had a lot to be proud of in 2025. With a talented roster led by shortstop Justin Lebron, coach Rob Vaughn guided the Crimson Tide to their first 40-win regular season since 2002. But it was an all-too-familiar ending for Alabama in the NCAA Tournament. The Crimson Tide dropped both games in the Hattiesburg Regional -- to the Miami Hurricanes and host Southern Miss -- as the program's College World Series drought reached 26 years. Alabama, which climbed to as high as No. 8 in the Coaches Poll during the regular season on March 31 after taking two of three from Oklahoma in a top 10 series, entered the tournament ranked No. 20. The Crimson Tide were unranked in the final poll Monday. They received the second most votes for top 25 consideration with 73, behind Florida with 85 votes. Advertisement Alabama also finished unranked in the final coaches poll in 2024. In 2023, the Crimson Tide were No. 17 in the final coaches poll after reaching the Winston-Salem Super Regional against Wake Forest. Alabama was unranked in the preseason poll this year, released back on Feb. 3. Eight SEC teams placed in the final top 25, led by LSU. The Tigers won an elimination game over Little Rock in the Baton Regional Regional, then breezed through the rest of the tournament. They swept West Virginia in a Super Regional, then went 5-0 in Omaha after rallying for a 6-5 come-from-behind victory over rival Arkansas to clinch a berth in the CWS Finals. The eight SEC teams ranked in the final top 25 were the most by any conference. Here's a look at the full top 25 Coaches Poll rankings. Full USA TODAY Sports Baseball Coaches Poll 2025 final rankings 1. LSU 53-15 2. Coastal Carolina 56-13 3. Arkansas 50-15 4. Oregon State 48-16 5. UCLA 48-18 6. Louisville 42-24 7. Arizona 44-21 8. North Carolina 46-15 9. Florida State 42-16 10. Tennessee 46-19 11. Murray State 44-17 12. Texas 44-14 13. Auburn 41-20 14. Vanderbilt 43-18 15. Georgia 43-17 16. Oregon 42-16 17. West Virginia 44-16 18. Ole Miss 43-21 19. Southern Miss 47-16 20. Clemson 45-18 21. Duke 41-21 22. UTSA 47-15 23. UC Irvine 43-17 24. Miami 35-27 25. Georgia Tech 41-19 Schools Dropped Out No. 18 Florida; No. 20 Alabama; No. 21 Northeastern; No. 22 Dallas Baptist; No. 23 Kansas; No. 25 TCU Advertisement Others Receiving Votes Florida 85; Alabama 73; Northeastern 55; Dallas Baptist 53; Oklahoma 28; Wake Forest 24; TCU 22; Kansas 18; Virginia 14; North Carolina State 14; East Carolina 14; Western Kentucky 12; Oklahoma State 12; Mississippi State 11; Creighton 11; USC 9; Austin Peay 4; Arizona State 4; East Tennessee State 3; Troy 2; Cincinnati 2; Little Rock 1; Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama Crimson Tide news, notes and opinions. This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Alabama baseball's ranking in final 2025 Coaches Poll unveiled
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
College World Series 2025: LSU defeats Coastal Carolina 5-3 in Game 2 for second national title in 3 seasons
LSU won its second NCAA baseball championship in the past three seasons with a 5-3 win over Coastal Carolina on Sunday in Game 2 of the 2025 Men's College World Series. The national title is the eighth in program history and provided the SEC with its fifth consecutive MCWS championship. The Tigers broke a 1-1 tie in the fourth inning on a bases-loaded single by Chris Stanfield that drove in two runs. Coastal Carolina starter Jacob Morrison then retired the next two batters. But Derek Curiel followed with a single to score another two runs, and Morrison was pulled from the game. The Chanticleers appeared to have an excellent chance to force a Game 3 with Morrison on the mound. The 6-foot-8 right-hander came into Sunday's matchup with a 12-0 record and 2.08 ERA, but the Tigers battered him for five runs and six hits in 3 2/3 innings. That was the most runs Morrison allowed this season, in addition to his shortest outing of the year. Advertisement Three Coastal Carolina relievers followed with 5 1/3 scoreless innings, with Hayden Johnson and Darin Horn each getting three strikeouts, but the damage was already done. Following Kade Anderson's dominant performance in Game 1, Anthony Eyanson pitched nearly as well on Sunday. The junior right-hander (11-2, 2.92 ERA) allowed three runs and six hits over 6 1/3 innings while striking out nine Chanticleers batters. He was chased from the game after allowing a two-run homer to Wells Sykes in the seventh inning and 99 pitches thrown. Sophomore Chase Shores relieved Eyanson in the seventh and pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing only one hit with four strikeouts to close out the win for LSU and give the Tigers their second national championship under head coach Jay Johnson. Advertisement Curiel and Stanfield each notched two RBI for the Tigers, while Ethan Frey batted 3-for-5, and Daniel Dickinson went 2-for-3. Dean Mihos hit 3-for-4 with a home run for the Chanticleers, and Sykes batted 2-for-4 with two RBI. Coastal Carolina coach ejected in first inning Before a run was scored by either team, the game featured some drama in the bottom of the first inning. With two outs in the inning, Coastal Carolina coach Kevin Schnall was ejected for arguing strike calls with home plate umpire Angel Campos. On the ESPN broadcast, Schnall could be seen telling Campos that he missed three pitches. Following a stolen base by Sebastian Alexander, Campos stepped out from behind home plate to address Schnall, telling him to get back into the dugout. Schnall then walked onto the field to argue, and that's when he was ejected. Advertisement First-base coach Matt Schilling was also thrown out of the game for arguing with umpires. One of the officials even fell to the dirt during a heated conversation. "There's 25,000 people there, and I vaguely hear a warning issued," Schnall said. "As the head coach — I was an assistant for 24 years. As an assistant, you're almost treated like a second-grade — second-level citizen. And you can't say a word. "As a head coach, I think it is your right to get an explanation of why we got warned. I'm 48 years old, and I shouldn't be shooed by another grown man. When I come out to ask what the warning is, a grown man shooed me." Since Schnall came out to argue after he was ejected from the game, he was issued an automatic two-game suspension, per NCAA rules. Schilling received a three-game penalty for his ejection and "prolonged arguing." Had there been a Game 3 on Monday, Schnall would not have been available to coach the Chanticleers. Advertisement Instead, he and Schilling will serve their penalties to begin next season following Coastal Carolina's defeat. Here is how Sunday's action, including that coach ejection drama, played out in Game 2 of the Men's College World Series final:
Time of India
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
LSU clinch second College World Series title in three years with win over Coastal Carolina
LSU captured its second College World Series (CWS) title in three years with a 5-3 victory over Coastal Carolina in Game 2 of the championship at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska. The Tigers showcased their trademark power and pitching depth as it marked their eighth overall College World Series championship. With the title, LSU adds to its storied baseball legacy, reinforcing its status as one of the premier programs in college baseball. — LSUbaseball (@LSUbaseball) by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Tan Thoi Nhat: Unsold Furniture Liquidation 2024 (Prices May Surprise You) Unsold Furniture | Search Ads Learn More Undo LSU head coach Jay Johnson scripted history as he secured his second CWS title since taking over the program in 2022, a feat no other coach has achieved in fewer than eight seasons, following a successful six-year stint at Arizona. 'It's not to be taken for granted, being here two years ago,' Johnson said. 'That was special. Greatest night of my life. This is equal and maybe even tops in some ways.' Live Events — NCAABaseball (@NCAABaseball) Tensions flared early as Coastal Carolina saw head coach Kevin Schnall and first base coach Matt Schilling ejected in the bottom of the first inning. Despite the setback, the Chanticleers rallied to cut the deficit to 5-3 in the seventh with a Wells Sykes home run - his fourth of the season. LSU's pitching once again proved decisive. Anthony Eyanson improved to 12-2 with a solid 6 1/3-inning outing, allowing three runs on seven hits while striking out nine. — NCAABaseball (@NCAABaseball) Kade Anderson, who threw a three-hit shutout in Game 1, was named the Most Outstanding Player of the CWS after posting 17 strikeouts and allowing just one run across 16 innings in Omaha. Coastal Carolina, the 2016 champions, fell short in its bid to become only the fifth team - and the first since Michigan in 1962 - to win the title in its first two College World Series appearances.
