An in-depth look at the LSU Tigers, one of the eight teams competing in the College World Series, which starts Friday at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Neb. (coaches' record at current schools through Super Regionals):

LSU Tigers
Record: 45-20-1
Coach: Smoke Laval (89-41-1, second year).

Road To Omaha: Won Baton Rouge Regional: beat Northeastern 11-7; beat Tulane 13-5; beat N.C.-Wilmington 9-8 in 11 innings. Won Baton Rouge Super Regional: lost to Baylor 4-1; beat Baylor 6-5; beat Baylor 20-5.

2003 record vs. CWS teams: 2-1 (vs. South Carolina).

Last CWS appearance: 2000.

All-time record in CWS: 29-13 (11 appearances).

Players to Watch: RHP Nate Bumstead (11-3, 3.97), 1B Clay Harris (.333, 15, 60), SS Aaron Hill (.366, 9, 67), RHP Justin Meier (8-3, 2.83), DH Ryan Patterson (.350, 15, 49), RHP Bo Pettit (9-2), OF Jon Zeringue (.333, 13, 44).

Short Hops: Tigers making 12th trip to CWS since 1986, and first under Laval. ... Won CWS in 1991, '93, '96, '97 and 2000. ... Enter CWS with 99-34 NCAA tournament record, and rank first with .739 winning percentage. ... Tigers have 82 homers, 10th time in 11 seasons they hit 80 or more. ... Laval, SEC coach of year, won two national titles (1991, '93) as assistant under former coach Skip Bertman. ... Hill, SEC player of year, was first-round pick of Toronto -- 13th overall. Needs six hits to become 10th LSU player with 100 hits in a season. ... Pettit has 300 career strikeouts -- only one of nine Tigers to accomplish feat -- and has pitched 300 innings. ... Four of Harris' seven postseason hits have been homers. ... Only Pettit and RHP Chad Vaught remain from 2000 championship team, but neither was on postseason roster that season.