Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports
The LSU Tigers won the national championship Monday night, and in the process their shortstop wrote the perfect redemption story
There is beauty in redemption.
One of the marvelous things about sports, and baseball in particular, is how one moment can completely turn a game around. Or change your story as a player.
LSU shortstop Jordan Thompson was struggling in Omaha. Both at the plate and then on Sunday, in the field. Thompson had a pair of errors in LSU’s 24-4 loss Sunday, one of which directly led to a run for the Gators.
Thompson was also 0-for-4 at the dish, bringing his numbers in Omaha to 1-for-30 on the tournament, with 14 strikeouts.
Head coach Jay Johnson, however, stated after the loss on Sunday that Thompson was going to be in the lineup on Monday, and he had his reasons:
Despite his struggles Jay Johnson says Jordan Thompson will be back tomorrow at shortstop.
As I explained to my sister today, you don’t ditch the guys that got you here, instead as Jay says, you hope they are the ones that make that pivotal play for you to re-write their story pic.twitter.com/TbEYMnJcCb
— Michael Cauble (@Cauble) June 25, 2023
“We wouldn’t be in the College World Series without Jordan and how he’s played this year. He’s had a tough tournament offensively, but there’s been a lot of stories of guys in the College World Series of guys struggle, struggle, struggle and then get a big hit for you, make a big play for you,” Johnson said. “And I think he’s a great candidate for that.”
It was almost as if he saw it coming.
Because early in LSU’s decisive Game 3 win over the Gators, Thompson came to the plate in a big moment. With the Tigers trailing 2-0 in the second inning, Thompson came up with runners at the corners and one out.
He received a huge ovation from the LSU faithful in Omaha, sending the shortstop the message that they were still behind him. However, if there was an ideal moment for his second hit of the MCWS, this was it.
That is when Thompson delivered:
Redemption.
But Thompson was not done.
He came to the plate in the fourth inning with Brayden Jobert on second and two outs. Thompson ripped a shot down towards third that took a tough hop, skipping by third baseman Colby Halter. Jobert came around to score, and Thompson advanced to second on the throw home. It was ruled a single, and he was 2-for-3 on the night with a pair of RBI, and the Tigers led 7-2:
He then scored when Josh Pearson homered to give the Tigers a 9-2 lead. LSU would go on to capture their seventh national title, by a final score of 18-4. Thompson tacked on another RBI in the 8th, on a sacrifice fly to left that brought Tre’ Morgan home for LSU’s 14th run of the night.
Thompson’s final line for the night: 2-for-6 with 3 RBI.
And one ring.
Thompson, and the head coach who did not give up on him, shared this moment after LSU clinched the title:
Johnson also talked about his shortstop after LSU’s win:
Coach Jay Johnson can’t help but smile as he talks about Jordan Thompson. After a tough game 2, LSU’s shortstop bounced back in a big way when it mattered most.
See the full interviews with Coach Johnson, Jordan Thompson and more here: https://t.co/ARbO5WUd8J pic.twitter.com/5DZ6ULt4qa
— WBRZ News (@WBRZ) June 27, 2023
As an athlete, there are few worse feelings than struggling while your team is in a big situation. Thompson has been living through that for the past few days. But his head coach stuck by him, hoping for a moment like this.
Johnson got two such moments from his shortstop.
And now, Thompson is an NCAA champion, having written a near-perfect redemption story.
