Dylan Crews talks about emotions of reaching Omaha, playing in College World Series

LSU is looking to start their 2023 College World Series campaign off with a hot start against Tennessee on Saturday evening, and star center fielder Dylan Crews will be at the forefront of that effort.

Ahead of the Tigers’ opening matchup, Crews took a moment to reflect on the highlights of LSU’s postseason run en route to what he is hoping will be the program’s seventh NCAA Championship.

“It’s something that I’ve wanted since I was a freshman walking into the locker room. It’s just something that I have thought about every single day leading up to this point,” Crews said. “I want to go here and experience all this, being able to play baseball — or playoff baseball at the Box was something, but being able to play here is something else.

“The crowds are going to double, triple. The atmosphere is going to be electric. You know, being able to play here is pretty awesome. … But we have a job here to do. And, yeah, that’s the only thing on my mind right now.”

If the way Crews has been batting this season is any indication, then the Vols’ pitching staff will be in for a long day against the LSU outfielder. Coming into the matchup, Crews owns a slash line of .434/.576/.735 and has hit 17 home runs inlcuding 33 total extra base hits. He has also knocked in 67 RBIs and scored 89 runs on 98 total hits this season. In 226 total at-bats, Crews struck out just 40 times

Defensively, he’s notched 145 put-outs and has a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage even though he has played in all 63 games for LSU this season.

These efforts earned Crews the 2023 National Collegiate Slugger of the Year award on Friday, and he’s also expected to be selected No. 1 overall in next month’s 2023 MLB Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates. His teammate, Paul Skenes, who will start at pitcher for LSU on Saturday and comes into the CWS with a 46.3% strikeout rate, is expected to go No. 2 overall to the Washington Nationals. It would be the first time two teammates would be selected with consecutive picks to begin any MLB Draft.

With Crews leading the way at the plate, and Skenes on the mound, the first pitch between the Tigers and Volunteers is set for 7 p.m. ET live on ESPN. LSU (-260) is the betting favorite as of Saturday morning, per Caesars Sportsbook.