Jay Johnson reflects on LSU's loss in 2024 Chapel Hill Regional entering 2025 season

LSU baseball coach Jay Johnson reflected on the Tigers’ regional loss to North Carolina in Chapel Hill last season.

It sounds like it could be motivation for Johnson and LSU after winning it all in 2023 and falling short of a repeat. On the surface, it was just two high quality baseball teams happening to meet well before the College World Series.

“I really have a lot of respect for Coach Forbes, and have for a long time. And so when the bracket came out, it was really interesting,” Johnson said on On The Clock. “We were playing so well, you know, played well in the SEC tournament, swept Ole Miss the last regular season series, like we were rolling it, like it didn’t matter what showed up on the bracket, like we felt like we were in a good position. 

“And I do feel that way. You know, we had talked about other teams, and there was really just the geography of it. There were only like, four places we were gonna go, so, like, we had a pretty good idea that that was a possibility, but they were probably the best team outside the SEC last year. And those games were high level games, and I felt like we played well. It’s hard to ever say that and then not actually win.” 

In that Chapel Hill Regional, LSU beat Wofford 4-3 before losing to North Carolina 6-2. Facing a do or die situation, LSU bounced back with a 13-6 win over Wofford and then took down the Tar Heels 8-4.

That set up a pivotal winner take all game to get the Super Regional.

“You know, I can’t remember the guys,” Johnson said. “It was a left handed hitter … And you kind of had to pick your poison with who you were going to go after open bases, those types of things. And ironically, we kind of handled those guys for two full games, and then it was the bottom of the order, you know, that got us in the bottom of the ninth inning, and in extra innings,, you know, they won 4-3. And really, it was a great game? And, you know, really hard to talk about still, I got to be honest. I don’t know that I’ve gotten over that, but really high level baseball. It’s a regional that I’ll always remember, and very proud of how we competed in it against a really good team.” 

Johnson tipped his cap to Scott Forbes, UNC’s head coach as the Tar Heels eliminated LSU. But now, it’s onto 2025.