Just nine days ago, a United States House of Representative from Louisiana’s 1st Congressional District, Steve Scalise from Jefferson, LA, was shot and critically wounded by a gunman in Alexandria, Virginia while participating in a congressional baseball practice for the annual charity game pitting the Republicans vs. the Democrats in Washington, DC. Thanks to the brave and successful response from a pair of Capitol police officers, the lives of Rep. Scalise and many other congressional staffers were likely saved on Wednesday, June 14.
Representative Scalise, who currently serves as the House Majority Whip, is a graduate of Louisiana State University and is a huge LSU Tigers baseball fan. While this tragic event was unfolding in Washington, the LSU baseball team was preparing for a trip to Omaha, Nebraska to participate as one of the final eight teams competing for the NCAA baseball championship.
As Scalise was in critical condition in a Washington-area hospital, the Tigers baseball team named Rep. Steve Scalise as their honorary coach for the College World Series. As the Tigers flew to Omaha, their honorary coach endured several delicate surgeries as doctors attempted to resolve complications related to the gunshot wounds.
Last weekend, LSU dusted Florida State in Game 1 on a late rally as honorary coach Scalise, whose medical condition had been upgraded from “critical” to “serious”, watched the game on television from his hospital room. Geaux Tigers!
Late this week, the medical condition of LSU baseball’s honorary coach has been upgraded again – this time to “fair” as his recovery continued. Scalise has received some visitors and, of course, will be paying rapt attention to his LSU baseball squad’s performance at the College World Series again on Friday.
Though LSU was thrashed 13-1 on Monday night by the #1 seed, Oregon State, the Tigers rallied on Wednesday to oust Florida State from the tournament and will face Oregon State again this afternoon. The 50-18 LSU Tigers have the dubious task of trying to defeat Oregon State’s 56-4 (correct) Beavers in back-to-back games this weekend to earn a spot in the College World Series championship series beginning Monday.
Does it look like an incredibly difficult task for the LSU baseball team? Absolutely. But, after the inspired medical rally by the LSU honorary baseball coach over the past week, don’t count their determined coach, Steve Scalise, or his group of baseball Tigers out of the game just yet!