MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (September 25, 2019) – St. Thomas University Baseball, 2019 NAIA National Runner-Ups, will be traveling to Baton Rouge, La.  to take on the Louisiana State University Tigers on March 18, 2020 season, announces Head Baseball Coach, Jorge Perez.

The Bobcats finished the 2019 season ranked second in the final NAIA Coaches' Poll, following the program's second World Series Runner-Up finish in the past five seasons (2015). STU has advanced to the Avista NAIA World Series, in three of the previous five-seasons (2015, 2018 and 2019) and the NAIA National Tournament for five consecutive seasons.

During the historic 2019 campaign, St. Thomas swept the 2018 NAIA National Champions, Southeastern University, at Paul Demie Mainieri Field, earning Coach Perez's 400^th career win to place him second all-time in STU history (Mantrana, 451). STU hosted and won the "Miami Gardens Bracket" of the NAIA Opening Round to clinch a berth to the NAIA World Series and won four games against opponents ranked in the top-five to reach the NAIA National Championship game for the second time in program history.

Under Perez's guidance, St. Thomas Baseball has reached unprecedented heights, reaching the World Series for three of the program's overall seven appearances, setting a program record for wins (56, 2018) and having nine players drafted in the past eight seasons.

The trip to Alex Box Stadium to play the Tigers, marks STU's first game against a NCAA Division I opponent since playing the University of Miami in 2017.

Perez and the Bobcats are excited to make the trip to Baton Rouge; Perez said, "words do not express the gratitude that I have with the opportunity to play one of the best collegiate programs in the country. Traveling to Baton Rouge to play at Alex Box Stadium against LSU feels like heading to the World Series. I'm excited for our players, coaches and fans to experience this, and I am eager to compete against my dear friend and mentor, Paul Mainieri."

Coach Perez served on Coach Mainieri's staff in the summer of 2018 for the Team USA Collegiate National Team, and Mainieri coached at STU from 1983 – 1988.

Perez added, "I have been fortunate enough to coach on Team USA along with my great friend, Paul Mainieri. STU has become a premier baseball institution because of the work that Paul began in the 1980's and I am proud to carry on the tradition of excellence."

Paul Mainieri got his illustrious coaching career started at St. Thomas University at 25-years old, graduating with a Masters' degree in Sports Administration. While at STU, Mainieri also served as the Athletic Director and an adjunct professor for the Sports Administration program.

Mainieri was enshrined in the Bobcats Sports Hall of Fame in 2009.

The upcoming game against St. Thomas will be an emotional one for LSU Coach Mainieri, stating, "I owe a lot to St. Thomas University and now to see what Jorge Perez has done with the baseball program on the field that bears my name and making them a national championship contending team, is amazing."

"Perez is one of the best coaches in the country, coaching with me when we led the USA Collegiate National Team and is a dear friend of mine. When he approached me about playing a game at LSU, I thought it was the least I could do to show my appreciation to the university, for what it means to me. We, at LSU, are excited to host the 2019 NAIA runner-ups and know it will be an extremely tough game."

LSU finished the 2019 season with a 40-26 record, going 17-13 in Southeastern Conference play and was eliminated in the Super Regional round by Florida State University.