NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Perhaps no former LSU baseball player wants the Tigers to beat the Florida Gators more than Kramer Robertson.
Robertson is known for many things — his savvy infield and clutch hits, his blonde hair, and his mother Kim Mulkey. He was a member of the First Team All-SEC in 2016 and All-Tournament Team in 2017. In his final two seasons at LSU, he batted .300 with 19 home runs and 150 RBI, earning a 4th-round pick by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2017 MLB Draft.
Despite a Major League debut with the Cardinals in 2022 and his ongoing Triple A career with the Memphis Redbirds, Robertson still thinks about the last two games of his superb college baseball career. The Tigers fell to the Gators 4-3 in the opener and 6-1 in Game 2 of the 2017 College World Series championship series.
“There’s not many days that go by where I still don’t think about the national championship. That was probably the most devastating moment of my entire career…life. You know, it’s a game, but it’s been really hard on me. Still to this day.”
In Game 1, LSU’s Josh Smith hit an RBI to score Greg Deichmann from second to make it 4-3, and Smith wanted a double of his own. It appeared that Smith avoided Florida shortstop Dalton Guthrie’s glove and was tagged after Smith touched the base with his left hand, but he was called out. Unfortunately for the Tigers in 2017, only plays at home plate were reviewable.
“I think Josh was safe at second base,” Robertson said. “I really do. But you couldn’t review it.”
“It’s easy to look back at certain plays and say ‘what if’… in Game 2, we had runners on first and third, no outs, down one run and didn’t score… I was thrown out at home as the tying run by, I mean, inches.”
The Robertson tag-out play came in the top of the 8th inning with one out, was reviewed, and the call was upheld. Anyone who watches the full interview can understand why the 2023 College World Series rematch between LSU and Florida means so much to Kramer Robertson and the 2017 team.
“Little moments like that [tag-out play], they definitely weigh on me still to this day, and it hurts because I’ve never wanted anything so bad for myself, for my team, my state and university. But now they got their chance for revenge. I would give every dollar in my bank account to go suit up with those guys and get another crack at it. LSU baseball is a fraternity. So if they win this national championship and can beat Florida, then I think a part of my heart will be at peace again. It hasn’t been for six years.”
For every former player, Jay Johnson, and the entire LSU faithful, the wait is over.
Game 1 of the rematch is underway, and Kramer Robertson will be watching.
Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter.
