India, Aug. 14 -- Stanley "Skip" Bertman, a key figure in the enduring college baseball program at LSU, has passed in the early morning of August 14. He was surrounded by his family and friends.

He died at the age of 88 after a brief hospitalization due to heart-related issues.

Bertman is celebrated as the architect of LSU Tiger baseball, having transformed the program from a mere afterthought in 1983 into a five-time national champion by the time he concluded his coaching career in 2001.

The Miami native led the Tigers to five NCAA College World Series championships (1991, '93, '96, '97, '00) during his tenure in Baton Rouge, and he played a pivotal role in establishing college baseball as a viable and profitable venture throughout th...