New Delhi, Aug. 14 -- Stanley "Skip" Bertman, the man who turned LSU baseball into a national powerhouse and later guided the entire athletics department, has passed away at age 88 after a short hospital stay for heart-related problems.

The Miami native arrived in Baton Rouge in 1984 and found a program that barely registered on the national map. By the time he stepped away from coaching in 2001, the Tigers had claimed five College World Series titles and become the standard for excellence in the Southeastern Conference.

Skip Bertman led LSU to national championships in 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997 and 2000. His teams also captured seven SEC titles and made 11 trips to Omaha. Over 18 seasons the Tigers posted an 870-330-3 record, a .724 winni...