LSU begins its quest for a seventh College World Series championship when it meets fellow Southeastern Conference member Tennessee at 6 p.m. today in Omaha, Nebraska.

The Tigers (48-15) lean on the nation’s best player, junior right-handed pitcher Paul Skenes, and the nation’s best hitter, junior center fielder Dylan Crews.

Skenes (12-2) was named the Dick Howser Trophy winner on Thursday while Crews was named the winner of the National Collegiate Slugger Award on Friday.

Crews is No. 2 in the nation in on-base percentage (.576), No. 2 in runs scored (89), No. 3 in batting average (.434) and No. 3 in walks (65).

Skenes is No. 1 in the nation in strikeouts (188), strikeouts per nine innings (15.81) and WHIP (0.78), and No. 2 in the nation in ERA (1.77). He is No.3 in the nation in strikeout-to-walk ratio (10.44), and No. 6 in hits allowed per nine innings (5.47).

“Our players have done everything that we’ve asked them to do for the past two seasons,” said LSU head coach Jay Johnson. “When we took the field last weekend (for the super regional), there was a really solid peace of mind that these guys were going to advance to the College World Series.

“We have an amazing collection of talent, but in the first meeting I said that doesn’t make us a team. Developing them as people, developing them as teammates, not just accepting their role, but embracing it, and communicating it might look different in Game 1 than in Game 10. It might look different in Game 20, Game 50, and then in Omaha.”

The Tigers, who are 40-27 in Omaha, enter their 19th CWS having won their last five games. They also get production from sophomore third baseman Tommy White, who is No. 2 in the nation in RBIs (97).

Meanwhile, the Volunteers are making their sixth CWS appearance, second in three years. They’re looking for their first CWS since 2001 looking to break a five-game losing streak in Omaha.

The Vols, who are hitting .284 with 125 home runs, have won seven of the last nine meetings with LSU, which leads the series 60-29 having won 16 of the last 24 games. The Tigers won the three-game SEC series 2-1 (March 30-April 1) in Baton Rouge.

A major reason for Tennessee’s run to Omaha has been the dominance of the bullpen. In six NCAA Tournament games, the bullpen has allowed two runs in 232/3 innings, posting a 0.76 ERA. Relievers have combined for 29 strikeouts while issuing 10 walks while limiting opposing hitters to a .143 batting average.

The Tennessee pitching staff sports a 3.57 ERA, tops in the SEC, with 708 strikeouts in 542 innings.

The Vols are led at the plate by catcher/outfielder Jared Dickey (.325, 12 HR, 51 RBIs), outfielder Griffin Merritt (.315, 18 HR, 48 RBIs) and infielder Christian Moore (.313, 17 HR, 48 RBIs). Senior third baseman Zane Denton had five hits, four of which were home runs, in last week’s Hattiesburg (Miss.) Super Regional.