BATON ROUGE — Top-ranked LSU (6-1) faces Southeastern Louisiana (3-0) Wednesday at Zephyr Field in Metairie, La., in the first annual Wally Pontiff Jr. Baseball Classic. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
The game can be heard in Baton Rouge on WJNH-FM 107.3 and on the internet at www.LSUsports.net.
LSU is ranked No. 1 this week by Collegiate Baseball magazine and No. 3 by Baseball America magazine. The top ranking marks the Tigers’ first No. 1 designation since April 30, 2001, when LSU was No. 1 in the ESPN/Sports Weekly poll.
LSU enters Wednesday’s contest riding a four-game win streak after the Tigers swept a three-game set from Jacksonville State last weekend in Alex Box Stadium. Southeastern Louisiana, coached by former LSU assistant Dan Canevari, opened its 2004 season last weekend in Hammond with a three-game sweep of Indiana.
LSU coach Smoke Laval will send senior right-hander Nate Bumstead (0-0) to the mound against the Lions. Bumstead, who suffered a shoulder injury in an intrasquad game on Feb. 3, will make his first start this season. He pitched in relief on Feb. 15 at Central Florida, allowing two runs on four hits in 2.2 innings with three walks and three strikeouts. Bumstead was not involved in the decision of the Tigers’ 6-5, 10-inning loss.
SLU will counter with senior left-hander Mark Weinmunson (1-0), who earned a relief win over Indiana last Friday, holding the Hoosiers hitless in three shutout innings with one walk and four strikeouts.
Proceeds from Wednesday’s game will benefit the Wally Pontiff Jr. Foundation, which assists several charities, including recreational centers and camps for underprivileged children.
Pontiff, a three-year LSU baseball letterman (2000-02) died on July 24, 2002, in his parents’ Metairie, La., home due to heart abnormalities. The 21-year-old star was the designated hitter on LSU’s 2000 NCAA championship team, and he was the Tigers’ starting third baseman in 2001 and 2002. A biological sciences major with a 3.25 gpa, Pontiff was named to the 2002 District VI Academic all-America team, and he was a two-time of the Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll.
Pontiff was selected by the Oakland Athletics in the 21st round of the 2002 major league baseball draft. Prior to his death, he was considering a decision to either sign with the Athletics or return to LSU for his senior season.
As a freshman, Pontiff helped lead the Tigers to the 2000 national title, batting .347 with 20 doubles, seven homers and 45 RBI. He was voted the Most Outstanding Player of the 2000 SEC Tournament, and he was named an honorable mention Freshman all-American by Collegiate Baseball magazine.
Pontiff also hit .347 in 2001 with nine doubles, seven homers and 58 RBI. He earned first-team all-SEC recognition, and he was voted to the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional all- tournament team. The Tigers reached the NCAA Super Regional round and completed the season ranked No. 9 in the country.
He batted .339 in 2002 with 20 doubles, six homers and 46 RBI, earning second-team all-SEC honors as the Tigers advanced to an NCAA Super Regional and finished No. 11 in the nation.
Pontiff completed the 2002 season on the LSU career Top 10 lists in three offensive categories — hits (9th, 254), doubles (tied for 7th, 49) and batting average (10th, .344).
LSU swept Jacksonville State — the preseason Ohio Valley Conference favorite — last weekend by a combined score of 39-4 in the three-game series. The Tigers outhit the Gamecocks, 44-18, and batted .393 in the series. Meanwhile, the LSU pitching staff posted a 1.08 ERA for the weekend and limited JSU to a .196 batting average.
Sunday’s 19-1 victory marked the most runs scored by the Tigers since June 6, 2003, when LSU scored 20 in the NCAA Super Regional final versus Baylor. The Tigers had 20 hits in Sunday’s contest, marking the first time they reached the 20-hit mark since May 6, 2003, versus Loyola-New Orleans.
LSU has now won 14 straight non-conference regular-season games in Alex Box Stadium; the Tigers last lost a non-conference regular-season home game on February 22, 2003, to Houston.
For the entire week – including a Feb. 17 win over UL-Monroe – LSU hit .374 (55-for-147) and outscored the opposition, 46-5, while recording a 1.06 ERA on the mound.
Preseason all-America center fielder J.C. Holt led the Tigers with a .533 (8-for-15) average for the week, including one double, four RBI, six runs, two steals and a .611 on-base percentage. Holt hit .500 (6-for-12) in the JSU series, as did left fielder Ryan Patterson, who was 6-for-12 at the plate with three doubles, three RBI and six runs.
As a team, the Tigers are hitting .333 (89-for-267) on the year with eight home runs. LSU hit seven homers in its first two games; however, the Tigers have just one homer in their last five contests.
LSU’s pitching staff enters the SLU game with a 2.31 cumulative ERA and a .210 opponents’ batting average.
Junior left-hander Lane Mestepey defeated JSU on Saturday (his 24th career win), limiting the Gamecocks to one run on six hits in six innings with two walks and four strikeouts.
Freshman left-hander Clay Dirks earned his first collegiate victory on Sunday, allowing just one unearned run on four hits in five innings with no walks and six Ks.
Sophomore right-hander Justin Meier fired a career-high eight strikeouts in defeating JSU on Friday; Meier allowed one run on four hits in 6.2 innings with one walk.
GAME FACTS: #1 LSU (6-1) vs. Southeastern Louisiana (3-0)
DATE/TIME: Wednesday, Feb. 25 – 6:30 p.m.
STADIUM: Zephyr Field – Metairie, La.
TICKETS: On sale at the Southeastern athletic ticket office (985-549-5466), located at gate 3 of the University Center. Tickets are also on sale at the Zephyr Field box office (504-734-5155) or at any Ticketmaster locations (800-488-5252).
RANKINGS: LSU (#1 Collegiate Baseball, #3 Baseball America, #5 ESPN/Sports Weekly); Southeastern Louisiana (unranked)
RADIO: WJNH-FM 107.3 in Baton Rouge only
INTERNET: www.LSUsports.net
TV: None
PITCHING MATCHUP
LSU – Sr. RHP Nate Bumstead (0-0, 6.75 ERA, 2.2 IP, 3 BB, 3 SO)
SLU – Sr. LHP Mark Weinmunson (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 3 IP, 1 BB, 4 SO)