BATON ROUGE — Second-ranked LSU (9-2) returns to Alex Box Stadium this weekend as the Tigers play host to Alabama-Birmingham (6-3) in a three-game series.
LSU completed a four-game road swing with a 6-1 loss to Centenary Wednesday at Fair Grounds Field in Shreveport. The Tigers won two of three games at Houston last weekend.
Game 1 of the LSU-UAB series is set for 6:30 p.m. Friday, Game 2 begins at Noon Saturday and Game 3 starts at 1 p.m. Sunday.
The games on Friday and Sunday can be heard statewide on the LSU Sports Network (WDGL 98.1 in Baton Rouge). Saturday’s game will be broadcast in Baton Rouge only on WTGE 107.3 FM.
All three games can also be heard on the LSU Athletics web site, www.LSUsports.net.
LSU seeks to rebound this weekend after managing just two hits in Wednesday’s loss to Centenary. The two-hit output was LSU’s lowest since May 4, 1997, when the Tigers also collected two hits in a 16-1 loss at Arkansas.
With the series victory at Houston last weekend, the Tigers have now won nine consecutive regular-season series, dating back to last season. LSU last lost a weekend series on April 9-11, 2004, when Arkansas swept three games in Alex Box Stadium.
LSU coach Smoke Laval will send senior left-hander Lane Mestepey (2-1, 0.46 ERA) to the mound in Friday’s series opener. Mestepey became LSU’s all-time leader in innings pitched last Friday at Houston, as he worked six frames in a 2-1 loss. Mestepey has now fired 401.1 career innings, surpassing the previous LSU mark of 398 set by Scott Schultz from 1992-95.
Mestepey was charged with the hard-luck loss last Friday despite limiting Houston to two unearned runs on six hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
UAB coach Larry Giangrosso is expected to counter Friday with senior right-hander Adam Price (1-0, 2.70 ERA).
LSU’s team batting average fell to .300 after Wednesday’s Centenary game. Second baseman Clay Harris leads the Tigers’ offense, hitting .395 (15-for-38) with five doubles, two homers and eight RBI. Preseason all-America left fielder Ryan Patterson is batting .333 (13-for-39) with four doubles, two homers and eight RBI.
Right fielder Nick Stavinoha is batting .314 (11-for-35) with a team-high 12 RBI to go along with one double and two homers.
The Blazers snapped a three-game losing skid with two victories in as many days over Florida A&M on Tuesday and Wednesday. Senior Cole Helms was the hero on Tuesday, knocking in the game-winning run with a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the 11th inning to give UAB a 6-5 victory. Despite the chilly weather on Wednesday, UAB’s bats were on fire as the Blazers pounded out 15 hits en route to an 8-3 win. Seniors Nathan McCorkle and Seth Rollin each hit their second home run of the season in the game.
Freshman Clint Toomey has stepped into the leadoff spot in the order while playing center field for the Blazers and leads the team with a .417 batting average. He has 10 hits and nine walks in just seven games while compiling a .576 on-base percentage. Also keeping UAB’s offense clicking have been Helms and Rollin. Helms is batting .343 and leads the Blazers with 12 RBIs while Rollin’s average sits at .353 after a strong week against Florida A&M.
LSU leads the all-time series with UAB, 3-1. The Tigers swept a three-game series from the Blazers in 1994 at Alex Box Stadium, while UAB posted a 14-8 win in 1982 at Alex Box in the first meeting between the schools.
SERIES FACTS
Alabama-Birmingham Blazers (6-3) at # 2 LSU Fighting Tigers (9-2)
DATES/TIMES:
Friday, March 4 — 6:30 p.m. CST; Saturday, March 5 — Noon CST; Sunday, March 6 — 1 p.m. CST
STADIUM:
Alex Box Stadium (7,760)
RANKINGS:
LSU (# 2 ESPN/Sports Weekly, # 3 Baseball America, # 3 Collegiate Baseball); UAB (unranked)
RADIO:
Friday and Sunday statewide on LSU Sports Network (WDGL 98.1 FM in Baton Rouge); Saturday in Baton Rouge only on WTGE 107.3 FM
INTERNET:
Radio broadcast and live stats of all three games at www.LSUsports.net
TV:
None
TICKETS:
Available each day beginning two hours prior to first pitch at Alex Box Stadium ticket office
SERIES RECORD:
LSU leads, 3-1
PITCHING MATCHUPS
Game 1
LSU — Sr. LHP Lane Mestepey (2-1, 0.46 ERA, 19.2 IP, 3 BB, 11 SO)
UAB — Sr. RHP Adam Price (1-0, 2.70 ERA, 13.1 IP, 3 BB, 8 SO)
Game 2
LSU — So. LHP Clay Dirks (3-0, 3.78 ERA, 16.2 IP, 5 BB, 14 SO)
UAB — Sr. RHP Jeff Brown (1-0, 6.43 ERA, 14.0 IP, 8 BB, 17 SO)
Game 3
LSU — Jr. LHP Greg Smith (3-0, 2.55 ERA, 17.2 IP, 6 BB, 21 SO)
UAB — Sr. RHP Cole Helms (1-0, 1.00 ERA, 9.0 IP, 4 BB, 8 SO)