BATON ROUGE — LSU (12-7) begins Southeastern Conference play this weekend as the Tigers face third-ranked South Carolina (15-2) at Sarge Frye Field in Columbia, S.C.
Game 1 of the LSU-USC series is set for 6 p.m. CDT Friday, Game 2 will start at 3 p.m. CDT Saturday, and Game 3 begins at 11 a.m. CDT Sunday.
All three games will be carried by affiliates of the LSU Sports Radio Network (WDGL 98.1 FM in Baton Rouge). The audio broadcasts and live stats of all three games are available in the Geaux Zone at www.LSUsports.net.
The entire series will also be televised regionally by affiliates of the Jumbo Sports Network and Comcast Sports Southeast.
LSU has won five of its last six games, including a 6-3 victory over McNeese State Tuesday night in Alex Box Stadium. South Carolina swept a two-game series versus Appalachian State on Tuesday and Wednesday with wins of 13-5 and 4-1. Tuesday’s win featured a season-high 20 hits for the Gamecocks, who enter the LSU series batting .307 as a team.
“This is not only our team’s first SEC series of the year, but it’s my first as an SEC coach,” said first-year LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “We’ve improved in some areas but we need improvement in other areas. Our players have been responsive to a new style of coaching. The kids have been fun to work with and I see bright days ahead for LSU baseball. They’ve shown a lot of resolve.
“We’ve been an up-and-down ball club but I see the light at the end of the tunnel. I know this league is tough and you won’t win them all but you just go out there and play hard. I’m excited.”
Junior left-hander Charlie Furbush (3-1, 2.61 ERA) will start Friday’s game on the mound for LSU. Furbush enjoyed a brilliant outing in last Friday’s 2-1 victory over Southern Mississippi, limiting the Golden Eagles to one unearned run on three hits in eight innings with no walks and five strikeouts.
South Carolina coach Ray Tanner will counter on Friday with junior right-hander Harris Honeycutt (4-0, 1.11 ERA). After sitting out last week with a strained bicep in his right arm, Honeycutt returns to the mound on Friday.
Honeycutt was named SEC Pitcher of the Week following his performance in a 12-0 win March 3 at Clemson. He limited Clemson to just two hits in seven innings of work.
LSU freshman centerfielder Jared Mitchell leads the Tigers at the plate, batting .325 (25-for-77) with two doubles, one homer, nine RBI, 21 runs and nine stolen bases. Mitchell was 3-for-4 with one steal and three runs scored in Tuesday’s win over McNeese State.
LSU leftfielder Blake Dean is hitting .317 (20-for-63) with five doubles, two triples, two homers and a team-best 19 RBI. Dean launched a two-run blast and provided a sacrifice fly in the victory over McNeese State. Catcher Sean Ochinko has a team-high four homers, and he is second on the club with 15 RBI.
South Carolina is led at the plate by catcher Phil Disher, who is hitting .339 with six doubles, four homers and 19 RBI. Infielder James Darnell is batting .333 with five homers and 14 RBI, and first baseman Justin Smoak is hitting .328 with team-highs of six homers and 25 RBI.
LSU leads the series between the schools, 21-18-1; however, South Carolina has won its last seven meetings with the Tigers. LSU’s last win in the series came on March 21, 2004, a 12-7 victory in Columbia. South Carolina later defeated the Tigers in a 2004 College World Series elimination game, and the Gamecocks have swept three-game SEC series in Baton Rouge in each of the past two seasons.
SERIES FACTS
LSU Fighting Tigers (12-7) at South Carolina Gamecocks (15-2)
DATES/TIMES
Friday, March 16 ? 6 p.m. CDT; Saturday, March 17 ? 3 p.m. CDT; Sunday, March 18 ? 11 a.m. CDT
STADIUM
Sarge Frye Field in Columbia, S.C.
RANKINGS
South Carolina is ranked No. 3 by Collegiate Baseball, No. 4 by Baseball America and No. 4 by ESPN/USA Today
RADIO
All three games on LSU Sports Radio Network affiliates (WDGL 98.1 FM in Baton Rouge)
INTERNET
Audio broadcasts and live stats of all three games in the Geaux Zone at www.LSUsports.net
TV
All three games will be televised regionally by Jumbo Sports Network and Comcast Sports Southeast
Baton Rouge Affiliates ? Friday (KZUP-TV, Cable Ch. 13); Saturday (WGMB-TV, Cable Ch. 6); Sunday (WBRL-TV, Cable Ch. 10)
SERIES RECORD
LSU leads, 21-18-1
PITCHING MATCHUPS
Game 1
LSU ? Jr. LHP Charlie Furbush (3-1, 2.61 ERA, 31.0 IP, 11 BB, 28 SO)
USC ? Jr. RHP Harris Honeycutt (4-0, 1.11 ERA, 24.1 IP, 9 BB, 26 SO)
Game 2
LSU ? Jr. RHP Jared Bradford (3-1, 2.51 ERA, 28.2 IP, 5 BB, 28 SO)
USC ? So. RHP Mike Cisco (2-0, 2.59 ERA, 31.1 IP, 4 BB, 28 SO)
Game 3
LSU ? Fr. RHP T.J. Forrest (1-0, 1.50 ERA, 6.0 IP, 1 BB, 7 SO)
USC ? TBA