BATON ROUGE — LSU (19-15-1, 4-7-1 SEC) returns to Southeastern Conference action this weekend as the Tigers face No. 13 Ole Miss (24-11, 7-5 SEC) in Alex Box Stadium.
Game 1 of the LSU-Ole Miss series is set for 7 p.m. Friday, Game 2 will start at 3 p.m. Saturday, and Game 3 begins at 1 p.m. Sunday.
Tickets for each game are $8 for adults and $5 for children ages 3-12. Tickets are available at Alex Box Stadium each day two hours prior to first pitch, or they may be purchased and printed at www.LSUsports.net.
All three games will be carried by the affiliates of the LSU Sports Radio Network (WDGL 98.1 FM in Baton Rouge).
The games may also be accessed in the Geaux Zone at www.LSUsports.net.
LSU enters the series in fifth place in the SEC Western Division with a 4-7-1 conference mark. Ole Miss, coached by former LSU player and assistant coach Mike Bianco, is in second place in the West with a 7-5 record, one game behind division leader Arkansas (8-4).
“We have another big series against Ole Miss, one of the better teams in the country,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “I admire what Coach Bianco has done at Ole Miss. I’m anxious to get a close look at them this weekend. Everybody tells me that they’ve got it all.
“We have a tremendous challenge ahead of us. We realize that we’ll have to play as well as we can to compete against them this weekend. When you look at the talent, the stats don’t lie. We have a challenge, and we’re looking forward to it.”
Junior left-hander Charlie Furbush (3-4, 4.29 ERA) will start Friday’s game on the mound for LSU. Furbush endured a difficult outing last Friday against Auburn as he fell to 0-3 in SEC games. The southpaw worked five innings against the Plainsmen, allowing six runs on eight hits with one walk and eight strikeouts in a 6-1 LSU loss.
Bianco will counter on Friday with junior right-hander Will Kline (4-1, 2.98 ERA), who has recorded 72 strikeouts in 63.1 innings while allowing a .196 opponent batting average.
LSU freshman designated hitter Blake Dean extended his hitting streak to 15 games Wednesday in the Tigers’ 4-1 win over Mississippi Valley State in Alex Box Stadium. Dean, a native of Crestview, Fla., is batting .400 (24-for-60) during the streak with five doubles, one triple, eight RBI and nine runs.
In LSU’s last five games, Dean is hitting .500 (9-for-18) with four doubles, one triple, four RBI and three runs. He is the Tigers’ leading hitter on the season, batting .346 (44-for-127) with 10 doubles, three triples, two homers, 27 RBI and 19 runs.
LSU freshman centerfielder Jared Mitchell is second on the club with a .290 (40-for-138) average, and he has collected seven doubles, one homer, 13 RBI and 31 runs. Mitchell is a perfect 16-for-16 in stolen base attempts.
Freshman first baseman Sean Ochinko leads LSU with five home runs, and three other players ? freshman leftfielder Ryan Schimpf, junior shortstop Michael Hollander and senior righrfielder Steven Waguespack ? each have three dingers.
Ole Miss is led at the plate by leftfielder Justin Henry, who is hitting .418 (61-for-146) with eight doubles, two triples and 24 RBI. Rightfielder Jordan Henry, Justin’s younger brother, is batting .352 (45-for-128) with two doubles, one homer and 11 RBI.
Ole Miss is batting .316 as a team with 30 home runs, including seven each by third baseman Cody Overbeck and centerfielder Logan Power.
LSU leads the overall series with Ole Miss, 154-133, though the Rebels won all four games between the teams last season. Ole Miss swept a three-game series from LSU in Oxford, Miss. before defeating the Tigers in the second round of the SEC Tournament in Hoover, Ala.
LSU has captured six of its last eight regular-season series with Ole Miss, and the Tigers have a 13-9 record against the Rebels this decade.
Bianco has a 10-11 career mark against LSU in his seven seasons as the Ole Miss coach.
SERIES FACTS
#13 Ole Miss Rebels (24-11, 7-5) at LSU Fighting Tigers (19-15-1, 4-7-1)
DATES/TIMES
Friday, April 13 ? 7 p.m. CDT; Saturday, April 14 ? 3 p.m. CDT; Sunday, April 15 ? 1 p.m. CDT
STADIUM
Alex Box Stadium (7,760) in Baton Rouge, La.
RANKINGS
Ole Miss is ranked No. 13 by Collegiate Baseball, No. 16 by USA Today/ESPN and No. 20 by Baseball America
TICKETS
$8 adults, $5 children ages 3-12 — available at Alex Box Stadium each day two hours prior to first pitch; tickets may also be purchased and printed at www.LSUsports.net
SPECIAL EVENTS/PROMOTIONS
FRIDAY
Super Chevy Dealers seat cushions given away to first 1,000 fans
SATURDAY
Verizon Wireless visors given away to fans as they enter the ball park
SUNDAY
All kids ages 12 and under can run the bases after the game
RADIO
LSU Sports Radio Network affiliates, including WDGL 98.1 FM in Baton Rouge
INTERNET
www.LSUsports.net
TV
None
SERIES RECORD
LSU leads, 154-133
PITCHING MATCHUPS
Game 1
LSU ? Jr. LHP Charlie Furbush (3-4, 4.29 ERA, 50.1 IP, 22 BB, 57 SO)
UM? Jr. RHP Will Kline (4-1, 2.98 ERA, 63.1 IP, 22 BB, 72 SO)
Game 2
LSU ? TBA
UM ? So. RHP Lance Lynn (3-2, 2.53 ERA, 57.0 IP, 19 BB, 71 SO)
Game 3
LSU ? TBA
UM ? Fr. LHP Nathan Baker (4-1, 2.90 ERA, 40.1 IP, 11 BB, 27 SO)