BATON ROUGE — LSU (26-20-1, 9-11-1 SEC) travels to Fayetteville, Ark., this weekend for a three-game Southeastern Conference series versus the No. 3 Arkansas Razorbacks (35-12, 15-6 SEC).
Game 1 of the LSU-Arkansas series is set for 7:05 p.m. CDT Friday, Game 2 will start at 3:07 p.m. CDT Saturday, and Game 3 begins at 12:35 p.m. CDT Sunday.
All three games will be carried by affiliates of the LSU Sports Radio Network (WDGL 98.1 FM in Baton Rouge).
Live video of Friday’s game and the audio broadcasts of all three games are available in the Geaux Zone at www.LSUsports.net.
Saturday’s game will be televised by Fox Sports Net (Cable Ch. 38 in Baton Rouge), and Sunday’s game will be televised by Cox Sports Television (Cable Ch. 37 in Baton Rouge).
“We realize we have a tremendous challenge this weekend against an outstanding Arkansas club,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “This will be the first time I’ve been to Fayetteville, and I’ve been told it’s a fantastic atmosphere for college baseball. I met (Arkansas coach) Dave Van Horn at the College World Series in 2002 when he was at Nebraska and I was at Notre Dame, and I know he has done a great job everywhere he’s been.
“This is a crucial stretch for us, as there are only nine games left in the regular season. We just have to approach these final three SEC series one at a time and hopefully put ourselves in a position to qualify for postseason play.”
LSU is in fifth place in the SEC West with a 9-11-1 record, and the Tigers are tied with Kentucky for eighth place in the overall league standings. The SEC’s top eight teams at the end of the regular season qualify for the league tournament May 23-27 in Hoover, Ala.
Arkansas leads the SEC Western Division with a 15-6 mark, three games ahead of second-place Ole Miss (12-9). The Razorbacks are tied with Vanderbilt for first place in the overall conference standings.
Sophomore left-hander Ryan Byrd (5-1, 4.85 ERA) will start Friday’s game on the mound for LSU. Byrd endured a difficult outing last Sunday versus Tennessee, allowing five runs on six hits in 2.2 innings with four walks and one strikeout. He was not involved in the decision of the Tigers’ 10-9, 10-inning loss to the Volunteers.
Van Horn will counter on Friday with junior left-hander Nick Schmidt (9-1, 2.40 ERA). Schmidt won his ninth game of the season with a complete-game effort last Friday at Auburn. The southpaw surrendered just one run on four hits and struck out eight.
The outing marked the second straight complete game for Schmidt. He has four complete games this season and seven for his career.
LSU is led at the plate by freshman DH/leftfielder Blake Dean, who is hitting .335 with 11 doubles, three triples, six homers and 38 RBI. Junior shortstop Michael Hollander is batting .304 with 10 doubles, one triple, five homers and 23 RBI.
Freshman first baseman/catcher Sean Ochinko leads the Tigers with seven home runs.
Arkansas, batting .300 as a team with 59 homers and 40 stolen bases, is led by sophomore infielder Logan Forsythe, who is hitting .349 with 14 doubles, six homers and 42 RBI. Junior infielder Casey Coon is hitting .310 with seven homers and a team-high 55 RBI, and senior infielder Danny Hamblin has launched 16 homers, the second-highest total in the SEC.
LSU leads the all-time series with Arkansas 41-19, and the Tigers have a 14-8 advantage over the Razorbacks in games played this decade. LSU posted a 2-1 series victory over Arkansas last season in Alex Box Stadium.
LSU has won five of its last six games in Fayetteville, including a 2-1 series victory in 2003 and a three-games series sweep in 2005.
SERIES FACTS
LSU Fighting Tigers (26-20-1, 9-11-1 SEC) at # 3 Arkansas Razorbacks (35-12, 15-6 SEC)
DATES/TIMES
Friday, May 4 ? 7:05 p.m. CDT; Saturday, May 5 ? 3:07 p.m. CDT; Sunday, May 6 ? 12:35 p.m. CDT
STADIUM
Baum Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark.
RANKINGS
Arkansas is ranked No. 3 by Collegiate Baseball, No. 7 by USA Today/ESPN and No. 7 by Baseball America
RADIO
All three games on LSU Sports Radio Network affiliates (WDGL 98.1 FM in Baton Rouge)
INTERNET
Live video of Friday’s game and audio broadcasts of all three games in the Geaux Zone at www.LSUsports.net; live stats available at www.LSUsports.net
TV
Saturday’s game will be televised by Fox Sports Net (Cable Ch. 37 in Baton Rouge)
Sunday’s game will televised by Cox Sports Television (Cable Ch. 38 in Baton Rouge)
SERIES RECORD
LSU leads, 41-19
PITCHING MATCHUPS
Game 1
LSU ? So. LHP Ryan Byrd (5-1, 4.85 ERA, 52.0 IP, 14 BB, 29 SO)
UA ? Jr. LHP Nick Schmidt (9-1, 2.40 ERA, 90.0 IP, 37 BB, 85 SO)
Game 2
LSU ? Jr. LHP Charlie Furbush (3-6, 5.14 ERA, 68.1 IP, 28 BB, 71 SO)
UA ? Jr. RHP Jess Todd (6-2, 3.53 ERA, 58.2 IP, 17 BB, 75 SO)
Game 3
LSU ? TBA
UA ? Jr. RHP Duke Welker (5-2, 3.33 ERA, 67.2 IP, 31 BB, 53 SO)