BATON ROUGE — LSU (28-21-1, 11-12-1 SEC) seeks to enhance its position to receive a postseason berth as the Tigers face Florida (25-25, 12-12 SEC) this weekend in Alex Box Stadium.
Game 1 of the LSU-Florida 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). Sunday’s game will also be broadcast on Sirius Satellite Radio (Ch. 126).
The games may also be accessed in the Geaux Zone at www.LSUsports.net.
The games on Friday and Sunday will be televised regionally by Cox Sports Television. Saturday’s game will be televised regionally by Fox Sports Net.
LSU enters the series in fourth place in the SEC Western Division with an 11-12-1 conference mark, and the Tigers are in seventh place in the overall league standings. LSU is contending for a berth in the SEC Tournament, which includes the top eight conference teams at the end of the regular season.
Florida is in third place in the SEC Eastern Division, and the Gators are sixth in the overall league race, one-half game ahead of LSU.
LSU concludes the regular season next week at Vanderbilt, while Florida plays host to Tennessee.
LSU posted a 2-1 SEC series victory at third-ranked Arkansas last weekend, marking the Tigers’ third series win in the past four weeks. The Tigers have recorded series victories over three Top 15 teams, defeating No. 15 Mississippi State on April 20-22 and No. 13 Ole Miss on April 13-15.
“The University of Florida has some tremendous athletes on its campus,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri, “and many of them are on its baseball team. They are a very talented team with strong postseason aspirations. I’m hoping our team rises to the occasion and plays at a high level; we will have to in order to have a chance to win this series.”
Mainieri said junior right-hander Jared Bradford (10-2, 3.62 ERA) will start Friday’s game for LSU, marking Bradford’s first start this season in the opening game of a series. Bradford, who leads the SEC in victories with 10, has either a win (seven) or a save (three) in 10 of LSU’s 11 SEC victories this season.
Florida coach Pat McMahon will counter on Friday with freshman right-hander Kyle Mullaney (3-1, 5.19 ERA).
LSU outfielder Blake Dean was named SEC Freshman of the Week on Monday as he hit .333 (7-for-21) in LSU’s five games last week with one homer, five RBI and two runs scored. His solo homer in the fourth inning Sunday against Arkansas gave the Tigers a lead they would never relinquish in a 5-3 victory. Dean was 4-for-13 in the Arkansas series with one homer, four RBI and one run.
LSU will be without the services this weekend of junior infielder Chris Jackson, who will be attending a mini-camp with Buffalo Bills. Jackson, a former punter/placekicker for the LSU football team, signed a free-agent deal with the Bills last week.
Jackson was instrumental in the series win at Arkansas as he hit .385 (5-for-13) with one double and three RBI. In last Friday’s 6-5 LSU victory, Jackson had three hits, including a double, and drove in three runs.
Florida, batting .291 as a team with 61 homers and 34 stolen bases, is led at the plate by first baseman Matt LaPorta, who is batting .428 with 17 homers and 43 RBI. Outfielder Brian Leclerc is hitting .333 with 11 doubles, two homer and 25 RBI.
Florida shortstop Cole Figueroa is hitting .323 with nine homers and 41 RBI, and catcher/outfielder Austin Pride is batting .309 with 10 homers and 37 RBI.
LSU leads the overall series with Florida, 46-27-1, though the Gators captured a 2-1 series victory over the Tigers last season in Gainesville. LSU has won five of its last six SEC series against the Gators, and the Tigers have a have a 14-6-1 mark against Florida since 1999.
The Tigers have dominated the series in Baton Rouge over the past 20 years, as LSU is 19-3-1 against Florida since 1987 in regular-season games in Alex Box Stadium. This weekend’s series marks the Gators’ first trip to Baton Rouge since 2003, when LSU won the first two games and the third game ended in an 8-8 tie due to a travel curfew.
SERIES FACTS
Florida Gators (25-25, 12-12) at LSU Fighting Tigers (28-21-1, 11-12-1)
DATES/TIMES
Friday, May 11 ? 7 p.m. CDT; Saturday, May 12 ? 3 p.m. CDT; Sunday, May 13 ? 1 p.m. CDT
STADIUM
Alex Box Stadium (7,760) in Baton Rouge, La.
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, SATURDAY & SUNDAY
“Crocs” shoes will be given away throughout the series each time an LSU pitcher records a strikeout
FRIDAY
Fireworks show after the game
SUNDAY
All kids ages 12 and under can run the bases after the game with their moms for Mother’s Day
RADIO
All games on LSU Sports Radio Network affiliates, including WDGL 98.1 FM in Baton Rouge
Sunday’s game will also be broadcast on Sirius Satellite Radio (Channel 126)
INTERNET
www.LSUsports.net
TV
FRIDAY
Cox Sports Television (Cable Ch. 37 in Baton Rouge)
SATURDAY
Fox Sports Net (Cable Ch. 38 in Baton Rouge)
SUNDAY
Cox Sports Television (Cable Ch. 37 in Baton Rouge)
SERIES RECORD
LSU leads, 46-27-1
PITCHING MATCHUPS
Game 1
LSU ? Jr. RHP Jared Bradford (10-2, 3.62 ERA, 87.0 IP, 15 BB, 73 SO)
UF? Fr. RHP Kyle Mullaney (3-1, 5.19 ERA, 34.2 IP, 14 BB, 18 SO)
Game 2
LSU ? Jr. LHP Charlie Furbush (3-7, 4.84 ERA, 74.1 IP, 31 BB, 79 SO)
UF ? Jr. RHP Bryan Augenstein (5-5, 5.98 ERA, 87.1 IP, 31 BB, 81 SO)
Game 3
LSU ? So. LHP Ryan Byrd (5-1, 4.34 ERA, 58.0 IP, 16 BB, 33 SO)
UF ? Fr. RHP Billy Bullock (2-5, 5.28 ERA, 57.1 IP, 20 BB, 34 SO)