BATON ROUGE — LSU (29-23-1, 12-14-1 SEC) travels to Nashville, Tenn., this week for a three-game Southeastern Conference series versus the No. 1 Vanderbilt Commodores (43-10, 19-8 SEC), as the Tigers seek a berth in the SEC Tournament.
Game 1 of the LSU-Vanderbilt series is set for 7 p.m. CDT Thursday, Game 2 will start at 7 p.m. CDT Friday, and Game 3 begins at 12 p.m. CDT Saturday.
All three games will be carried by affiliates of the LSU Sports Radio Network (WDGL 98.1 FM in Baton Rouge).
The audio broadcasts of all three games are available in the Geaux Zone at www.LSUsports.net. Live video from Thursday’s game is also available on vucommodores.cstv.com.
The games on Friday and Saturday will be televised regionally by the Jumbo Sports Network. The Baton Rouge affiliates are Cable Ch. 13 on Friday and Cable Ch. 10 (WBRL) on Saturday.
LSU is in fifth place in the SEC West with a 12-14-1 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 on Saturday qualify for the league tournament May 23-27 in Hoover, Ala.
LSU could reach the SEC Tournament by winning one more game this week than either Kentucky or Alabama. The Tigers are seeking to earn a berth in the SEC Tournament for the 23rd straight season. LSU is the only league school to have played in every SEC Tournament since 1985
Kentucky has a tie-breaker advantage versus LSU by virtue of its series victory over the Tigers March 23-25. The Wildcats play host to Auburn this week. Seventh-place Alabama (13-14), which plays at Mississippi State this week, has a half-game lead over LSU and Kentucky.
Vanderbilt has already clinched the SEC East title, and the Commodores have a two-game lead over Arkansas (17-10) in the overall league standings. Vanderbilt can clinch at least a tie for the overall SEC championship with one win over LSU. The Commodores will win the league title outright with two wins over the Tigers.
“We’re looking forward to facing Vanderbilt,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “I have the greatest respect in the world for (Vanderbilt coach) Tim Corbin. The way he’s developed their team has been remarkable. It’s a great opportunity for us. We’re going to Nashville and we’ll compete as hard as we can and hopefully we’ll get some help from around the league.”
Junior left-hander Charlie Furbush (3-8, 5.27 ERA) will start Thursday’s game on the mound for LSU. Furbush blanked Florida through five innings last Saturday before ultimately suffering an 8-4 loss
Corbin will counter on Thursday with junior left-hander David Price (9-0, 2.91 ERA), regarded by many as the best pitcher in the country. Price has recorded a remarkable 149 strikeouts in 105.1 innings this season, and opponents are batting just .209 against him.
LSU sophomore designated hitter Nicholas Pontiff enjoyed a productive series versus Florida last weekend, batting .500 (6-for-12) with three RBI and three runs scored. Pontiff is LSU’s leading hitter in SEC games, batting .375 (21-for-56) with two doubles, one homer, 13 RBI and nine runs.
Sophomore infielder Buzzy Haydel hit .400 (4-for-10) in the Florida series with one double, one RBI and two runs scored. Freshman outfielder Blake Dean is the Tigers’ overall top hitter, batting .328 (65-for-198) with 12 doubles, three triples, seven homers and 44 RBI.
Sophomore left-hander Ryan Byrd, LSU’s Game 2 starter versus Vanderbilt, improved to 6-1 on the season as he defeated Florida last Sunday. Byrd worked five innings, limiting the Gators to four runs on seven hits with three walks and no strikeouts.
Byrd was relieved in the sixth inning by freshman right-hander T.J. Forrest, who delivered one of his best outings of the season. Forrest worked the final four innings to earn his first career save, allowing no runs on two hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
Vanderbilt leads the SEC in team batting average (.329), and the Commodores are No. 3 in the league in team ERA (3.67).
Outfielder Dominic de la Osa leads Vanderbilt at the plate, batting .383 (74-for-193) with 19 doubles, two triples, 15 homers and 50 RBI. Sophomore infielder Pedro Alvarez is batting .381 (83-for-218) with 17 doubles, three triples, 15 homers and 55 RBI, and sophomore infielder Ryan Flaherty is hitting .355 (75-for-211) with 17 doubles, three triples, three homers and 42 RBI.
LSU leads the all-time series with Vanderbilt, 47-27, as the teams first met in 1954.
The Tigers have won 11 of the 20 meetings between the schools this decade, though Vanderbilt recorded a 2-1 SEC series victory over LSU last season in Baton Rouge.
Vanderbilt has won three of the past five series between the clubs, capturing eight of the 15 games in that span. The Commodores claimed two of three games from LSU in 2002, 2003 and 2006. The Tigers posted 2-1 series victories over Vanderbilt in 2004 and 2005.
SERIES FACTS
LSU Fighting Tigers (29-23-1, 12-14-1 SEC) at # 1 Vanderbilt Commodores (43-10, 19-8 SEC)
DATES/TIMES
Thursday, May 17 ? 7 p.m. CDT; Friday, May 18 ? 7 p.m. CDT; Saturday, May 19 ? 12 p.m. CDT
STADIUM
Hawkins Field in Nashville, Tenn.
RANKINGS
Vanderbilt is ranked No. 1 by Collegiate Baseball, No. 1 by USA Today/ESPN and No. 1 by Baseball America
RADIO
All three games on LSU Sports Radio Network affiliates (WDGL 98.1 FM in Baton Rouge)
INTERNET
Audio broadcasts of all three games in the Geaux Zone at www.LSUsports.net; live stats available at www.LSUsports.net. Live video from Thursday’s game is also available on vucommodores.cstv.com.
TV
The games on Friday and Saturday will be televised regionally by the Jumbo Sports Network. The Baton Rouge affiliates are Cable Ch. 13 on Friday and Cable Ch. 10 (WBRL) on Saturday.
SERIES RECORD
LSU leads, 47-27 (first meeting in 1954)
PITCHING MATCHUPS
Game 1
LSU ? Jr. LHP Charlie Furbush (3-8, 5.27 ERA, 80.1 IP, 35 BB, 82 SO)
VU ? Jr. LHP David Price (9-0, 2.91 ERA, 105.1 IP, 26 BB, 149 SO)
Game 2
LSU ? So. LHP Ryan Byrd (6-1, 4.57 ERA, 63.0 IP, 19 BB, 33 SO)
VU ? Fr. LHP Mike Minor (7-1, 3.24 ERA, 66.2 IP, 15 BB, 66 SO)
Game 3
LSU ? TBA
VU ? Jr. LHP Cody Crowell (2-1, 4.60 ERA, 47.0 IP, 14 BB, 44 SO)
The Jumbo Sports Network will produce and syndicate the LSU @ Vanderbilt baseball games on5/18 &5/19.
New Orleans
5/18 – COX CABLE CH. 10 (LIVE)
5/19 ? WNOL CW (LIVE)
Baton Rouge
5/18 – KZUP Z19 Cable Ch. 13 (LIVE)
5/19 ? WBRL Cable Ch. 10 (LIVE)
Lafayette
5/18 – KLAF MY (Same day tape delayed 9 PM )
5/19 ? KLAF MY (LIVE)
Alexandria
5/18 – KWCE CW (LIVE)
5/19 ? WNTZ FOX (LIVE)
Shreveport
5/18 – CSS (Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast)
5/19 ? KPXJ MY & CSS (Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast)
Monroe
5/18 – CSS (Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast)
5/19 ? KAQY ABC
Southeastern US CSS (Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast) ? www.css-sports.com
CSS will air the LSU vs. Vandy games LIVE. (Find CSS cable channel in your area by going online and scroll to bottom of home page)