LSU Gold

Baseball Opens Three-Game Series Against Georgia

by LSUsports.net (@LSUsports)
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Baseball Opens Three-Game Series Against Georgia

BATON ROUGE — LSU (23-14, 6-9 SEC) resumes Southeastern Conference action at 7 p.m. CT Friday when the Tigers play host to Georgia (25-12, 12-3) in Alex Box Stadium.

Game 2 starts at 3 p.m. CT Saturday, and first pitch for Game 3 is Noon CT Sunday.

The games will be carried by the affiliates of the LSU Sports Radio Network. The Baton Rouge affiliate is WDGL 98.1 FM.

Live video and audio of the games may also be accessed in the Geaux Zone at www.LSUsports.net. Streaming video will not be available for Saturday’s game due to the Southeastern Conference TV contract with Fox Sports Net.

Sunday’s game will be televised by the Jumbo Sports Network, and it can be seen in Baton Rouge on Cox Cable Ch. 16.

LSU has split a pair of non-conference games this week, as the Tigers defeated Nicholls State 11-2 on Tuesday before dropping a 6-5 decision at New Orleans on Wednesday.

LSU is tied for second place in the SEC West with Auburn and Alabama, three games behind first-place Ole Miss. Georgia, which has won eight straight league games, is in first place in both the SEC East and in the overall conference standings.

“This is obviously a very big series for us here in Baton Rouge, “said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “We’ve played three of our first five SEC series on the road, and now we’ll play two in a row at home. This is the crossroads of our season in the SEC — we need to go out there and play well and match up with an outstanding Georgia ball club.

“When I look at Georgia, I see a team that is strong in every aspect of the game. We know we have a tremendous challenge in front of us, but our kids will be ready to play and it should be an exciting weekend.”

Mainieri said junior left-hander Blake Martin (1-2, 4.91 ERA) will start Friday’s game on the mound for LSU. Junior right-hander Jordan Brown (3-0, 4.28 ERA) will be the Tigers’ starter on Saturday, and Mainieri will announce his Sunday starter as the series progresses.

Georgia coach David Perno will counter this weekend with junior right-hander Trevor Holder (4-2, 2.06 ERA) on Friday, junior right-hander Stephen Dodson (5-1, 3.97 ERA) on Saturday and junior left-hander Nathan Moreau (1-1, 4.03 ERA) on Sunday.

LSU junior rightfielder Derek Helenihi leads the Tigers with a .359 (42-for-117) batting average, and he has collected nine doubles, three triples, one homer and 20 RBI. Freshman shortstop DJ LeMahieu is hitting .331 (43-for-130) with three doubles, four homers and 24 RBI.

Junior first baseman Matt Clark is batting .317 (39-for-123), and he leads the Tigers in home runs (13). Clark is tied with leftfielder Blake Dean in the team lead for RBI with 29.

Georgia is led at the plate by junior shortstop Gordon Beckham, who is hitting .430 (64-for-149) with 12 doubles, one triple, 43 RBI and an SEC-best 17 home runs. Sophomore first baseman Rich Poythress is batting .394 (54-for-137) with 10 doubles, nine homers and 37 RBI.

Georgia is hitting .297 as a team with 49 homers, the third-highest HR total in the SEC. The Bulldogs’ pitching staff has a 3.65 ERA ? third-best in the SEC — and has recorded 291 strikeouts and 128 walks in 330 innings.

The series this weekend marks the first meeting between LSU and Georgia since 2005, when the Tigers swept three games from the Bulldogs in Athens.

LSU, which leads the overall series, 51-15-1, has won four straight SEC series over Georgia. The Bulldogs’ last series victory over the Tigers came in 2001, when UGA won two of three games in Athens.

Georgia Bulldogs (25-12, 12-3) at LSU Fighting Tigers (23-14, 6-9)

DATES/TIMES 
Friday, April 18 ? 7 p. m. CT; Saturday, April 19 ? 3 p.m. CT; Sunday, April 20 ? Noon CT

STADIUM
Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, La. (7,760)

RANKINGS
Georgia is ranked No. 7 by Collegiate Baseball and No. 13 by Baseball America and USA Today/ESPN

RADIO
LSU Sports Radio Network affiliates
The Baton Rouge affiliate is WDGL 98.1 FM

INTERNET
www.LSUsports.net ? live video, audio and stats (no live video for Saturday’s game due to the SEC’s television contract with FSN)

TV
Sunday’s game will be televised regionally by the Jumbo Sports Network (Cable Ch. 16 in Baton Rouge)

PROMOTIONS

FRIDAY
First 1500 Fans Will receive Set 1 of LSU Trading Cards (Set 2 to be given out next Friday)
The 1975 LSU SEC Championship team will be signing autographs behind the Tiger Terrace from 6pm – 7pm and taking part in the Alex Box Stadium Countdown
Final Season Prize Bonanza: Enter to win great raffle prizes with the purchase of a hot dog/big gulp combo at any concession stand. Friday’s Prize: Louisiana Lottery scratch tickets

SATURDAY
First 250 fans will receive a ticket for free jambalaya from any concession stand
Former LSU All-American Scott Schultz will be signing autographs behind the Tiger Terrace from 2pm – 3pm and taking part in the Alex Box Stadium Countdown
Final Season Prize Bonanza: Enter to win great raffle prizes with the purchase of a hot dog/big gulp combo at any concession stand. Saturday’s Prize: $200 gift certificate from Adler’s
 
SUNDAY
Mel Didier will be signing autographs behind the Tiger Terrace from 11am to 12pm. Additionally, he will be selling and signing his new book “Podnuh Let Me Tell You a Story: A Baseball Life.” Didier will also be taking part in the Alex Box Stadium Countdown.
Kids (ages 12 and under) have the opportunity to run the bases after the game as part of Super Chevy Sunday Kids Day

Final Season Prize Bonanza: Enter to win great raffle prizes with the purchase of a hot dog/big gulp combo at any concession stand. Sunday’s Prize: LSU Baseball National Championship Cover Page Posters from The Advocate. 

SERIES RECORD
LSU leads, 51-15-1 (the teams first met in 1975)

PITCHING MATCHUPS

Game 1
LSU ? Jr. LHP Blake Martin (1-2, 4.91 ERA, 44.0 IP, 16 BB, 47 SO)
UGA ?  Jr. RHP Trevor Holder (4-2, 2.06 ERA, 48.0 IP, 14 BB, 37 SO)

Game 2
LSU ? Jr. RHP Jordan Brown (3-0, 4.28 ERA, 40.0 IP, 17 BB, 37 SO)
UGA ? Jr. RHP Stephen Dodson (1-1, 4.03 ERA, 38.0 IP, 18 BB, 33 SO)

Game 3
LSU ? TBA
UGA ? Jr. LHP Nathan Moreau (1-1, 4.03 ERA, 38.0 IP, 18 BB, 33 SO)