BATON ROUGE — LSU plays its first series in the New Alex Box Stadium this weekend as the Tigers face the Villanova Wildcats in the sparkling 9,200-seat facility.
Game 1 of the series begins at 7 p.m. CT Friday, Game 2 starts at 2 p.m. CT Saturday, and first pitch for Game 3 is Noon CT Sunday.
Special ceremonies commemorating the opening of the new stadium begin at 6:15 p.m. Friday.
The games will be carried by the affiliates of the LSU Sports Radio Network. The Baton Rouge affiliate is WDGL 98.1 FM.
Opening Night Info and Timeline
Fan Information
8 ? 11:30 a.m.
LSU Ticket Office in Athletic Administration Building open for Will Call pickup (NOTE: Friday sold out)
Noon
Reserved parking lots open at the new Alex Box Stadium
Noon
Alex Box Stadium Ticket Office open for Will Call pickup (NOTE: Friday sold out)
4 p.m.
LSU Student Ticket distribution begins
4:30 p.m.
Gates of Alex Box Stadium open
6:15 p.m.
Opening ceremonies begin
6:30 p.m.
Capital One Pregame Radio Show
Watch Live | Listen Live
7 p.m.
LSU vs. Villanova | Live Stats
Live video and audio of the games may be accessed in the Geaux Zone at www.LSUsports.net (Join Now) starting with a special edition of the Capital One Pregame Show at 6:30 p.m.
Friday’s game will be televised by Cox Sports Television (Cable Ch. 37 in Baton Rouge).
The Tigers open the 2009 season ranked No. 1 by Collegiate Baseball and No. 1 by USA Today/ESPN. The Tigers are No. 2 in the Baseball America magazine poll.
The Tigers were ranked as high as No. 2 last season, when they posted an SEC-record 23-game win streak and advanced to the 2008 College World Series. LSU finished No. 6 in the final national polls after posting a 49-19-1 record (18-11-1 in the SEC). The Tigers captured four titles in ?08, winning the SEC Western Division, the SEC Tournament, the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional and the NCAA Baton Rouge Super Regional.
LSU returns 24 players that made significant contributions last season, including eight starters in the batting order. Sophomore catcher Micah Gibbs, junior second baseman Ryan Schimpf, sophomore shortstop DJ LeMahieu, junior outfielder Blake Dean, junior catcher/first baseman Sean Ochinko, senior infielder Derek Helenihi, junior outfielder Jared Mitchell and sophomore outfielder Leon Landry all played instrumental roles in the leading the Tigers to Omaha in 2008.
LSU coach Paul Mainieri, entering his third season at the helm of the program, said he is looking forward to the opening of the new stadium with a highly-ranked team.
“Obviously, the understatement is that we’re extremely excited about what we’re going to have here Friday night and beyond,” Mainieri said. “The stadium looks absolutely gorgeous. There are a few things left to do on the stadium, but it’s not going to affect the ball game or the competition at all. It’s not going to affect the enjoyment that the fans are going to have. It’s going to be a wonderful facility. I think it’s going to be a crown jewel in college baseball.
“The only thing that remains is for us to put a ball club out there on the field that’s worthy of us using such a beautiful facility. I’m pretty excited about what we have going for us. It’s been pretty well chronicled that we have a very experienced team coming back.”
Mainieri said senior right-hander Louis Coleman (8-1, 1.95 ERA in 2008) will start Friday’s game on the mound for LSU. Sophomore right-hander Anthony Ranaudo (1-0, 0.00 ERA in 2008) will be the Tigers’ starter on Saturday, and sophomore right-hander Austin Ross (3-1, 2.58 ERA in 2008) is LSU’s Game 3 starter on Sunday.
This weekend’s series will mark the first time in the tenure of eighth-year Villanova head coach Joe Godri that the Wildcats will face the nation’s No. 1 team. Villanova, a member of the Big East Conference, is no stranger to playing against top competition though, as Godri has led his teams into a series against a highly-ranked opponent in each of his first seven seasons leading the program. Since 2002, the Wildcats have played against the likes of Tulane, UNLV, Georgia Tech, Florida, Texas, Alabama and Michigan.
The Wildcats will start sophomore right-hander Chris Pack (4-3, 5.17 ERA in 2008) on the mound Friday, followed by junior right-hander Brian Streilein (6-4, 5.26 ERA in 2008) on Saturday and freshman left-hander Kyle Helsiek (high school in 2008) on Sunday.
Villanova posted a 30-28 overall mark in 2008, and the Wildcats were 12-15 in Big East play. Among Villanova’s top returning players are outfielder Joe Cotter (.300, 5 HR, 29 RBI in 2008) and catcher Wesley Borden (.270, 5 HR, 22 RBI in 2008).
Friday’s game marks the first meeting between LSU and Villanova. Mainieri posted a 25-5-1 record against Villanova during his 12-season tenure as Notre Dame’s head coach (1995-2006).
Villanova Wildcats (0-0) at LSU Fighting Tigers (0-0)
DATES/TIMES
Friday, February 20 ? 7 p.m. CT; Saturday, February 21 ? 2 p.m. CT; Sunday, February 22 ? Noon CT
STADIUM
Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, La. (9,200)
RANKINGS
LSU – No. 1 by Collegiate Baseball and USA Today/ESPN; No. 2 by Baseball America
Villanova – unranked
RADIO
LSU Sports Radio Network affiliates
The Baton Rouge affiliate is WDGL 98.1 FM
Pregame show starts at 6:30 p.m.
INTERNET
www.LSUsports.net ? live video, audio and stats | Join the Geaux Zone for Live Video and Audio
TV
Friday ? Cox Sports Television (Cable Ch. 37 in Baton Rouge)
(Cox will go on the air at 6:30 p.m.)
Saturday ? none
Sunday ? none
PROMOTIONS
FRIDAY
– ceremonies commemorating the opening of the New Alex Box Stadium begin at 6:15 p.m.
– commemorative pennants will be distributed to the first 5000 fans entering the gates
SATURDAY
– Mardi Gras beads distributed to first 2500 fans entering the gates
– sky divers will land on the field prior to the game
SUNDAY
– kids 12 and under can run the bases following the game
– LSU schedule posters will be distributed to fans as they exit the stadium
SERIES RECORD
First meeting between the schools
PITCHING MATCHUPS
Game 1
LSU ? Sr. RHP Louis Coleman (2008 stats: 8-1, 1.95 ERA, 55.1 IP, 10 BB, 62 SO)
VU ? So. RHP Chris Pack (2008 stats: 4-3, 5.17 ERA, 25 BB, 38 SO)
Game 2
LSU ? So. RHP Anthony Ranaudo (2008 stats: 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 12 IP, 6 BB, 13 SO
VU ? Jr. RHP Brian Streilein (2008 stats: 6-4, 5.26 ERA, 25 BB, 56 SO)
Game 3
LSU ? So. RHP Austin Ross (2008 stats: 3-1, 2.58 ERA, 52.1 IP, 9 BB, 37 SO)
VU ? Fr. LH Kyle Helsiek (high school in 2008)