BATON ROUGE — Second-ranked LSU opens its 2010 season this weekend as the Tigers play host to Centenary in a three-game series in Alex Box Stadium.
The series begins at 7 p.m. Friday, with Game 2 set for 5 p.m. Saturday and Game 3 starting at 1 p.m. 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, audio and stats of all three games may be accessed in the Geaux Zone.
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None of the three games this weekend will be televised.
Alex Box Stadium has an increased capacity this season, rising from 9,200 to 10,150 with the addition of 950 seats in right field. LSU has led the nation in college baseball attendance for 14 straight seasons (1996-2009).
“I’m anxious to get out there on the field and see our guys perform,” said fourth-year coach Paul Mainieri, who directed LSU to the 2009 College World Series title. “We’re thrilled about the opening of the 2010 season. I can tell you that we are approaching this year just like we have approached every year. I feel that every season is an entity into its own. One of my favorite things I say to my players is that the new season does not begin at the point that the last season ended. Every year is a new year, and guys that performed last year need to continue to perform.”
Mainieri will be seeking his 1,000th career coaching victory this weekend. He begins the 2010 campaign with a 27-season career coaching mark of 998-554-7 (.643).
LSU welcomes back 15 players that made significant contributions to the 2009 national championship drive, including seven position players with starting experience and eight pitchers that recorded innings last season.
Senior all-America first baseman Blake Dean leads a core of veterans that includes junior outfielder Leon Landry, junior catcher Micah Gibbs, sophomore outfielder Mikie Mahtook, sophomore infielder Tyler Hanover, sophomore shortstop Austin Nola and sophomore infielder/catcher Grant Dozar.
Dean, a native of Crestview, Fla., moves to first base this season after playing as an outfielder/DH during his first three years at LSU. He earned first-team All-SEC honors in 2009, batting .328 (85-for-259) with 18 doubles, 17 homers and 71 RBI.
Two players that had part-time starting roles during the 2008 season – senior DH/outfielder Matt Gaudet and sophomore outfielder Johnny Dishon. – are back on the Tigers’ active roster in 2010.
The pitching staff is led by junior all-America right-hander Anthony Ranaudo, who finished third in the nation last season with 159 strikeouts and was the winning pitcher in the deciding game of the CWS Finals.
Also returning is sophomore right-hander Matty Ott, the 2009 SEC Co-Freshman of the Year who established the LSU single-season record for saves last season with 16.
Ranaudo and Ott are joined by a talented group of hurlers that includes senior right-hander Paul Bertuccini, junior right-handers Austin Ross, Daniel Bradshaw and Ben Alsup, sophomore left-hander Chris Matulis and sophomore right-hander Shane Riedie.
The LSU veterans are complemented by a talented class of 13 newcomers, including four players that have been selected in the Major League Draft.
Mainieri said Ranaudo will start Friday’s game on the mound for LSU. Ross will start for the Tigers on Saturday, and sophomore right-hander Joey Bourgeois, a transfer from LSU-Eunice, will be Sunday’s starting pitcher.
Centenary coach Ed McCann will counter with junior right-hander Boone Whiting on Friday, junior right-hander Justin Kraft on Saturday and junior southpaw Stephen Tromblee on Sunday.
The Gents posted a 33-19 mark last season, including a 16-10 Summit League record.
LSU leads the all-time series with Centenary, 30-8-1, and the Tigers defeated the Gents, 12-4, last season in Alex Box Stadium.
Centenary Gents (0-0) at # 2 LSU Fighting Tigers (0-0)
DATES/TIMES
Friday, February 19 – 7 p.m. CT; Saturday, February 20 – 5 p.m. CT; Sunday, February 21 – 1 p.m. CT
STADIUM
Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, La. (10,150)
RANKINGS
LSU – No. 2 by Collegiate Baseball; No. 2 by USA Today/ESPN; No. 3 by Baseball America
Centenary – unranked
RADIO
LSU Sports Radio Network affiliates
The Baton Rouge affiliate is WDGL 98.1 FM
INTERNET
www.LSUsports.net – live video, audio and stats for all three games
TV
None
SERIES RECORD
LSU leads the series, 30-8-1
Last Meeting: May 12, 2009 at Alex Box Stadium (LSU 12, Centenary 4)
PITCHING MATCHUPS
Game 1
LSU – Jr. RHP Anthony Ranaudo (12-3, 3.04 ERA, 124.1 IP, 50 BB, 159 SO in 2009)
CC – Jr. RHP Boone Whiting (6-2, 4.16 ERA, 80 IP, 23 BB, 86 SO in 2009)
Game 2
LSU – Jr. RHP Austin Ross (6-8, 5.18 ERA, 83.1 IP, 22 BB, 76 SO in 2009)
CC – Jr. RHP Justin Kraft (6-4, 4.08 ERA, 81.2 IP, 24 BB, 77 SO in 2009)
Game 3
LSU – So. RHP Joey Bourgeois (transfer from LSU-Eunice)
CC – Jr. LHP Stephen Tromblee (5-3, 4.46 ERA, 68.2 IP, 35 BB, 58 SO in 2009)