BATON ROUGE — Top-ranked LSU (4-0) looks to extend its season-opening win streak as the Tigers play host to William & Mary (3-0) in a three-game series in Alex Box Stadium.
The series begins at 7 p.m. Friday, with Game 2 set for 2 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 at www.LSUsports.net.
None of the three games this weekend will be televised.
LSU has won the first four games of its season-opening homestand, including a 2-1 victory over McNeese State on Wednesday. William & Mary opened its season last weekend with a three-game sweep of Maryland-Eastern Shore.
This weekend’s series marks the first meeting between LSU of the Southeastern Conference and William & Mary of the Colonial Athletic Association.
“I always look forward to playing teams we’ve never faced before, and William & Mary is a very good program,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “They’ve beaten ACC teams on several occasions, and I’m told by coaches from the East Coast that they always have an excellent team. They were a little young last season with a lot of freshmen, but those young players have matured and are very talented.”
Mainieri said that junior right-hander Anthony Ranaudo will miss Friday’s scheduled start versus William & Mary due to discomfort in his throwing elbow. Mainieri said Ranaudo’s ailment is classified as a stress reaction that does not involve ligament damage, and it does not appear to be a long-term condition.
“He may just miss this start, or it may be another two or three weeks,” Mainieri said. “We don’t think it’s a serious problem, but we don’t want to put Anthony on the mound until he feels 100 percent. He is one of the top pitchers in the country, and I’m certainly not going to do anything to jeopardize his career.”
Junior right-hander Austin Ross (1-0) will start Friday’s game on the mound for LSU against William & Mary. Sophomore right-hander Joey Bourgeois (1-0) will start Game 2 of the series on Saturday, and the pitcher for Sunday’s series finale will be determined as the weekend unfolds.
Both Ross and Bourgeois turned in excellent outings in the Tigers’ season-opening sweep of Centenary last weekend. Ross worked five shutout innings on Saturday, limiting the Gents three hits with no walks and five strikeouts.
Bourgeois fired six shutout frames on Sunday, allowing four hits with no walks and seven strikeouts.
William & Mary coach Frank Leoni will counter with junior right-hander Logan Billbrough (1-0) on Friday, freshman left-hander Matt Wainman (0-0) on Saturday and freshman right-hander Brett Goodloe (1-0) on Sunday.
LSU senior designated hitter Matt Gaudet leads the Tigers at the plate, batting a sizzling .571 (8-for-14) with one double, two homers and six RBI. Gaudet was named the Louisiana Sportswriters Association Hitter of the Week on Wednesday after leading LSU to the sweep of Centenary.
LSU all-America first baseman Blake Dean is batting .500 (8-for-16) on the year with two doubles, one homer and nine RBI. Junior catcher Micah Gibbs has homered in each of the Tigers’ last two games, including the game-winning solo blast in the eighth inning Wednesday versus McNeese State
William & Mary scored 40 runs last weekend in its three-game sweep of Maryland-Eastern Shore. The Tribe offense is led by sophomore infielder Tadd Bower, who is batting .583 (7-for-12) with two doubles, one triple, one homer and eight RBI. Junior infielder Derrick Osteen is batting .571 (4-for-7) with two doubles, four RBI, seven walks and eight runs scored.
William & Mary Tribe (3-0) at # 1 LSU Fighting Tigers (4-0)
DATES/TIMES
Friday, February 26 – 7 p.m. CT; Saturday, February 27 – 2 p.m. CT; Sunday, February 28 – 1 p.m. CT
STADIUM
Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, La. (10,150)
RANKINGS
LSU – No. 1 by Collegiate Baseball; No. 1 by NCBWA; No. 2 by Baseball America
William & Mary – 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
First Meeting
PITCHING MATCHUPS
Game 1
LSU – Jr. RHP Austin Ross (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 5.0 IP, 0 BB, 5 SO)
W&M – Jr. RHP Logan Billbrough (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 6.0 IP, 1 BB, 8 SO)
Game 2
LSU – So. RHP Joey Bourgeois (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 6.0 IP, 0 BB, 7 SO)
W&M – Fr. LHP Matt Wainman (0-0, 13.50 ERA, 3.1 IP, 0 BB, 5 SO)
Game 3
LSU – TBA
W&M – Fr. RHP Brett Goodloe (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 6.0 IP, 5 BB, 6 SO)