BATON ROUGE – Fourth-ranked LSU (16-3) plays host to Louisiana-Lafayette (11-9) at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in Alex Box Stadium.
The game 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 may be accessed in the Geaux Zone at www.LSUsports.net.
LSU is ranked No. 4 this week in the Collegiate Baseball, NCBWA and USA Today/ESPN polls, and No. 7 in the Baseball America poll released Monday. The Tigers have appeared in the Top 10 of at least one college baseball poll for 29 consecutive weeks, a streak that began on May 19, 2008.
LSU opened defense of its ’09 Southeastern Conference title last weekend by winning two of three games over 13th-ranked Arkansas in Alex Box Stadium. LSU has now won 14 of its last 15 SEC regular-season series, dating back to April 2008.
“We earned a tough, hard-fought series win against Arkansas that was very important for our team,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “Now we need to build on the momentum we established by winning that series. UL-Lafayette has been one of the top programs in our state for many years, and we know they’ll be at their best when they face us.”
Mainieri said that freshman right-hander Michael Reed (0-0, 7.50 ERA) will start Wednesday’s game against the Cajuns. ULL coach Tony Robichaux will counter with junior right-hander Michael Cook (1-1, 2.84 ERA).
LSU sophomore second baseman Tyler Hanover batted .500 (7-for-14) in LSU’s four games last week with one double, one triple, five runs and two RBI. Hanover was 5-for-10 in the Arkansas series with one double, one triple, one RBI and three runs.
Senior OF/DH Matt Gaudet hit .385 (5-for-13) last week with two homers, seven RBI and three runs. Gaudet launched one homer, collected four RBI and scored two runs in the Tigers’ series victory Arkansas. Gaudet leads LSU with seven homers this season, and he is second on the club with 23 RBI.
Sophomore right-hander Matty Ott earned his seventh save of the season Saturday versus Arkansas, increasing his career total to 23. Ott is in second place on the all-time LSU saves list, trailing only Rick Greene, who had 29 saves for the Tigers from 1990-92. Ott worked two innings to earn the save on Saturday, allowing two runs on two hits with three walks and four strikeouts. Eight of the last 10 outs Ott has recorded have come via strikeouts.
LSU freshman left-hander Jordan Rittiner earned a save in his second career SEC appearance, firing three shutout innings versus Arkansas on Sunday. Rittiner threw 34 pitches and allowed just two hits with no walks and two strikeouts.
Junior outfielder Matt Goulas is hitting .351 on the year for the Cajuns with six doubles, four triples and 12 RBI, while junior infielder Jordan Poirrier is batting .338 with three doubles, two triples, five homers and 19 RBI.
UL-Lafayette is batting .301 as a team this season with 11 homers and 48 steals in 58 attempts.
LSU leads the all-time series with ULL, 45-22, and the teams split a pair of games last season. The Cajuns posted a 10-9 victory over the Tigers in Alex Box Stadium before LSU recorded a 10-6 victory over ULL at Zephyr Field in Metairie, La. in the annual Wally Pontiff Jr. Foundation Classic.
LSU has won six of the nine meetings between the schools since 2000.
Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (11-9) at # 4 LSU Fighting Tigers (16-3)
DATES/TIMES
Wednesday, March 24 – 6:30 p.m. CT
STADIUM
Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, La. (10,150)
RANKINGS
LSU – No. 4 by Collegiate Baseball; No. 4 by USA Today/ESPN; No. 4 by NCBWA; No. 7 by Baseball America
ULL – unranked
RADIO
LSU Sports Radio Network affiliates/Baton Rouge affiliate is WDGL 98.1 FM
INTERNET
www.LSUsports.net – live video, audio and stats
TV
No TV
SERIES RECORD
LSU leads, 45-22
LSU has won six of the nine meetings since 2000, and the teams split a pair of games last season — the Cajuns posted a 10-9 victory in Alex Box Stadium before the Tigers defeated ULL, 10-6, at Zephyr Field in Metairie, La. in the annual Wally Pontiff Jr. Foundation Classic.
PITCHING MATCHUP
LSU – Fr. RHP Michael Reed (0-0, 7.50 ERA, 12.0 IP, 8 BB, 8 SO)
ULL – Jr. RHP Michael Cook (1-1, 2.84 ERA, 12.2 IP, 5 BB, 15 SO)