BATON ROUGE – No. 13 LSU (3-0) continues its season-opening homestand at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday when the Tigers play host to New Orleans in Alex Box Stadium.
Live video, audio and stats of all three games may be accessed in the Geaux Zone at www.LSUsports.net/HDbaseball. The game can be heard on the affiliates of the LSU Sports Radio Network.
LSU is ranked No. 13 in the Collegiate Baseball poll released Monday, up from No. 15 last week. The Tigers opened the 2011 season last weekend with a three-game series sweep of Wake Forest.
LSU coach Paul Mainieri said junior right-hander Tyler Jones will start Tuesday’s game on the mound for the Tigers. Jones, a transfer from Madison (Wisc.) College, will make his NCAA Division I debut against UNO.
The Privateers opened their season by dropping two of three games versus Southern University. UNO coach Bruce Peddie is scheduled to send right-hander Garrett Manning (0-0) to the mound on Tuesday.
UNO defeated LSU, 7-4, last season in Alex Box Stadium.
“We had a very good opening weekend, but it’s still very early in the season,” Mainieri said. “We must continue to work hard and improve with every game. We’ve had some great games with UNO over the years, and I know they’ll be ready to play their best against us.”
Fourteen players made their debuts in LSU uniforms over the weekend in the three games against Wake Forest. Junior centerfielder Mikie Mahtook led LSU in the series, as he batted .444 (4-for-9) in three games with four homers, six runs and six RBI. Mahtook launched two homers in Friday’s win over the Demon Deacons, marking his third career two-HR game.
Freshman right-hander Kurt McCune was named SEC Pitcher of the Week Monday after he turned in a remarkable collegiate debut on Sunday against Wake Forest. McCune fired a no-hitter for 5.1 innings before allowing an infield single. He worked six shutout innings for the victory, allowing just one hit with two walks and seven strikeouts.
Freshman second baseman JaCoby Jones was brilliant at the plate in his collegiate debut, batting .500 (5-for-10) in the three-game sweep of the Demon Deacons. Jones launched a solo homer Saturday in the seventh inning of Game 2 that broke a 2-2 tie and allowed the Tigers to go on to a 4-3 victory. He also collected three RBI, scored three times and recorded a stolen base in the series.
Junior third baseman Tyler Hanover hit a blistering .667 (6-for-9) over the weekend with two doubles, one RBI and four runs. Sophomore DH/outfielder Raph Rhymes, a transfer from LSU-Eunice, enjoyed a successful Division I debut, batting .417 (5-for-12) with one double, three RBI and two runs.
Sophomore rightfielder Mason Katz was 4-for-11 at the plate with three doubles, one homer, six RBI and four runs. Katz’ three-run homer on Sunday was the first dinger of his LSU career.
Junior right-hander Matty Ott earned the 28th save of his career on Saturday and is now just one save shy of tying the LSU career record (29 saves by Rick Greene, 1990-92). Ott entered the game in the ninth with no outs and the tying run on base; he recorded two strikeouts and a groundout to preserve the 4-3 victory.
Freshman right-hander Ryan Eades was the winning pitcher on Saturday, as he fired 2.1 relief innings, allowing one run on three hits with one walk and three strikeouts. Senior right-hander Ben Alsup earned the win in Friday’s Game 1, limiting Wake Forest to one unearned run on five hits in five innings with two walks and four strikeouts.
Game 1 on Friday night was played before 10,055 fans, the largest crowd in Alex Box Stadium history. The paid attendance of 12,070 was the second-largest paid attendance figure in school history.
New Orleans Privateers (1-2) at #13 LSU Fighting Tigers (3-0)
GAME DATE/TIME
Tuesday, February 22 – 6:30 p.m.
STADIUM
Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, La. (10,150)
RANKINGS
LSU – No. 13 by Collegiate Baseball; No. 14 by NCBWA; No. 20 by Baseball America
UNO – unranked
RADIO
LSU Sports Radio Network affiliates/flagship station is WDGL 98.1 FM in Baton Rouge
INTERNET
www.LSUsports.net – live audio, video and stats
TV
None
PITCHING MATCHUP
LSU – Jr. RHP Tyler Jones (first NCAA Division I appearance)
UNO – So. RHP Garrett Manning (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 IP, 0 BB, 1 SO in 2011)