BATON ROUGE – No. 5 LSU (16-1, 0-0) opens Southeastern Conference action at 6 p.m. Friday when the Tigers open a three-game series against top-ranked Florida (15-2, 0-0) in Alex Box Stadium.
First pitch for Game 2 of the series is set for 6:30 p.m. Saturday, and Game 3 will start at 12 p.m. Sunday.
Live audio and stats of Friday’s game may be accessed in the Geaux Zone at www.LSUsports.net/live. Friday’s game may be viewed at www.ESPN3.com.
Live video, audio and stats for Saturday’s and Sunday’s game will be accessible in the Geaux Zone’s HD GameCenter at www.LSUsports.net/HDbaseball. All three games can be heard on the affiliates of the LSU Sports Radio Network.
All three games will also be televised – Friday’s game can be seen on Cox Sports Television and Comcast Sports Southeast; Saturday’s game will be carried by Fox Sports Houston and Fox Sports Florida; and Sunday’s game can be seen on Cox Sports Television.
“We’re excited about what should be a tremendous environment for college baseball,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “Florida is certainly one of the best teams in the country with an outstanding pitching staff and a very imposing lineup. It’s no surprise that they’re the No. 1 team in nation – they are an extremely balanced, well-coached club.
“I’m very proud of the way we’ve played so far this season, and I think we’re ready for a great challenge this weekend.”
LSU posted a three-game sweep of Cal State Fullerton last weekend in Alex Box Stadium in a series that drew an actual attendance figure of 27,194 (an average of 9,065 per game), establishing a stadium record for a three-game set.
This weekend’s series marks the third time Mainieri has coached the Tigers against a top-ranked team in his five seasons at LSU. Top-ranked Vanderbilt swept the Tigers in Nashville in 2007 – Mainieri’s first season at LSU – and the Tigers won two of three games at No. 1 Georgia in 2009.
The series also marks the first time two Top 10 teams have met in Alex Box Stadium for a regular-season matchup since May 2009 when No. 3 LSU faced No. 9 Florida, and the Tigers claimed two of three games.
Mainieri said that freshman right-hander Kurt McCune will start on the mound Friday for the Tigers. Florida coach Kevin O’Sullivan, who led the Gators to the 2010 SEC title and a berth in the College World Series, will counter with sophomore left-hander Brian Johnson (4-0).
LSU enters Friday’s game batting .325 as a team (No. 2 in the SEC) with 39 doubles, five triples, 14 homers and 35 steals on the year. The Tigers are led at the plate by freshman second baseman JaCoby Jones, who is hitting .439 (25-for-57) on the year with three homers and 16 RBI. Sophomore DH Raph Rhymes is batting .382 (26-for-68) with eight doubles, one homer and 19 RBI while junior centerfielder Mikie Mahtook has an SEC-best six homers to go along with five doubles, one triple and a team-best 21 RBI.
LSU already has 23 sacrifice bunts this season, three more than the 20 the Tigers recorded during the entire 2010 season.
Florida is hitting .315 on the year (No. 3 in the SEC) with 42 doubles, six triples, 10 home runs and 20 stolen bases. The Gators are paced offensively by junior outfielder Daniel Pigott, who is batting .483 (28-for-58) with 10 doubles, one homer and 18 RBI. Junior infielder Preston Tucker is hitting .371 (26-for-70) with four homers and 17 RBI, while sophomore shortstop Nolan Fontana is batting .322 (19-for-59) with three doubles, two triples and five RBI.
LSU leads the all-time series with Florida, 51-35-1, though the Gators won three of the four meetings between the teams last season. Florida swept the 2010 regular-season series in Gainesville before LSU posted a 10-6 win over the Gators in the first round of the SEC Tournament. LSU has an 8-3-1 advantage over the Gators in games played in Baton Rouge over the past 10 seasons.
#1 Florida Gators (15-2, 0-0) at #5 LSU Fighting Tigers (16-1, 0-0)
GAME DATES/TIMES
Friday, March 18 – 6 p.m.; Saturday, March 19 – 6:30 p.m.; Sunday, March 20 – 12 p.m.
STADIUM
Alex Box Stadium (10,150)
RANKINGS
LSU – No. 5 by Collegiate Baseball; No. 7 by ESPN/USA Today; No. 8 by Baseball America
Florida – No. 1 by Collegiate Baseball; No. 1 by ESPN/USA Today; No. 1 by Baseball America
RADIO
LSU Sports Radio Network affiliates/flagship station is WDGL 98.1 FM in Baton Rouge
INTERNET
www.LSUsports.net – live audio and stats on Friday; live video, audio and stats on Saturday and Sunday
www.ESPN3.com – live video on Friday
TV
Friday – Cox Sports Television and Comcast Sports Southeast
Saturday – Fox Sports Houston and Fox Sports Florida
Sunday – Cox Sports Television
SERIES RECORD
LSU leads the all-time series with Florida, 51-35-1, though the Gators won three of the four meetings between the teams last season. Florida swept the 2010 regular-season series in Gainesville before LSU posted a 10-6 win over the Gators in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. LSU has an 8-3-1 advantage over the Gators in games played in Baton Rouge over the past 10 seasons.
PITCHING MATCHUPS
GAME 1
LSU – Fr. RHP Kurt McCune (3-0, 1.11 ERA, 24.1 IP, 5 BB, 17 SO)
UF – So. LHP Brian Johnson (4-0, 1.12 ERA, 24.0 IP, 3 BB, 25 SO)
GAME 2
LSU – Fr. RHP Kevin Gausman (2-0, 3.28 ERA, 24.2 IP, 6 BB, 27 SO)
UF – So. RHP Hudson Randall (2-0, 1.08 ERA, 25.0 IP, 1 BB, 19 SO)
GAME 3
LSU – Sr. RHP Ben Alsup (3-1, 2.01 ERA, 22.1 IP, 11 BB, 17 SO)
UF – Fr. RHP Karsten Whitson (3-0, 2.21 ERA, 20.1 IP, 5 BB, 22 SO)