BATON ROUGE – No. 9 LSU (16-4) plays host to Louisiana-Lafayette (9-10) at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in Alex Box Stadium.
Live video, audio and stats of the game 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.
“We’re looking forward to a great matchup with UL-Lafayette,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “We’ve had some tremendous games with them in the past, and I’m sure this game will be highly competitive. They have an excellent club and we’ll need to play very well to beat them.”
Mainieri said junior right-hander Tyler Jones (3-0) will start on the mound for the Tigers while ULL coach Tony Robichaux will counter with junior right-hander Joe Zimmerman (0-2).
The Tigers dropped three games last weekend to top-ranked Florida to open Southeastern Conference play. The LSU-Florida series in Alex Box Stadium drew an actual attendance figure of 28,215 (an average of 9,638 per game), establishing a stadium record for a three-game set. The paid attendance figure for the series of 34,562 (11,521 average) also set a stadium mark.
True freshman catcher Ty Ross led the Tigers at the plate in four games last week, batting .462 (6-for-13) with two doubles, three runs and one RBI. Ross hit .455 (5-for-11) in the Tigers’ series versus Florida with two doubles and one RBI.
Freshmen right-handers Kurt McCune and Kevin Gausman each delivered outstanding starting pitching efforts against the top-ranked Gators. McCune worked seven innings on Friday, limiting the Gators to one earned run on seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Gausman pitching eight innings on Saturday, allowing just one run on five hits with four walks and four strikeouts
LSU enters Tuesday’s game batting .314 as a team with 44 doubles, five triples, 14 homers and 43 steals on the year. ULL is batting .262 as a club with 42 doubles, three triples, six homers and 15 stolen bases.
The Cajuns are led at the plate by senior shortstop Greg Fontenot, who is hitting .349 with six doubles and 12 RBI. Junior outfielder Alex Fuselier is batting .286 with six doubles, two homers and five RBI, while senior second baseman Jordan Poirrier is hitting .254 with nine doubles, one triple, two homers and 18 RBI.
LSU leads the all-time series with UL-Lafayette, 46-22, including a 4-3 victory over the Cajuns last season in Alex Box Stadium. LSU has won seven of the 10 meetings with the Cajuns since 2000.
Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (9-10) at #9 LSU Fighting Tigers (16-4)
GAME DATE/TIME
Tuesday, March 22 – 6:30 p.m.
STADIUM
Alex Box Stadium (10,150)
RANKINGS
LSU – No. 9 by Collegiate Baseball; No. 10 by ESPN/USA Today; No. 11 Baseball America
ULL – unranked
RADIO
LSU Sports Radio Network affiliates/flagship station is WDGL 98.1 FM in Baton Rouge
INTERNET
www.LSUsports.net – live video, audio and stats on Friday
TV
none
SERIES RECORD
LSU leads the all-time series with UL-Lafayette, 45-22, including a 4-3 victory over the Cajuns last season in Alex Box Stadium. LSU has won seven of the 10 meetings since 2000.
PITCHING MATCHUP
LSU – Jr. RHP Tyler Jones (3-0, 5.21 ERA, 19.0 IP, 11 BB, 14 SO)
ULL – Jr. RHP Joe Zimmerman (0-2, 3.60 ERA, 15.0 IP, 4 BB, 8 SO)