LSU Gold

Top 10 Series: Baseball to Square Off with Vandy

by Bill Franques
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Top 10 Series: Baseball to Square Off with Vandy

BATON ROUGE, La. – No. 3 LSU (16-2, 0-0 SEC) travels to Nashville, Tenn. this weekend for a three-game Southeastern Conference series against fourth-ranked Vanderbilt (16-2, 0-0 SEC) at Hawkins Field.

Game 1 is set for 6:30 p.m. CT Friday, Game 2 begins at 2:15 p.m. CT Saturday, and first pitch for Game 3 is 1 p.m. CT Sunday.

If the LSU men’s basketball team is eliminated from the SEC Tournament, the baseball games can be heard on affiliates of the LSU Sports Radio Network including flagship WDGL 98.1 FM in Baton Rouge. However, if the basketball team continues to advance, the baseball games will be available in Baton Rouge only via 100.7 FM. (NOTE: Men’s Basketball won on Thursday and will play Friday.)

Live audio of all games may be accessed in the Geaux Zone at www.LSUsports.net/live.

“We’re definitely not easing into the SEC schedule, are we?” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “A matchup of two Top 5 teams to start SEC play in front of sell-out crowds; we’re definitely excited about this opportunity. I like the way our team is coming together and we’re looking forward to competing at a high level this weekend.”

Mainieri said junior right-hander Aaron Nola (4-0) will start Friday’s game for the Tigers, while Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin will counter with junior right-hander Tyler Beede (4-0) in a duel of potential first-round draft selections.

“There will be numerous professional scouts at Friday’s game, and maybe even some Major League Baseball general managers,” Mainieri said. “It’s a tremendous matchup between two of the best pitchers in the country.”

LSU has won seven straight games entering the Vanderbilt series. The Tigers are hitting .316 (68-for-215) during the win streak with 16 doubles, three triples and two homers. LSU’s staff ERA during the win streak is 1.43 with a .200 opponent batting average.

The Tigers are led at the plate by junior catcher Kade Scivicque and sophomore centerfielder Andrew Stevenson, who are each batting .435 on the year. Scivicque has collected two doubles, one homer and nine RBI. Stevenson, who enters the Vanderbilt series riding a 15-game hitting streak, has four triples and 10 RBI.

Sophomore shortstop Alex Bregman has reached base safely in all 18 games this season, the only LSU player to accomplish the feat. He is hitting .419 this season with six doubles, one homer, 14 RBI, 12 runs and six stolen bases.

Vanderbilt is batting .289 as team with four homers and 25 steals in 40 attempts. Freshman outfielder Bryan Reynolds is hitting .358 with nine doubles, one triple, one homer and 15 RBI, while sophomore infielder Zander Wiel is batting .333 with seven doubles, one triple, one homer and 11 RBI.

LSU has a 53-38 all-time mark against Vanderbilt, including a 5-4, 11-inning victory over the Commodores in the championship game of the 2013 SEC Tournament in Hoover, Ala. Vanderbilt has won the last five regular-season series between the schools and has a 12-3 mark in those contests. LSU’s last SEC series victory over the Commodores came in Nashville in 2005, when the Tigers won two of three games.

LSU, however, has won four of its last five SEC Tournament games against Vanderbilt, beginning with the second round of the 2008 tournament. The Tigers defeated the Commodores in SEC Tournament championship games in 2009 and 2013.

#3 LSU Fighting Tigers (16-2, 0-0 SEC) at #3 Vanderbilt Commodores (16-2, 0-0 SEC)

DATES/TIMES
Friday, March 14 – 6:30 p.m. CT
Saturday, March 15 – 2:15 p.m. CT
Sunday,  March 16 – 1 p.m. CT

STADIUM
Hawkins Field in Nashville, Tenn.

RANKINGS
LSU – No. 3 by Collegiate Baseball, No. 6 by USA Today; No. 8 by Baseball America
VU – No. 3 by USA Today, No. 4 by Collegiate Baseball; No. 7 by Baseball America

RADIO
LSU Sports Network affiliates, including flagship WDGL 98.1 FM in Baton Rouge

INTERNET
LSUsports.net – live audio and stats

TV
Saturday’s game will be televised by Fox Sports New Orleans (Cox Cable Ch. 38 in Baton Rouge)

SERIES RECORD
LSU has a 53-38 all-time mark against Vanderbilt, including a 5-4, 11-inning victory over the Commodores in the championship game of the 2013 SEC Tournament in Hoover, Ala. Vanderbilt has won the last five regular-season series between the schools and has a 12-3 mark in those contests. LSU’s last SEC series victory over the Commodores came in Nashville in 2005, when the Tigers won two of three games. LSU, however, has won four of its last five SEC Tournament games against Vanderbilt, beginning with the second round of the 2008 tournament. The Tigers defeated the Commodores in SEC Tournament championship games in 2009 and 2013.

PITCHING MATCHUPS
Game 1
LSU – Jr. RHP Aaron Nola (4-0, 0.00 ERA, 27.0 IP, 2 BB, 36 SO)
VU – Jr. RHP Tyler Beede (4-0, 1.08 ERA, 25.0 IP, 5 BB, 33 SO)

Game 2
LSU – Jr. LHP Kyle Bouman (3-0, 1.46 ERA, 24.2 IP, 1 BB, 13 SO)
VU – Jr. LHP Jared Miller (4-0, 0.36 ERA, 24.2 IP, 6 BB, 22 SO)

Game 3
LSU – Fr. LHP Jared Poche’ (4-0, 0.90 ERA, 20.0 IP, 2 BB, 15 SO)
VU – So. RHP Tyler Ferguson (3-0, 1.50 ERA, 24.0 IP, 6 BB, 22 SO)