BATON ROUGE, La. – Sixth-ranked LSU (30-10-1) opens a five-game homestand at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday when the Tigers play host to Tulane (15-22) in Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field.
The game can be heard on the LSU Sports Radio Network, including Baton Rouge flagship WDGL-FM 98.1 FM. Live video, audio and stats of the games may be accessed in the Geaux Zone at www.LSUsports.net/live. Tuesday’s game will be televised by Cox Sports Television.
LSU, winners of 10 of its last 12 games, is in third place in the overall SEC standings after winning two of three games at No. 10 Ole Miss last weekend.
LSU has appeared in the Top 10 of a major college baseball poll for 45 consecutive weeks, and the Tigers have won 20 of their 26 SEC series over the past three seasons.
“We only have 15 games remaining in the regular season, and each one is extremely important to us,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “All of the goals that we set at the beginning of the year are still right in front of us. There is a lot of motivation of us to play well against Tulane, not only because they beat us earlier this year, but also because of how this game can impact our season.”
Mainieri said junior left-hander Kyle Bouman (3-2, 3.24 ERA) will start Tuesday’s game on the mound for LSU, while Tulane will counter with senior right-hander Tyler Mapes (4-2, 1.97 ERA). Mapes is normally a weekend starter for the Green Wave; however, his scheduled outing last Saturday at Charlotte was rained out, so he draws the starting assignment against LSU.
LSU junior infielder Conner Hale was named SEC Player of the Week Monday after hitting .583 (7-for-12) in the Tigers’ games last week with one double, one homer, two RBI, eight runs scored and a .643 on-base percentage. In LSU’s SEC series victory at No. 10 Ole Miss, Hale hit .625 (5-for-8) with one double, one homer, one RBI, five runs scored and a .667 on-base percentage.
Sophomore outfielder Mark Laird hit .412 (7-for-17) in the Tigers’ four games last week with one double, two RBI, three runs and a .500 on-base percentage
Sophomore outfielder Andrew Stevenson batted .375 (6-for-16) last week with one double and three RBI; Stevenson is LSU’s leading hitter on the year, batting .355 with two doubles, four triples and 21 RBI.
Senior right-hander Kurt McCune made three appearances last week, firing a total of three shutout innings while earning two saves in the Tigers’ series victory at Ole Miss. McCune preserved LSU’s 4-3, 13-inning win on Thursday by retiring the Rebels in order in the bottom of the 13th, and he worked around a single and a walk in the ninth inning on Saturday to earn the save in a 2-0 victory.
McCune on Saturday combined with Alden Cartwright, Hunter Devall and Parker Bugg to shut out Ole Miss, which entered the series as the top-hitting team in the SEC. The shutout was LSU’s 12th of the season – the Tigers had already surpassed the previous school record of 10 shutouts earlier this month when they blanked Lamar, 5-0, on April 9.
LSU leads the all-time series with Tulane, 177-126-3, in a series that began with the first intercollegiate athletic event in LSU history, a 10-8 victory for the Fighting Tiger baseball squad over Tulane in 1893. LSU has won 10 of its 13 meetings with Tulane over the past seven seasons; however, Tigers’ six-game win streak in the series was broken earlier this season (March 25), when the Green Wave posted a 3-2, 11-inning victory in New Orleans.
Tulane Green Wave (15-22) at #6 LSU Fighting Tigers (30-10-1)
DATE/TIME
Tuesday, April 22 – 6:30 p.m. CT
STADIUM
Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field in Baton Rouge, La. (10,326)
RANKINGS
LSU – No. 6 by USA Today; No. 6 by Perfect Game; No. 9 by Baseball America; No. 10 by Collegiate Baseball
TU – unranked
SPECIAL EVENT
Tuesday’s game is Military Appreciation Night; the Tigers will wear camouflage game caps in honor of all branches of the United States military.
All U.S. servicemen and women dressed in uniform will be admitted to the game for only $5.
RADIO
LSU Sports Radio Network affiliates (WDGL 98.1 FM in Baton Rouge)
INTERNET
LSUsports.net – live video and audio in the Geaux Zone/free live stats
The game may also be viewed at ESPN3.com
TV
Cox Sports Television
SERIES RECORD
LSU leads the all-time series with Tulane, 177-126-3, in a series that began with the first intercollegiate athletic event in LSU history, a 10-8 victory for the Fighting Tiger baseball squad over Tulane in 1893. LSU has won 10 of its 13 meetings with Tulane over the past seven seasons; however, Tigers’ six-game win streak in the series was broken earlier this season (March 25), when the Green Wave posted a 3-2, 11-inning victory in New Orleans..
PITCHING MATCHUP
LSU – Jr. LHP Kyle Bouman (3-2, 3.24 ERA, 33.1 IP, 5 BB, 19 SO)
TU – Sr. RHP Tyler Mapes (4-2, 1.97 ERA, 50.1 IP, 8 BB, 40 SO)