BATON ROUGE, La. – Fifth-ranked LSU opens the 2016 season at 7 p.m. CT Friday when the Tigers meet Cincinnati in game 1 of a three-game series in Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field.
Game 2 will begin at 2 p.m. CT Saturday, and first pitch for game 3 is set for 12 p.m. CT Sunday.
The games can be heard on affiliates of the LSU Sports Radio Network, including Baton Rouge flagship WDGL-FM 98.1 FM, on Friday and Sunday. Saturday’s game will be carried in Baton Rouge only on WTGE-FM 100.7 and live in the Geaux Zone at www.LSUsports.net/live.
The series marks the radio broadcast debut of new LSU play-by-play announcer Chris Blair.
All three games may viewed live online on SEC Network+, accessible at www.SECNetwork.com and the WatchESPN app.
Live audio and stats of the games may be accessed at www.LSUsports.net/livestats.
SEC Baseball Preseason Poll, All-SEC Teams
The Tigers, who have the most wins in the nation over the past four seasons (204 wins) and the past eight seasons (387 wins), captured the 2015 SEC championship and advanced to the College World Series for the second time in three years. LSU posted a nation’s-best 54 victories and was ranked No.1 for 10 consecutive weeks during the 2015 campaign.
The 2016 LSU roster includes 17 lettermen from the 2015 club, including five position players with starting experience and 11 pitchers that recorded innings last season. The LSU veterans are complemented by a talented class of 16 newcomers, including 10 position players, five pitchers and one two-way player.
Cincinnati, coached by Ty Neal, posted a 15-41 (6-18 in AAC) record last season.
LSU has to replace eight of nine everyday starters from last season’s batting order, but 10th-year head coach Paul Mainieri is confident the Tigers will feature a potent offense.
“So much publicity has been given to the fact that we lost eight of our nine starting players from our lineup going into this year,” said Mainieri, who has who has directed LSU to the 2009 College World Series title, four CWS appearances, three SEC championships, five SEC Western Division titles and five SEC Tournament crowns.
“So everybody has this assumption that we are going to be so freshman-oriented, and that’s really not going to be the case. I think on opening day we’ll probably have two freshmen in our lineup. But the rest of the lineup is going to be filled with one junior college transfer, and then six returning players.”
Mainieri said junior left-hander Jared Poche’ (9-2, 3.05 ERA in 2015), will start Friday night’s game against the Bearcats. Poche’, a 2016 preseason All-American, worked 109.1 innings last season, recording 25 walks and 72 strikeouts. Poche’ has enjoyed outstanding back-to-back seasons at LSU, entering his junior year with an 18-5 career record as a weekend starter (34 career starts).
“Jared’s velocity has jumped up a bit; he’s been 89 to 90, touching 91 once in a while,” Mainieri said. “At the end of the fall, he was throwing 91 to 93 miles an hour. Now, if he can maintain that, it will make him a lot better. His command is continuing to improve because of experience.
“And I’ll tell you this, (LSU pitching coach) Alan Dunn has worked with him on cutting his fastball. It gives it slider action. He’s always had that big curveball. Now in hitter’s counts, he doesn’t have to lay his fastball in there. He can get break action on it, without giving up too much velocity or command. And I think that’s going to help him as well. I’ve got a lot of confidence in Jared. He’s like the ‘ultimate warrior’ out there.”
Cincinnati will counter on Friday with junior right-hander Andrew Zellner, who was 2-5 last season with a 3.63 ERA in 69.1 innings (18 appearances, nine starts). The Bearcats have not yet determined their starting pitchers for Saturday and Sunday’s games.
Sophomore right-hander Alex Lange (12-0, 1.97 ERA in 2015), last season’s National Freshman Pitcher of the Year, will start on the mound for LSU on Saturday, and senior left-hander John Valek III (6-6, 3.25 ERA in 2015), a transfer from the University of Akron, is Sunday’s scheduled starter.
Lange, a 2015 first-team All-American and the SEC Freshman of the Year, was named earlier this week to the 2016 Golden Spikes Award Watch List.
LSU’s returning position players are led by outfielder Jake Fraley, who started 56 games last season and hit .307 (69-for-225) with 11 doubles, five triples, two homers, 35 RBI, 50 runs and 23 stolen bases.
Cincinnati’s top returning hitter is junior outfielder R.J. Thompson, who batted .274 with six doubles, one triple, one homer and 25 RBI. The Bearcats hit .235 as a team in 2015 with 34 homers and 48 steals in 87 attempts.
Friday’s game marks the second baseball meeting between LSU and Cincinnati. The first came in 1954 in Baton Rouge, where the Bearcats posted a 10-4 win over the Tigers. LSU coach Paul Mainieri has a 4-0 career mark against Cincinnati; the four meetings came during Mainieri’s tenure at Notre Dame (1995-2006).
Cincinnati Bearcats (0-0) at #5 LSU Fighting Tigers (0-0)
DATES/TIMES
Friday, Feb. 19 – 7 p.m. CT
Saturday, Feb. 20 – 2 p.m. CT
Sunday, Feb. 21 – 12 p.m. CT
STADIUM
Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field (10,326) in Baton Rouge, La.
RANKINGS
LSU – No. 5 by USA Today; No. 7 by Collegiate Baseball; No. 11 by Baseball America
UC – unranked
RADIO
Friday and Sunday – LSU Sports Radio Network affiliates (WDGL 98.1 FM in Baton Rouge)
Saturday – WTGE 100.7 FM in Baton Rouge
LSUsports.net – live audio and live stats for all three games
ONLINE TELECAST
All three games may be viewed on SEC Network +, accessible at SECNetwork.com and the Watch ESPN app
SERIES RECORD
Friday’s game marks the second baseball meeting between LSU and Cincinnati. The first came in 1954 in Baton Rouge, where the Bearcats posted a 10-4 win over the Tigers. LSU coach Paul Mainieri has a 4-0 career mark against Cincinnati; the four meetings came during Mainieri’s tenure at Notre Dame (1995-2006).
PROMOTIONS
On Friday, free 2016 LSU Baseball Schedule Posters will be given away – while supplies last – to fans as they enter the stadium.
PITCHING MATCHUPS
Game 1
LSU – Jr. LHP Jared Poche’ (9-2, 3.05 ERA, 109.1 IP, 25 BB, 72 SO in 2015)
UC – Jr. RHP Andrew Zellner (2-5, 3.63 ERA, 69.1 IP, 32 BB, 57 SO in 2015)
Game 2
LSU –So. RHP Alex Lange (12-0, 1.97 ERA, 114.0 IP, 46 BB, 131 SO in 2015)
UC – TBA
Game 3
LSU – Sr. LHP John Valek III (6-6, 3.25 ERA, 99.2 IP, 26 BB, 62 SO in 2015 at the University of Akron)
UC – TBA