BATON ROUGE, La. – Sixth-ranked LSU (10-2) opens a three-game series at 7 p.m. CT Friday against Ball State (7-7) in Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field.
Game 2 of the series is scheduled for 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. If the LSU men’s basketball team is competing in the SEC Tournament on Saturday and Sunday, the LSU-Ball State baseball games on those days will be carried in Baton Rouge on WTGE 100.7 FM.
The games may be viewed live online via SEC Network +, accessible at WatchESPN.com and the Watch ESPN app. Live audio of the games may be accessed at www.LSUsports.net/live with live stats at www.LSUstats.com.
LSU has won six straight games, including a 6-3 victory over Louisiana Tech on Tuesday in Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field.
“This is an important weekend for our team against a quality opponent,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “I’m very familiar with the Ball State program, having coached against them many times during my years in the state of Indiana at Notre Dame. They produce very talented ball players, and they’ve had several highly-regarded prospects, including first-round draft picks, in recent years. It’s the final three-game series before we start SEC play next weekend, so we’re looking forward to three very competitive games.”
Mainieri said that junior left-hander Jared Poche’ (2-0) will start Game 1 on the mound for the Tigers, followed by sophomore right-hander Alex Lange (1-0) in Game 2 and senior left-hander John Valek III (3-0) in Game 3.
Ball State coach Rich Maloney is expected to counter with senior lefty Kevin Marnon (1-2) on Friday, junior right-hander Zach Plesac (0-1) or sophomore right-hander Colin Brockhouse (1-1) on Saturday, and sophomore right-hander Brendan Burns (2-0) on Sunday.
Poche’ earned his second win of the season and the 20th of his LSU career with seven shutout innings last Friday night against Fordham. He scattered eight hits while recording two walks and five strikeouts. The outing marked the 22nd quality start of Poche’s career; he had nine in 2014, 10 in 2015 and all three starts thus far in 2016.
Poche’ is 2-0 this season with a 0.92 ERA in 19.2 innings with eight walks, 18 strikeouts and a .215 opponent batting average. He is the fourth pitcher to record 20 or more career wins during Mainieri’s 10-year tenure at LSU, joining Jared Bradford (20), Louis Coleman (24) and Aaron Nola (30).
Valek has three wins in three starts this season, posting a 2.04 ERA in 17.2 innings with one walk and 16 strikeouts.
LSU is hitting .310 as a team this season, with 11 home runs and 24 steals in 33 attempts. Junior second baseman Cole Freeman is LSU’s leading hitter, batting .425 (17-for-40) with two doubles, four RBI, nine steals and a .500 on-base percentage.
Junior centerfielder Jake Fraley is hitting .391 (18-for-46) for the Tigers with one double, three triples, one homer, seven RBI,17 runs and eight stolen bases, while freshman rightfielder Antoine Duplantis is riding a 12-game hitting streak and batting .378 (17-for-45) with four doubles, one triple, five RBI, 10 runs and four steals.
Ball State is hitting .260 as a team with three homers and 15 steals in 19 attempts. The Cardinals are led at the plate by junior catcher/first baseman Caleb Stayton, who is batting .357 with four doubles, two homers and 18 RBI. Junior outfielder Alex Call is batting .346 with five doubles, two triples, 12 runs and one RBI, and senior outfielder Ryan Spaulding is hitting .327 with two doubles, five RBI and 11 runs.
Friday’s game will mark the first meeting between LSU and Ball State, and LSU is 18-6 all-time against current members of the Mid-American Conference. The Tigers are 2-0 versus Central Michigan, 0-1 versus Kent State, 12-5 versus Northern Illinois, 3-0 versus Ohio and 1-0 versus Toledo.
Ball State Cardinals (7-7) at #6 LSU Fighting Tigers (10-2)
DATES/TIMES
Friday, March 11 – 7 p.m. CT
Saturday, March 12 – 2 p.m. CT
Sunday, March 13 – 12 p.m. CT
STADIUM
Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field in Baton Rouge, La.
RANKINGS
LSU – No. 6 by Perfect Game; No. 7 by Baseball America; No. 7 by D1 Baseball; No. 8 by USA Today; No. 10 by Collegiate Baseball
Ball State – unranked
RADIO
LSU Sports Radio Network affiliates (WDGL 98.1 FM in Baton Rouge – if LSU men’s basketball is competing in the SEC Tournament on Saturday and Sunday, the baseball games will air on WTGE 100.7 FM on those days)
LSUsports.net – live audio and live stats
ONLINE
SEC Network + – accessible at WatchESPN.com and the WatchESPN app
SERIES RECORD
Friday’s game will mark the first meeting between LSU and Ball State. LSU is 18-6 all-time against current members of the Mid-American Conference. The Tigers are 2-0 versus Central Michigan, 0-1 versus Kent State, 12-5 versus Northern Illinois, 3-0 versus Ohio and 1-0 versus Toledo.
PITCHING MATCHUPS
Game 1
LSU – Jr. LHP Jared Poche’ (2-0, 0.92 ERA, 19.2 IP, 8 BB, 18 SO)
Ball State – Sr. LHP Kevin Marnon (1-2, 4.00 ERA, 18.0 IP, 6 BB 12 SO)
Game 2
LSU – So. RHP Alex Lange (1-0, 4.15 ERA, 17.1 IP, 9 BB, 25 SO)
Ball State – Jr. RHP Zach Plesac (0-1, 6.23 ERA, 13.0 IP, 6 BB, 12 SO) OR So. RHP Colin Brockhouse (1-1, 2.57 ERA, 14.0 IP, 6 BB, 11 SO)
Game 3
LSU – Sr. LHP John Valek III (3-0, 2.04 ERA, 17.2 IP, 1 BB, 16 SO)
Ball State – So. RHP Brendan Burns (2-0, 2.20 ERA, 16.1 IP, 6 BB, 18 SO)