BATON ROUGE, La. – Sixth-ranked LSU (12-3) plays host to the University of New Orleans (13-3) at 6:30 p.m. CT Wednesday in Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field.
The game can be heard on affiliates of the LSU Sports Radio Network, including Baton Rouge flagship WDGL-FM 98.1 FM.
The game may be viewed live online via SEC Network +, accessible at WatchESPN.com and the Watch ESPN app. Live audio of the game may be accessed at www.LSUsports.net/live with live stats at www.LSUstats.com.
LSU has won eight of its last nine games, including a series victory over Ball State last weekend in Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field. The Tigers begin SEC play this weekend when they play host to Alabama.
LSU coach Paul Mainieri played for two seasons at UNO under former Privateers coach Ron Maestri in 1978 and ’79. First-year UNO coach Blake Dean played at LSU under Mainieri from 2007-10 as an outfielder/first baseman, earning 2008 first-team all-America honors and helping lead the Tigers to the 2009 College World Series title.
“The UNO game has a lot of special meaning because of the connections between the two programs,” said Mainieri. “I was a player there under the great Ron Maestri, and now one of my former players, Blake Dean, has taken over as the head coach of the UNO program. Blake has done a tremendous job in a very short time, and he has his team playing with a lot of confidence. The game also carries a lot of meaning for us because it’s the last one before we start conference play this weekend. I feel our team is headed in the right direction, and we’ve become a much better ball club since the season began.”
LSU is hitting .312 as a team this season, with 12 home runs and 29 steals in 38 attempts. Junior centerfielder Jake Fraley is hitting .400 (24-for-60) for the Tigers with two doubles, three triples, one homer, 10 RBI, 21 runs and 11 stolen bases, while freshman rightfielder Antoine Duplantis is riding a 15-game hitting streak and batting .386 (22-for-57) with five doubles, one triple, seven RBI, 11 runs and four steals.
Fraley helped lead LSU to three wins in four games last week, batting .471 (8-for-17) with one double, three RBI, six runs, four steals and a.526 on-base percentage. Fraley batted .429 (6-for-14) in LSU’s series victory over Ball State with one double, three RBI, four runs and three stolen bases.
Fraley is presently riding a 10-game hitting streak, and he has reached base safely in all 15 of the Tigers’ games this season.
Sophomore leftfielder Beau Jordan batted .417 (5-for-12) in four games last week with two doubles, four RBI and two runs. Sophomore catcher Michael Papierski batted .417 (5-for-12) in three games last week with one double, four RBI and two runs. Papierski posted career highs of three hits and three RBI in Sunday’s 10-6 LSU win over Ball State; he also scored a run and threw out a runner attempting to steal second base.
Junior shortstop Kramer Robertson, the Tigers’ lead-off hitter, batted .400 (6-for-15) last week with one double, three RBI, five runs and a .526 on-base percentage
UNO is hitting .328 as a team with 10 homers and 11 steals in 17 attempts. The Privateers are led at the plate by junior catcher Kyle Bracey, who is batting .455 with one double, two triples, three homers and 15 RBI. Junior outfielder Dakota Dean, Blake’s younger brother, is batting .414 with five doubles, one homer, 18 runs and 16 RBI, and junior outfielder Hezekiah Randolph is hitting .357 with six doubles, one triple, one homer, 10 RBI and 18 runs.
LSU leads the all-time series with New Orleans, 58-34, including two wins over the Privateers last season, a 9-1 victory in New Orleans and an 11-2 win in Baton Rouge. LSU has won seven straight games over the Privateers, and UNO’s last win over the Tigers came on April 27, 2010, by a 7-4 score in Baton Rouge.
New Orleans Privateers (13-3) at #6 LSU Fighting Tigers (12-3)
DATE/TIME
Wednesday, March 16 – 6:30 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
UNO – unranked
RADIO
LSU Sports Radio Network affiliates (WDGL 98.1 FM in Baton Rouge
LSUsports.net – live audio and live stats
ONLINE
SEC Network + – accessible at WatchESPN.com and the WatchESPN app
SERIES RECORD
LSU leads the all-time series with New Orleans, 58-34, including two wins over the Privateers last season, a 9-1 victory in New Orleans and an 11-2 win in Baton Rouge. LSU has won seven straight games over the Privateers, and UNO’s last win over the Tigers came on April 27, 2010, by a 7-4 score in Baton Rouge. LSU coach Paul Mainieri played for two seasons at UNO under former Privateers coach Ron Maestri in 1978 and ’79. First-year UNO coach Blake Dean played at LSU under Mainieri from 2007-10 as an outfielder/first baseman, earning 2008 first-team all-America honors and helping lead the Tigers to the 2009 College World Series title.
PITCHING MATCHUP
LSU – Jr. RHP Alden Cartwright (2-0, 1.80 ERA, 10.0 IP, 4 BB, 7 SO)
UNO – Fr. LHP Bryan Warzek (0-0, 7.43 ERA, 13.1 IP, 14 BB 13 SO)