BATON ROUGE, La. – No. 6 LSU (9-4) opens a three-game series versus Wichita State (8-3) at 7 p.m. CT Friday in Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field. Game 2 of the series will start at 6:30 p.m. CT Saturday, and first pitch for Game 3 is set for 2 p.m. CT Sunday.
The games will be carried on the LSU Sports Radio Network (WDGL 98.1 FM in Baton Rouge), and the radio broadcast may be heard at www.LSUsports.net/live,
The games may be viewed on SEC Network +, accessible at WatchESPN.com and the Watch ESPN app.
LSU dropped a 5-4 decision at McNeese State on Wednesday night, while Wichita State defeated Oklahoma, 4-2, on Tuesday night in Norman, Okla.
LSU leads the all-time series with Wichita State, 6-4, and Friday’s game marks the first meeting between the schools since the opening round of the 1996 College World Series, when the Tigers posted a 9-8 win over the Shockers.
LSU’s first two national championship game wins at the College World Series in 1991 and 1993 both came over Wichita State by scores of 6-3 and 8-0, respectively. This weekend’s series marks the Shockers’ second visit to Baton Rouge – Wichita State last played at LSU in 1987, and the Tigers posted a three-game sweep in the original Alex Box Stadium.
“I don’t have to educate the fans in Baton Rouge about the strong history of the Wichita State baseball program,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “They dominated the Midwest in college baseball for many years, and after a few lean years, they seem to be back. They’re going to have good pitching arms, they’re going to have tough, hard-nosed kids, and they’re a very good ball club. It’s going to be a great series, and we’re looking forward to it.”
Mainieri said LSU will employ the same weekend pitching rotation of junior right-hander Alex Lange in Game 1, senior left-hander Jared Poche’ in Game 2 and freshman right-hander Eric Walker in Game 3.
Poche’ delivered his third straight brilliant outing last Saturday, firing seven shutout innings in LSU’s 4-0 win over No. 17 Baylor at the Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic at Minute Maid Park in Houston. The win was the 30th of Poche’s LSU career, as he became the ninth Tiger pitcher to record 30 all-time wins.
Poche’ blanked Baylor in seven innings of work, allowing just five hits with no walks and five strikeouts, and he has pitched 22 innings this season without allowing a run. Poche’ has given up just four hits while recording two walks and 15 strikeouts, and opponents are batting only .058 (4-for-69) against him. In his two outings prior to the Baylor game, he held Maryland hitless until the ninth inning, and he fired a complete-game, seven-inning no-hitter against Army
Walker delivered an excellent performance against Texas Tech on Sunday, limiting the Red Raiders to one run on six hits in six innings with no walks and a career-high seven strikeouts.
Wichita State coach Todd Butler will counter with senior right-hander Willie Schwanke – the son of former LSU hitting coach Jim Schwanke (1996-99) – in Game 1, junior left-hander Cody Tyler in Game 2, and senior right-hander Zach Lewis in Game 3.
LSU is batting .329 as a team this season with 11 homers and 18 steals in 25 attempts, and the pitching staff has a 3.17 ERA and 122 strikeouts in 110.2 innings.
Wichita State is hitting .270 on the year with five homers and 10 steals in 13 attempts, and the Shocker pitchers have a 3.56 ERA with 89 strikeouts in 96 innings.
LSU is led at the plate by senior second baseman Cole Freeman, who is hitting .467 on the year with three doubles, seven RBI, 10 runs and five stolen bases. Freshman first baseman Jake Slaughter is batting .390 with two doubles, one homer and 11 RBI, and junior rightfielder Greg Deichmann is hitting .356 with two doubles, five homers and 17 RBI.
Sophomore outfielder Greyson Jenista is Wichita State’s leading hitter, batting .364 with two doubles, one homer and nine RBI. Sophomore infielder Jordan Boyer is batting .313 with three doubles and 11 RBI, and sophomore third baseman Alex Bohm is hitting .310 four doubles, two homers and seven RBI.
Wichita State Shockers (8-3) at #6 LSU Fighting Tigers (9-4)
DATES/TIMES
Friday, March 10 – 7 p.m. CT
Saturday, March 11 – 6:30 p.m. CT
Sunday, March 12 – 2 p.m. CT
STADIUM
Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field in Baton Rouge, La.
RANKINGS
LSU – No. 6 by Collegiate Baseball; No. 6 by Baseball America; No. 7 by D1 Baseball; No. 7 by USA Today
WSU – unranked
RADIO
LSU Sports Radio Network; in Baton Rouge on WDGL 98.1 FM
Radio broadcast and live stats for all LSU baseball games are available at www.LSUsports.net
ONLINE
SEC Network +, accessible at WatchESPN.com and the Watch ESPN app
SERIES RECORD
LSU leads the all-time series with Wichita State, 6-4, and Friday’s game marks the first meeting between the schools since the opening round of the 1996 College World Series, when the Tigers posted a 9-8 win over the Shockers. LSU’s first two national championship game wins at the College World Series in 1991 and 1993 both came over Wichita State by scores of 6-3 and 8-0, respectively. This weekend’s series marks the Shockers’ second visit to Baton Rouge – Wichita State last played at LSU in 1987, and the Tigers posted a three-game sweep in the original Alex Box Stadium.
PITCHING MATCHUPS
Game 1
LSU – Jr. RHP Alex Lange (2-1, 4.97 ERA, 12.2 IP, 5 BB, 20 SO))
WSU – Sr. RHP Willie Schwanke (2-1, 2.08 ERA, 17.1 IP, 8 BB, 9 SO)
Game 2
LSU – Sr. LHP Jared Poche’ (3-0, 0.00 ERA, 22 IP, 2 BB, 15 SO)
WSU – Jr. LHP Cody Tyler (2-1, 3.86 ERA, 11.2 IP, 5 BB, 14 SO)
Game 3
LSU – Fr. RHP Eric Walker (1-0, 3.00 ERA, 15.0 IP, 3 BB, 19 SO)
WSU – Sr. RHP Zach Lewis (0-0, 3.00 ERA, 9.0 IP, 7 BB, 6 SO)