#24 Missouri Tigers (14-3) at #16 LSU Fighting Tigers (12-6)
DATES/TIMES
Friday, March 16 – 6:30 p.m. CT
Saturday, March 17 – 6 p.m. CT
Sunday, March 18 – 2 p.m. CT
STADIUM
Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field in Baton Rouge, La. (10,326)
Tickets available at http://bit.ly/2FYopTA
RANKINGS
LSU – No. 16 by Collegiate Baseball; No. 17 by Baseball America
Missouri – No. 24 by Collegiate Baseball
RADIO
LSU Sports Radio Network affiliates, including WDGL 98.1 FM in Baton Rouge
Live audio at www.LSUsports.net/live
Live stats at www.LSUstats.com
TV
Saturday’s game will be televised on the SEC Network
ONLINE
All three games may be viewed on SEC Network+, accessible at WatchESPN.com and the Watch ESPN app
SERIES RECORD
LSU has an all-time record of 12-0 versus Missouri in a series that began in 1986. Since MU joined the SEC beginning with the 2013 season, LSU owns a 10-0 mark in the series, including three-game sweeps at Columbia in 2013 and 2016, a three-game sweep in Baton Rouge in 2015, and a 10-3 SEC Tournament victory last season in Hoover, Ala. LSU is 5-0 against Missouri in games played in Baton Rouge.
PITCHING MATCHUPS
Game 1
LSU – So. RHP Zack Hess (2-2, 5.64 ERA, 22.1 IP, 9 BB, 34 SO)
MU – Jr. RHP Bryce Montes De Oca (3-0, 1.57 ERA, 23.0 IP, 11 BB, 31 SO)
Game 2
LSU – Jr. RHP Caleb Gilbert (2-0, 4.29 ERA, 21.0 IP, 5 BB, 11 SO)
MU – Jr. LHP Michael Plassmeyer (2-0, 2.88 ERA, 25.0 IP, 3 BB, 35 SO)
Game 3
LSU – Fr. RHP Ma’Khail Hilliard (4-0, 0.00 ERA, 17.1 IP, 7 BB, 14 SO)
MU – Sr. RHP Andy Toelken (2-1, 3.92 ERA, 20.2 IP, 3 BB, 16 SO)
SPECIAL PROMOTIONS
Saturday – Green LSU Baseball Cap Giveaway for St. Patrick’s Day
Sunday – 2018 Team Photo Giveaway
QUOTING PAUL MAINIERI
“We’re opening up SEC play against a Missouri team that I think is very underrated. They’ve won nine straight ball games, and they’ve got a starting pitcher on Friday night that’s going to throw 95 to 99 miles per hour. On Saturday, they’ve got a really good left-handed pitcher that’s struck out a lot of batters, and on Sunday, they’ve got a senior starter. They have a really solid pitching staff, and line-up wise, they have at least a half-dozen veteran players returning from previous seasons. We need to go out there and play well this weekend. We’re still finding ourselves, but we’re moving in the right direction, and it’s important for us to get off to a good start in the SEC.”
ABOUT THE LSU TIGERS
• LSU enters Friday’s game on a three-game win streak … the Tigers are No. 16 in this week’s Collegiate Baseball poll, marking the 119th consecutive week the Tigers have appeared in the poll … LSU has been ranked every week since the beginning of the 2012 season.
• LSU is the reigning SEC champion, having shared the 2017 league regular-season title with Florida. LSU has won an SEC-high 17 league titles, including four under current coach Paul Mainieri (2009, 2012, 2015, 2017).
• Freshman right-hander Ma’Khail Hilliard will make his first career SEC start Sunday versus Missouri … Hilliard earned a win last Sunday against Hawaii in his first collegiate start, working 5.1 scoreless innings … Hilliard also extended his consecutive scoreless innings streak to 17.1, as he has yet to allow a run in his college career … he allowed just three hits with two walks and three strikeouts while earning his fourth win in four decisions … for the season, Hilliard is 4-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 17.1 innings, and he has recorded seven walks, 14 strikeouts and a .169 opponent batting average.
• Junior outfielder Antoine Duplantis reached the 200-hit mark in his LSU career with a single in Wednesday night’s win over South Alabam … Duplantis has a career batting average of .318 (200-for-628).
• Junior catcher Hunter Feduccia is batting .438 (7-for-16) in LSU’s last six games with three doubles, one homer, six runs and nine RBIl … Feduccia has a team-best 17 RBI this season, and he is tied with outfielder Beau Jordan for the team lead in slugging percentage (.625).
• Freshman outfielder Daniel Cabrera is batting .500 (6-for-12) in his last five games with four doubles, two RBI and three runs, and junior third baseman Chris Reid is batting .429 (6-for-14) in his last five games with four RBI and two runs scored.
ABOUT THE MISSOURI TIGERS
• Missouri enters Friday’s game on a nine-game win streak, including a 9-4 win over Wichita State Tuesday night in Columbia … Missouri also posted a 9-0 victory at Miami (Fla.) on February 21.
• Missouri ranks No. 11 among SEC teams with a .293 team batting average, and the Tigers have 35 doubles, five triples, 12 homers and 23 stolen bases. Missouri is No. 5 in the league in team ERA (2.54), and the Mizzou staff is fifth among league teams with 174 strikeouts.
• Junior infielder Brian Sharp is No. 2 in the SEC with a .426 batting average, and he’s fourth in the league with 23 RBI.
• Senior outfielder Trey Harris leads the SEC in runs scored (25), and sophomore first baseman Kameron Misner leads the league in walks (23) and on-base percentage (.560).