BATON ROUGE — Second-ranked LSU seeks to maintain its lead in the SEC standings this weekend as the Tigers play host to Vanderbilt in a three-game series in Alex Box Stadium. Game 1 is set for 7 p.m. Friday, Game 2 starts at 4 p.m. Saturday and Game 3 begins at 12 p.m. Sunday.
All three games can be heard on the LSU Sports Radio Network (98.1 FM in Baton Rouge) and on the Internet at www.LSUsports.net. Sunday’s game will be televised live by the Guaranty Sports Network (Cable Ch. 10 in Baton Rouge).
LSU (28-12-1 overall, 12-6 SEC) holds a one-game lead in the league race over Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Tennessee (all 11-7). Florida, Georgia and Alabama are just two games behind the Tigers with 10-8 marks, and South Carolina is three games back at 9-9.
Vanderbilt is 19-21 overall after defeating Memphis, 10-6, Wednesday night in Nashville. The Commodores enter Friday’s game with a 6-12 SEC record.
Freshman left-hander Lane Mestepey (7-0, 2.91 ERA) will start Friday’s game for LSU.
Mestepey was named SEC Pitcher of the Week Monday after firing a complete-game victory last Sunday against Ole Miss.
Senior right-hander Jason Scobie (2-1, 5.59 ERA) will start Saturday’s game for the Tigers. LSU head coach Skip Bertman has yet to decide upon Sunday’s starter.
Vanderbilt will counter with junior right-hander Chris Maultsby (4-7, 6.19 ERA) on Friday, junior right-hander Steven Faulkner (4-2, 6.42 ERA) on Saturday, and junior right-hander Jeff Little (4-5, 4.64 ERA) on Sunday.
LSU enters the series ranked No. 2 in the SEC in team batting average (.321), No. 9 in team ERA (4.80) and No. 10 in fielding percentage (.956).
LSU has suffered from a rash of errors in recent outings, as the Tigers have committed 24 miscues in their last seven games, leading to 25 unearned runs.
Vanderbilt is last in the league in team batting average (.268) and No. 11 in team ERA (6.50); however, the Commodores are No. 1 in fielding percentage (.975).
LSU has won 10 straight SEC series over Vanderbilt — the Tigers haven’t dropped a series to the Commodores since 1988 when VU won two of three in Nashville. LSU leads the all-time series, 38-18, and the Tigers have won eight of their last nine games versus Vanderbilt in Alex Box Stadium.