BATON ROUGE — Fourth-ranked LSU (20-6, 4-2) continues Southeastern Conference play this weekend as the Tigers travel to Tuscaloosa to face Alabama (20-8, 4-2) at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The teams enter the series in a four-way tie — along with Mississippi State and Ole Miss — for first place in the SEC Western Division and in the overall league standings.
Game 1 of the LSU-Alabama series is set for 6:30 p.m. CST Friday, Game 2 begins at 6 p.m. CST Saturday and Game 3 starts at 2 p.m. CDT Sunday.
All three games can be heard on the LSU Sports Network (WDGL 98.1 FM in Baton Rouge) and on the LSU Athletics web site, www.LSUsports.net.
The games on Saturday and Sunday will be televised statewide by the Jumbo Sports Network (Cable Ch. 13 in Baton Rouge).
LSU has won 22 of its last 24 regular-season series over the past three seasons. The Tigers’ string of 12 consecutive regular-season series victories — including seven straight SEC series wins — ended last weekend when LSU dropped two of three games to Auburn. Prior to the Auburn series, LSU’s last series lost came on April 9-11, 2004, when the Tigers were defeated by Arkansas.
LSU coach Smoke Laval will send senior left-hander Lane Mestepey (5-2, 2.79 ERA) to the mound in Friday’s series opener. Mestepey, seeking his 35th career victory, is four wins shy of tying Scott Schultz (38 wins, 1992-95) as LSU’s all-time victories leader. Mestepey is already LSU’s career leader in innings pitched (430) and starts (58).
Alabama coach Jim Wells is expected to counter Friday with junior right-hander T.J. Large (4-2, 1.57 ERA). Large ranks No. 2 in the SEC in strikeouts (54) and opponent batting average (.172).
LSU outfielder Ryan Patterson is batting .548 (23-for-42) in his last 10 games with three doubles, 10 homers, 18 RBI and 18 runs. Patterson is currently riding a 15-game hitting streak — he is batting .508 (31-for-61) during the streak with six doubles, one triple, 10 homers, 20 RBI and 27 runs. Patterson, who launched his first career grand slam Tuesday in a win over New Orleans, is hitting .440 (44-for-100) on the year with 10 doubles, one triple, 12 homers, 28 RBI and 40 runs.
Second baseman Clay Harris has also extended his hitting streak to 15 games — Harris is batting .426 (26-for-61) during his streak with five doubles, one triple, two homers, 18 RBI and 14 runs. Harris is hitting .414 (41-for-99) on the year with 10 doubles, one triple, four homers, 26 RBI and 27 runs.
Alabama is 6-3 in its last nine games, despite hitting only .228 (66-for-289) with three homers and 40 RBI. Alabama is averaging 5.3 runs and 7.3 hits over the last nine games, including two one-run losses at Vanderbilt last weekend.
Alabama leads the all -time series with LSU, 183-138-3, in a series that dates back to the 1906 season. LSU has won the last five series with Alabama, including the last two series (2001 and 2003) in Tuscaloosa. The Tigers have a 14-4 mark against Alabama over the past five seasons (2000-04).
Alabama’s last series win over LSU came in 1999, when the Tide won two series from the Tigers in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide took two of three in the regular season and then later swept LSU in the NCAA Super Regional to advance to the College World Series in Omaha.
Wells has a 20-28 (.417) career mark against LSU, including an 18-22 (.450) record during his 11 seasons at Alabama. Laval has a 9-7 (.563) career mark against Alabama, and he is 7-3 (.700) against the Tide in his four seasons at LSU.
SERIES FACTS
# 4 LSU Fighting Tigers (20-6, 4-2) at Alabama Crimson Tide (20-8, 4-2)
DATES/TIMES:
Friday, April 1 — 6:30 p.m. CST; Saturday, April 2 — 6 p.m. CST; Sunday, April 3 — 2 p.m. CDT
STADIUM:
Sewell-Thomas Stadium (6,118)
RANKINGS:
LSU (# 4 Collegiate Baseball, # 5 ESPN/Sports Weekly, # 5 Baseball America, # 5 NCBWA) Alabama (unranked)
RADIO:
Statewide on LSU Sports Network (WDGL 98.1 FM in Baton Rouge)
INTERNET:
Radio broadcast and live stats at www.LSUsports.net
TV:
Friday — No TV in Louisiana
Saturday — Statewide on Jumbo Sports Network (Cable Ch. 13 in Baton Rouge)
Sunday — Statewide on Jumbo Sports Network (Cable Ch. 13 in Baton Rouge)
SERIES RECORD:
Alabama leads, 183-138-3
PITCHING MATCHUPS
Game 1
LSU — Sr. LHP Lane Mestepey (5-2, 2.79 ERA, 48.1 IP, 10 BB, 29 SO)
UA — Jr. RHP T.J. Large (4-2, 1.57 ERA, 46.0 IP, 22 BB, 54 SO)
Game 2
LSU — So. LHP Clay Dirks (6-0, 2.95 ERA, 39.2 IP, 11 BB, 28 SO)
UA — Sr. LHP Brent Carter (4-1, 2.64 ERA, 44.1 IP, 5 BB, 54 SO)
Game 3
LSU — Jr. LHP Greg Smith (4-1, 2.93 ERA, 43.0 IP, 15 BB, 43 SO)
UA — TBA
Jumbo Sports Network TV Affiliates
Saturday, April 2
Baton Rouge KZUP (Cable Ch. 13)
New Orleans WNOL WB
Lafayette KLAF UPN
Alexandria KWCE UPN
Shreveport KMSS
Lake Charles Cox Cable 60
Sulphur Cox Cable 60
Morgan City KWBJ WB
Monroe KEJB UPN
Natchitoches KNTS Ind.
Carlyss Cable Ch. 8
Cameron Parish Cable Ch. 8
Comcast Sports Southeast (tape-delayed 11 a.m. CDT on April 3
Sunday, April 3
Baton Rouge KZUP (Cable Ch. 13)
New Orleans WNOL WB
Lafayette KLAF UPN
Alexandria KWCE UPN
Shreveport KPXJ UPN
Lake Charles Cox Cable 60
Sulphur Cox Cable 60
Morgan City KWBJ WB
Monroe KEJB UPN
Natchitoches KNTS Ind.
Carlyss Cable Ch. 8
Cameron Parish Cable Ch. 8
Comcast Sports Southeast