BATON ROUGE, La. – Second-ranked LSU (34-3) faces Grambling State (14-21) at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in Alex Box Stadium.
The game can be heard on the affiliates of the LSU Sports Radio Network (98.1 FM in Baton Rouge), and live video, audio and stats may be accessed in the Geaux Zone at www.LSUsports.net.
LSU will seek its 24th consecutive victory against a Louisiana school Wednesday night and its 31st straight win in a mid-week game.
LSU’s 34-3 mark is the best 37-game record in the history of the Fighting Tiger program. LSU has won 16 of its last 17 games straight games and holds a four-game lead over Arkansas in the SEC Western Division.
The Tigers are one game behind Vanderbilt in the overall SEC standings. LSU has won 11 of its last 12 SEC games, and the Tigers resume conference play at Alabama this weekend.
“We place a great deal of emphasis on our mid-week games, because every game is important in building your resume for the postseason,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “We had a real slugfest with Grambling last year (17-10 LSU win), and we’ll expect that they’ll be ready to play their best against us Wednesday night.”
Mainieri said senior left-hander Brent Bonvillain will start Wednesday’s game on the mound for LSU. Bonvillain, who will make his fourth start this season, is 2-0 on the year with a 1.80, and he has recorded 22 strikeouts in 25 innings of work.
LSU freshman shortstop Alex Bregman hit .368 (7-for-19) in the Tigers’ five games last week with one triple, one homer, seven RBI and four runs scored. Bregman saw his 23-game hit streak end Saturday at Arkansas, but he helped lead the Tigers to a series-clinching victory on Sunday by going 3-for-4 at the plate with a two-run homer.
Bregman leads the SEC with a .432 cumulative batting average, and he has produced 10 doubles, six triples, four homers and 38 RBI this season.
Grambling is led at the plate by senior outfielder Darren Farmer, who is hitting .360 with three doubles, three triples, one homer and 26 RBI.
Grambling is batting .268 as a team with 11 home runs, and the Tigers have recorded 51 stolen bases in 67 attempts.
LSU leads the series with Grambling, 2-0, and Wednesday’s game marks the third meeting between the schools in the last four seasons. LSU defeated GSU 8-4 on April 8, 2009, and 17-10 on February 28, 2012 – both games were played in Alex Box Stadium.
Grambling State Tigers (14-21) at #2 LSU Fighting Tigers (34-3)
DATE/TIME
Wednesday, April 17 – 6:30 p.m. CT
STADIUM
Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, La. (10,326)
RANKINGS
LSU – No. 2 by Collegiate Baseball; No. 2 by USA Today; No. 3 by Baseball America
GSU – unranked
RADIO
LSU Sports Radio Network affiliates; Baton Rouge affiliate is WDGL 98.1 FM; Pregame show starts 30 minutes prior to first pitch
TV
none
INTERNET
www.LSUsports.net – live video, audio and stats
SERIES RECORD
LSU leads the series with Grambling, 2-0, and Wednesday’s game marks the third meeting between the schools in the last four seasons. LSU defeated GSU 8-4 on April 8, 2009, and 17-10 on February 28, 2012 – both games were played in Alex Box Stadium.
PITCHING MATCHUP
LSU – Sr. LHP Brent Bonvillain (2-0, 1.80 ERA, 25.0 IP, 13 BB, 22 SO)
GSU – TBA
PROMOTIONS
$5 tickets for the LSU-Grambling game may be purchased at www.LSUtix.net, or at the Alex Box Stadium box office beginning at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.