BATON ROUGE — LSU (27-10, 10-5 SEC) continues Southeastern Conference action this weekend as the top-ranked Tigers face Tennessee (17-21, 3-12) in Alex Box Stadium.
Game 1 of the series begins at 7 p.m. CT Friday, Game 2 starts at 1 p.m. CT Saturday, and first pitch for Game 3 is 1 p.m. CT Sunday.
The games will be carried by the affiliates of the LSU Sports Radio Network. The Baton Rouge affiliate is WDGL 98.1 FM.
Live audio and stats of all three games may be accessed in the Geaux Zone at www.LSUsports.net. Live video will be available in the Geaux Zone on Friday and Sunday.
LSU is in second place in the SEC Western Division, just one-half game behind Arkansas (10-4). LSU is one game behind first-place Georgia (11-4) in the overall league standings.
The Tigers have won nine consecutive SEC series ? dating back to April 2008 ? including a 2-1 series victory last weekend at Alabama.
LSU has tied the SEC record for consecutive series wins in the current 30-game format that was implemented in 1994. Vanderbilt also won nine SEC series in a row over the course of the 2007 and 2008 seasons.
The LSU record (in any series format) is 10 straight SEC series wins. LSU has won a school-record 10 straight conference series over two seasons on two previous occasions. The Tigers won 10 in a row over the course of the 1985-86 and 1990-91 seasons, when the teams played a 27-game league schedule.
Tennessee posted a series victory last weekend over Mississippi State, and the Volunteers posted a pair of 16-4 victories this week over Belmont and Middle Tennessee, respectively.
“I can promise you that Tennessee has our full attention,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “They swept us in Knoxville last year, and that is fresh in our minds. They are also playing their best baseball of the season right now. They have a very talented club, and we have to be prepared for a tremendous challenge.”
Mainieri said sophomore right-hander Anthony Ranaudo (3-2, 2.68 ERA) will start Friday’s game on the mound for LSU. Senior right-hander Louis Coleman (8-1, 2.38 ERA) will start for the Tigers on Saturday, and sophomore right-hander Austin Ross (4-4, 3.86 ERA) will be Sunday’s starting pitcher.
Ranaudo leads the SEC with 76 strikeouts this season, and he is No. 3 in the league in opponent batting average (.210). Coleman leads the conference in wins with eight, and he is No. 2 in strikeouts (69) and No. 2 in opponent batting average (.200)
Ross is No. 9 in the SEC in opponent batting average (.247).
Tennessee coach Todd Raleigh will counter with junior right-hander Aaron Tullo (2-4, 4.89 ERA) on Friday and junior left-hander Nick Hernandez (2-4, 5.29 ERA) on Saturday. UT’s Sunday starting pitcher has yet to be determined.
LSU enters Friday’s game batting .309 as a team with 57 home runs and 80 stolen bases. LSU is fourth in the SEC in batting average, sixth in homers and first in steals. The Tigers have a 4.24 team ERA, which ranks No. 4 in the league.
LSU junior first baseman/catcher Sean Ochinko is batting a team-high .358 (48-for-134) with eight doubles, seven homers and 36 RBI. Sophomore shortstop DJ LeMahieu is hitting .357 (46-for-129) on the year with five doubles, three triples, three homers and 16 RBI.
Junior outfielder Jared Mitchell leads the SEC in stolen bases with 25 steals in 28 attempts, and he is also No. 1 in the league in walks (31). He is hitting .324 (34-for-105) with six doubles, two triples, six homers and 23 RBI.
Tennessee is 11th in the SEC with a .291 team batting average, and the Vols have recorded 58 homers and 31 steals on the year.
UT is led by sophomore infielder Cody Hawn, who is hitting .339 (43-for-127) with 11 doubles, 14 homers and 54 RBI. Hawn is No. 3 in the league in RBI, No. 4 in homers and No. 8 in doubles.
Sophomore catcher Blake Forsythe is batting .331 (44-for-133) with eight doubles, two triples, 12 homers and 33 RBI.
LSU leads the all-time series with Tennessee, 43-19, though the Vols have won the last two series meetings, including a three-game sweep last season in Knoxville. UT won two of three games over LSU in its last visit to Baton Rouge in 2007.
Tennessee Volunteers (17-21, 3-12) at #1 LSU Fighting Tigers (27-10, 10-5)
DATES/TIMES
Friday, April 17 ? 7 p.m. CT; Saturday, April 18 ? 1 p.m. CT; Sunday, April 19 ? 1 p.m. CT
STADIUM
Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, La. (9,200)
RANKINGS
LSU – No. 1 by Baseball America; No. 1 by Collegiate Baseball; No. 1 by NCBWA; No. 3 by USA Today/ESPN
Tennessee — unranked
RADIO
LSU Sports Radio Network affiliates
The Baton Rouge affiliate is WDGL 98.1 FM
INTERNET
www.LSUsports.net ? live audio and stats for all three games; live video on Friday and Sunday
TV
None
SERIES RECORD
LSU leads, 43-19 (teams first met in 1907)
PITCHING MATCHUPS
Game 1
LSU ? So. RHP Anthony Ranaudo (3-2, 2.68 ERA, 50.1 IP, 19 BB, 76 SO)
UT ? Jr. RHP Aaron Tullo (2-4, 4.89 ERA, 35.0 IP, 13 BB, 42 SO)
Game 2
LSU ? Sr. RHP Louis Coleman (8-1, 2.38 ERA, 53.0 IP, 15 BB, 69 SO)
UT ? Jr. LHP Nick Hernandez (2-4, 5.29 ERA, 51.0 IP, 9 BB, 44 SO)
Game 3
LSU ? So. RHP Austin Ross (4-4, 3.86 ERA, 44,1 IP, 8 BB, 41 SO)
UT ? TBA