LSU, Ole Miss locked in SEC West derby

Published 6:00 pm Friday, May 3, 2019

Derby weekend always seems to signal the start of the stretch run for the Southeastern Conference baseball race.

This year it’s a crowded run on the backstretch with three weekends remaining, as LSU, Ole Miss and Mississippi State are tied for second in the West Division, two games behind Arkansas.

The Tigers (29-16, 13-8 SEC) will have two of their final three conference series at home, beginning tonight when they host Ole Miss (30-15, 13-8).

“It’s amazing,” LSU coach Paul Mainieri said. “Every year in this league you don’t think it can get any better and … I think it’s gets better. Everybody’s got first-round picks on the mound, everybody’s got great defenders, everywhere you go into beautiful stadiums.”

In the East, Vanderbilt at 15-6 is tied with Arkansas for the overall SEC lead, two games ahead of Georgia.

“If you look at everybody’s schedule, they all have tough games,” Mainieri said. “They all can get knocked off and nobody’s going 9-0 in these last nine. You just got to keep battling.”

It will likely make or break the Tigers’ season. Most projections at the moment have the Tigers hosting one of the 16 NCAA Tournament regionals, although that could easily change. They’re not close to getting a national seed and are generally seeded No. 13 or 14.

“So much can happen in those nine games,” Mainieri said. “You’re a sweep away from first place or getting swept and being in sixth place. Any game could be the difference in between a national seed or being a (regional) host or winning the West.”

The Tigers, who didn’t play a midweek game this week because of final exams, are once again revamping their pitching rotation.

Freshman Cole Henry has been their best pitcher over the second half of the season, but he will miss his second consecutive weekend with a sore elbow. Mainieri said he doesn’t think it’s serious ­— two MRIs have come back clean — but he would rather err on the side of caution.

Last week Henry’s injury kept Mainieri from moving Friday night starter Zack Hess into the bullpen. This week he’s doing it anyway.

Otherwise, LSU will be healthy after missing three position starters in recent weeks.

“It’s been frustrating,” Mainieri said. ” I just feel like we’re on the verge, if we could get everybody back, that we’re going to make this huge run and into the postseason and be the team everybody thought we could be.”

With Hess, who suggested the move to the bullpen, freshman Ma’Khail Hilliard (0-2, 4.60 ERA), a weekend starter last year who’s struggled at times this season, will get tonight’s start against the Rebels.

The means the Tigers will have their closers from the last three seasons available in the bullpen — Hess (2017), Todd Peterson (2018) and Devin Fontenot (this year).

“We’re going to have to be at our best to beat them,” Mainieri said. “We know Ole Miss has an excellent team, and we’re going to have to play at a high level to have a chance to win games this weekend.”

Pitching Matchups

7 p.m. Today

OM, RH Will Ethridge (5-3, 2.67 ERA, 54 IP, 20 BB, 50 SO) vs. LSU, RH Ma’Khail Hilliard (0-2, 4.60 ERA, 29 1/3 IP, 12 BB, 37 SO).

6:30 p.m. Saturday

OM, LH Doug Nikhazy (5-3, 3.44 ERA, 52 1/3 IP, 18 BB, 55 SO) vs. LSU, RH Eric Walker (3-3, 4.99 ERA, 48 2/3 IP, 17 BB, 42 SO).

2:30 p.m. Sunday, ESPN2

OM, TBA vs. LSU, RH Landon Marceaux (3-2, 6.67 ERA, 28 1/3 IP, 13 BB, 22 SO).

Ole Miss at LSU, 7 p.m.

Mike Bianco, Ole Miss head coach