Crucial weekend for LSU

Published 6:00 pm Thursday, May 9, 2019

Résumé to host regional needs punching up

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LSU heads into a pivotal weekend at Arkansas on a three-game losing streak, three games behind the Razorbacks in the Southeastern Conference West Division and without its best pitcher for a third consecutive weekend.

Other than that, everything is fine for the Tigers, who, by the way, are coming off their worst loss of the season in a 12-1 shellacking at home to Louisiana Tech Tuesday night.

“We’ve got to come and play with a lot more energy this weekend and put that behind us,” said LSU’s best infielder, shortstop Josh Smith, who’s made an error in three consecutive games.

What the Tigers (30-19, 14-10 SEC) don’t have is much margin for error, at least if they want to avoid missing out on the fun of hosting an NCAA regional tournament for the second consecutive season. They close out the regular season next week when they host Auburn.

In the projections, d1baseball.com has the Tigers as a top 16 seed nationally in line to host a regional. Baseball America, however, has LSU traveling to Miami as a No. 2 regional seed.

At best, the Tigers’ Alex Box Stadium is on the bubble for what is considered a rite of late spring in Baton Rouge.

“We’re not in the greatest position,” LSU head coach Paul Mainieri admitted. “Not terrible. With six games to go in the SEC anything can happen.

“We’ve got some destiny in our hands by going to Arkansas, as tough an environment as there is in college baseball.”

It won’t be an easy gig.

The Razorbacks (37-12, 17-7) are the reigning national runners-up and lead the SEC West by two games over Ole Miss and Mississippi State, a game behind Vanderbilt in the overall SEC standings.

Ole Miss and Mississippi State play each other this weekend.

“Arkansas is an outstanding team, so we’ve got a great challenge in front of us,” Mainieri said. “We’re a little bit short-handed with our pitching, but we’re going to go up there and battle as hard as we can.”

Freshman right-hander Cole Henry will miss his third consecutive weekend with a sore elbow since striking out 12 Florida batters in his last appearance on April 19 to earn SEC co-freshman of the week honors.

With former Friday starter Zack Hess still deemed more valuable in the bullpen, the Tigers will go with a weekend rotation of Ma’Khail Hilliard (0-2, 4.59 ERA), Eric Walker (4-4, 5.30) and Landon Marceaux (3-2, 7.04).

Mainieri said he’ll try to limit Hess’ work to where he might can pitch in two games over the weekend, but will do whatever it takes to get a first win.

“At times we’ve pitched well,” Mainieri said. “If we can get the ball to (Hess) with a lead we’ve got a good chance.”

LSU has history on its side, having won seven straight series against the Razorbacks and 13 of the last 14.

“The opportunity is still there,” Mainieri said. “It’s not the most enviable position to be in, but we’ve got to get the job done. It’s as simple as that.”

Pitching Matchups


6:30 p.m. Today, ESPNU

LSU, RH Ma’Khail Hilliard (0-2, 4.59 ERA, 331⁄3 IP, 12 BB, 41 SO) vs. UA, RH Isaiah Campbell (8-1, 2.54 ERA, 78 IP, 13 BB, 87 SO).

6:30 p.m. Friday

LSU, RH Eric Walker (4-4, 5.30 ERA, 522⁄3 IP, 20 BB, 45 SO) vs UA, LH Patrick Wicklander (5-1, 3.91 ERA, 502⁄3 IP, 29 BB, 71 SO).

1 p.m. Saturday, ESPN2

LSU, RH Landon Marceaux (3-2, 7.04 ERA, 302⁄3 IP, 14 BB, 24 SO) vs. UA, TBA.

LSU at Arkansas — 6:30 p.m. ESPNU