Perusing the batting order before his team’s tussle with Mississippi State on Saturday, LSU second baseman JaCoby Jones couldn’t find his name in its customary six-hole spot.
Jones finally found it scrawled in the leadoff spot, a surprise after Jones went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts in the Tigers’ 6-4 win the day before.
“No biggie,” Jones said to himself in the dugout.
The junior responded with four hits and three RBI’s in the next two games, fulfilling LSU coach Paul Mainieri’s pregame gut reaction and prompting Mainieri to keep him leading off for tonight’s game against Northwestern State.
Mainieri, after watching Jones’ early-season struggles come to a head in Friday’s game, sought out Jones in the team hotel that night and reminded him of his importance to the Tigers’ (18-2, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) aspirations.
“I wanted him to know that I really believed in him and that he was going to continue to be a vital player for our team,” Mainieri said. “I explained to him that even though his batting average was not stellar, that I thought all year he’d been hitting the ball well.”
Jones said his approach at the plate hasn’t changed since the shift, as pitchers serve up fastballs early in the count, just the pitch Mainieri likes Jones to swing away for.
Mainieri also said he’ll give sophomore Jared Foster a start in right field against the Demons (9-13) after Foster lifted a solo home run off heralded Mississippi State closer Jonathan Holder in the eighth inning of Sunday’s 10-2 Tiger loss.
Foster, who has nine plate appearances despite just one start, carries a .556 batting average and a perfect 1.000 slugging percentage into the contest.
He sees no difference in starting as compared to coming off the bench.
“I just have to go out there and handle my business,” Foster said. “It’s not too big of an adjustment. It’s baseball, I’ve been playing this game all my life.”
Freshman righty Russell Reynolds will get his second start of the season on the mound, a week removed from his first career start in a 9-3 victory against Nicholls State.
The Baton Rouge native breezed through two scoreless innings before an army of nine other Tigers held the Colonels to three runs and six hits. Mainieri said Reynolds could pitch as many as five innings tonight, depending on his stamina and command throughout the game.
“I was pretty nervous [during my first start],” Reynolds said. “Now, I’m used to the preparation for the start, what to do before the start and everything. I’m pretty excited for the second one now that the first one is out of the way.”
Who: LSU vs. Northwestern State
When: Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.
Where: Alex Box Stadium
Where to Watch/Listen: Eagle 98.1 FM
