Two freshmen will share the Alex Box Stadium spotlight Wednesday night when LSU (15-1) plays Nicholls State for the second time this season.
Freshman outfielder Mark Laird will look to extend his team-high .411 batting average, while freshman pitcher Russell Reynolds will take the mound for his first start this season.
Laird had a standout performance Sunday against Washington, reaching first base on four consecutive at-bats. Laird said he hasn’t hit the hardest balls on the team, but has gotten lucky and found holes to drive grounders.
“My No. 1 goal is just try to get on base any way I can because I know we have the heart of the order coming up with Bregman, Rhymes and Katz,” Laird said.
Sixteen games into the season, Laird said he is getting more comfortable at the plate and is becoming more selective about swings. In 56 appearances at the plate, Laird has only struck out twice.
LSU coach Paul Mainieri said of all the aspects of Laird’s game, his base running needs the most improvement. Laird has one successful stolen base out of three attempts this season.
Mainieri said Laird will have to work on getting better jumps and turning around bases, but he is optimistic that when Laird returns in the fall after playing summer ball, he will have improved.
“I think by next year, he’ll be an outstanding base stealer,” Mainieri said. “I don’t know that he’ll be a great base stealer this year.”
Laird will get his chance to steal a second victory from Nicholls State, a team that allowed only two LSU runs during their last meeting March 3. It was LSU’s second lowest-scoring game this year.
Reynolds, a freshman out of Parkview Baptist, hasn’t pitched in the last 10 games due to shoulder tendonitis. He has pitched only two innings this year and said he is excited to get back on the field.
“I’m not going to put pressure on myself making this start, but I know the intensity is going to be different,” Reynolds said. “It’s going to be different preparation.”
Mainieri said Reynolds was clearly the most advanced freshman pitcher during fall practice. After his tendonitis setback, Reynolds is catching back up to the freshman group that Mainieri relies heavily on as bullpen pitchers.
While Reynolds will start, Mainieri he will probably have him pitch two or three innings before giving several more pitchers game time.
Despite Southeastern Conference play looming on Friday, Mainieri said the team’s foremost goal is Nicholls State.
“We had everything we could handle in a 2-1 victory over [Nicholls State],” Mainieri said.
“We had everything we could handle in a 2-1 victory over [Nicholls State].”
