Southeastern Conference play is finally here, as the No. 7 LSU baseball squad travels to No. 13 Mississippi State (18-2) today, and the Tigers’ core of young starters will have to adjust to the increased level of competition.
SEC schools have been dominant on the diamond so far in 2013, occupying five of the top ten rankings in the Baseball America poll. When the Tigers (16-1) travel to Starkville, Miss., to take on Mississippi State, several Tigers will be getting their first taste of in-conference competition.
“I feel like the team is really excited about SEC play and everyone on the roster can’t wait to get going,” said freshman shortstop Alex Bregman. “We’re really motivated to have a good year in the SEC, and I think we’re going to.”
Three hitters in the Tigers’ starting lineup — Bregman, freshman outfielder Mark Laird and junior third baseman Christian Ibarra — have never seen the likes of SEC competition. Ibarra is confident in the squad’s ability to win a series on the road for the first time in 2013.
“We’re going to take it one game at a time,” Ibarra said. “We’re pretty pumped and excited for [the Friday game against Mississippi State]. We’re going to keep doing what we’re doing. We’ve been hitting good and getting those clutch hits. I think our one through nine is solid.”
LSU fared well against the SEC in 2012, going 19-11.
The story is different against the Bulldogs. The Tigers won two of three games against Mississippi State in Alex Box Stadium last March, but dropped two contests to the Bulldogs in the SEC Tournament in May.
Led by junior hitters Hunter Renfroe and Alex Detz, who are hitting .436 and .418 respectively, Mississippi State has won 17 of 19 games at Dudy Noble Field.
LSU coach Paul Mainieri has coached both LSU and Notre Dame against Mississippi State, so he knows what the atmosphere will be like when his squad takes the field on Friday night.
“Their fans will be into the game,” Mainieri said. “It’s a raucous environment. I love it. Outside of Alex Box, it’s my favorite ball park in the country. I just love to go to Starkville. It’s really a neat place, and they love their college baseball, and their team is always good.”
With that being said, he said he feels as though his young team will be ready for the challenge.
“These guys will handle it just fine,” he said. “There’s nothing that we could throw at them that they couldn’t handle. They’re really unflappable, and they have a lot of talent, which helps. I think they’re going to embrace the whole environment up there and they’re going to play very well.”
Sophomore Aaron Nola (2-0) will take the mound for LSU when the game kicks off at 6:30 p.m. today.
“Outside of Alex Box, [Dudy Noble Field is] my favorite ball park in the country. I just love to go to Starkville.”
