A .300 hitter for nearly two seasons at LSU, 
senior catcher Kade Scivicque has shown the damage he can do with a bat. 
But Scivicque’s work behind the plate is just as valuable to the No. 1 Tigers. 
“A big part of his job is handling the pitching staff, especially those young pitchers,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “He’s been phenomenal with them. He knows when to go out there and take visits, he knows when to chew them [out] and he knows when to pat them on the back.” 
With at least two freshmen making a start in every three-game series this season, steadiness at catcher is a necessity for LSU.  
Scivicque, who recently made the watch list for the 2015 Johnny Bench Award given annually to the nation’s best catcher, has quietly provided a calm presence behind home plate, making him one of the most crucial pieces for the nation’s top-ranked club. 
Though LSU’s lineup features nationally well-known players such as junior shortstop Alex Bregman, junior outfielder Andrew Stevenson and freshman pitcher Alex Lange, Mainieri said no one commands the respect Scivicque does. 
“I’m not sure that we have a better leader or more respected player on our team than Kade Scivicque,” Mainieri said. 
That team-wide respect comes in handy for any catcher, but especially one with as young a pitching staff as Scivicque has. 
Scivicque said young pitchers get rattled when they try to make the game faster than they should. His job is to “slow the game down” and get the young guns to focus on “one pitch at a time.” Lange said the senior catcher doesn’t like to talk much, but when he does, everyone listens. 
“Whatever Kade says is what’s right,” Lange said. “If he comes out there and says something, you know he’s telling you what you need to hear. I respect him 100 percent.”  
Four of the six LSU pitchers leading the team in innings are freshmen, including three who have started multiple games this season. Scivicque has caught for the young staff in the majority of those games. He started at catcher in 30 of LSU’s 40 games prior to Tuesday’s game against Tulane, something he did in less than half the games in 2014. 
In addition to his increased workload, Scivicque has taken on a larger role in the dugout. As one of only two seniors to appear in 35 games this season, Scivicque has been asked to assume more of a leadership role for a team hoping to reach the College World Series for the first time in two years. 
Mainieri said Scivicque is the ideal player for the job. 
“There’s not a better kid on our team — or human being that I’ve ever met, really — than Kade Scivicque,” Mainieri said.   
Mainieri hasn’t had many better hitters than Scivicque, whose dominance at the plate has masked his performance behind it. Prior to Tuesday’s game against Tulane, the Maurepas, Louisiana, native was one of only two players in the Southeastern Conference batting better than .400, leading the Tigers with a .404 average. 
Only former standout Raph Rhymes, who was named 2012 SEC Player of the Year, has batted at least .400 for an entire season during Mainieri’s nine years at LSU. The skipper said Scivicque could be next. 
“He’s making this game look easy,” Mainieri said. “I’m never surprised by anything he does, and I think he’s going to continue it right through the end of the year.” 
But Bregman said he’s more amazed at how Scivicque handled his team-low three hitless games or 10 strikeouts. Instead of hanging his head, Scivicque moved on — something Bregman said is essential in the humbling game of
baseball.  
“He’s the same guy every day,” Bregman said. “He doesn’t get down. He doesn’t throw his helmet or get mad when people mess up. He’s very even-keeled, and it inspires a lot of guys.”  
With a paramount three-game series against No. 2 Texas A&M beginning Thursday, the Tigers will need Scivicque’s guidance behind home plate just as much as his powerful swing. Even though Scivicque’s hitting streak ended against Tulane on Tuesday night, Bregman said the team leader will be fine. 
“He doesn’t care about the hitting streak,” Bregman said. “He just wants to win.” 
You can reach David Gray on Twitter @dgray_TDR.