When former President of the United States Ronald Reagan played the part of George Gipp – a star player in the 1920’s for Notre Dame University – in the film “Knute Rockne: All American,” he said it best stating, “Win one for the gipper.”
And the LSU baseball team will be trying to get back on track and win three for this gipper as they travel to Tuscaloosa, Ala., to begin a three-game series against the University of Alabama today at 6:30 p.m. in Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
This will mark the first Southeastern Conference Western Division opponent the Tigers (15-11-1, 1-4-1 SEC) have played this season.
“We know we have a great challenge in front of us this weekend at Alabama,” LSU baseball coach Paul Mainieri said in a press release. “[Alabama baseball coach] Jim Wells has established his program as one of the best in the nation. They tied for the SEC title last season, and they just missed getting back to the College World Series.”
The Tigers are coming off a 6-3 win Tuesday night against the University of New Orleans in Alex Box Stadium.
Although LSU pulled off the three-point win, the Tigers have struggled in SEC play this season, going without wins in their past four games.
The road does not get any easier for the Tigers as they have dropped five of the past six series’ at No. 25 Alabama (17-10, 3-3 SEC).
The Crimson Tide enters the series with a .314 batting average, something Mainieri has not failed to recognize.
“Alabama has an excellent all-around club that features a lot of weapons both at the plate and on the mound,” he said in a press release. “It’s my understanding that LSU has not won many games over there in recent years, so hopefully that’s a trend we can reverse.”
The Tigers enter the series the SEC’s worst offense.
The Tigers are last with a team batting average of .247, hits with 218 and doubles with 32. They also have combined an ERA of 4.88, which ranks second to last in the SEC.
Junior pitcher Charlie Furbush is set to take the rubber tonight.
This will be Furbush’s first start since he was roughed up March 23 for six earned runs in two innings pitched in a 16-2 loss to the University of Kentucky.
Sophomore pitcher Miers Quigley will start for the Crimson Tide.
Saturday’s contest will begin at 6 p.m. followed by Sunday’s game at 2 p.m.
—–Contact Jay St. Pierre at [email protected]
