LSU junior first baseman Sean Ochinko stood on the top step of the dugout and took a few deep breaths before addressing the media following LSU’s 10-9 loss Wednesday to Louisiana-Lafayette.Ochinko had hit an eighth-inning, game-tying two-run homer just minutes earlier to push LSU even with the Ragin’ Cajuns after falling behind 8-1 in the third inning.But despite another strong game at the plate, the only thing on Ochinko’s mind was redemption.”Any time you lose, it’s tough,” he said. “It’s a long season, and we’ve just got to remember this one, digest it and then move on.”Ochinko and the No. 4 Tigers have their first opportunity to “move on” this weekend when the Tigers begin Southeastern Conference play against Kentucky at Alex Box Stadium.”It’s so important for us that we reach our stride at the right time like we did last year,” said sophomore shortstop DJ LeMahieu. “Like we did last season when we played some of our best baseball at the most important times.”One of the questions surrounding the Tigers in SEC play is their pitching rotation.Sophomore Anthony Ranaudo will start Friday’s game for the Tigers, and sophomore Austin Ross will start Saturday’s game.But Mainieri said the team’s third starter is still a mystery.Mainieri said the uncertainty has forced the Tigers to focus on the present instead of their lofty preseason expectations.”We play better when we just take them one game at a time,” he said. “When we had that long run last year, we didn’t go into it with the idea that we were going to win 23 games in a row. We went into it with the idea of just winning today. We would just shoot all our bullets on that given day, and we’d end up winning.”Sophomore Daniel Bradshaw was demoted from his weekend role following consecutive starts in which the right hander failed to get out of the fourth inning.Mainieri said Bradshaw will likely be used out of the bullpen for the remainder of the season — a role he was effective in this week and threw three scoreless innings.”We’re going to turn him around and get him going again out in the bullpen,” Mainieri said. “Because he’s got too good of stuff to make some of the mistakes he’s made.”The Wildcats come into the weekend having won nine-straight games, including an 8-7 win Wednesday against Indiana.Hitting has been the strength of the Wildcats’ surge, as Kentucky has scored eight or more runs in eight of the nine games in the winning streak.Kentucky sophomore infielder Chris Bisson and junior catcher Marcus Nidiffer lead the Wildcats’ offense and are hitting .412 and .390, respectively, for a Kentucky team that specializes in finding gaps and playing small ball.The Wildcats have hit 15 home runs this season compared to 31 for LSU.Ochinko said the Tigers better be ready to take a step up in competition this weekend despite the descrepency in power.”It’s the second season,” Ochinko said. “We know Kentucky’s going to come in here with a solid ballclub, and we just have to take care of things one night at a time beginning Friday and get off to a good start in SEC play.”——Contact Casey Gisclair at [email protected]