LSU baseball coach Paul Mainieri didn’t know on Tuesday who would start the first game of the Baton Rouge Regional against Southern at 1 p.m. Friday.But it will be sophomore right-hander Austin Ross, Mainieri decided on Wednesday.”Ross has been throwing the ball really well,” Mainieri said. “He started the conference tournament for us … and I know he will throw a lot of strikes for us. He’s been throwing the ball harder than ever before.”
Mainieri added he was worried about Jackson, N.J., native sophomore Anthony Ranaudo throwing in the middle of the day.
“I was concerned about Ranaudo pitching at 1 o’clock in the afternoon in the heat,” Mainieri said. “If he had any control problems, or if he had to work extremely hard, all of a sudden his pitch count could go up … Ross grew up in this heat, and he has been pitching [in the middle of the day] on Sundays.”If the Tigers win Friday, Mainieri could use Ranaudo in their second game of the regional at 6 p.m. Saturday against the winner of Minnesota and Baylor.If LSU loses Friday, the Tigers would have to face the loser of the Minnesota-Baylor game at 1 p.m. Saturday.Mainieri will also have senior Louis Coleman, the Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Year and a native of Schlater, Miss., as a potential starter this weekend.Ross enters the regional with a 5.15 ERA and 5-7 record in 15 starts and 71 2/3 innings pitched, striking out 62 batters and walking 19.Ranaudo has a 3.29 ERA and an 8-3 record in 14 starts and 93 innings pitched, having struck out 124 batters and walked 38.Coleman boasts a 2.84 ERA and 11-2 record in 12 starts, 19 appearances and 98 1/3 innings pitched. The senior has fanned 111 batters while giving up only 19 walks.The Tigers faced Southern in their first midweek game of the season on Feb. 25.Freshman Chris Matulis got the start for the Tigers, going five innings and allowing one earned run.Jordan Nicholson, Matty Ott and Ben Alsup all threw pitches in relief of Matulis, allowing a combined four runs in the Tigers’ 11-5 win.Ott was the only pitcher of the four to appear in the SEC tournament last weekend.Matulis last pitched May 15 against Mississippi State and Alsup last pitched against Centenary on May 12.—-Contact The Daily Reveille sports staff at [email protected]