The Binghamton baseball team is spending spring break in warm Louisiana while most of the school’s students will remain in the frigid North.The journey from Binghamton, N.Y., to Baton Rouge is more than 1,300 miles, but the Bearcats are escaping 30-degree temperatures to enjoy the mid-70s of the Pelican State.No. 4 LSU will host Binghamton (6-10) on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Alex Box Stadium and will be the third Louisiana team to welcome the Bearcats this week.”It’s called a spring break trip for those northern schools,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “It’s either that or play with orange baseballs in 2 feet of snow. I know the feeling, believe me.”Mainieri has been putting the midweek matchup in a different perspective for the Tigers.”You can say they’re a Northern school down on spring break with a 6-10 record, or you can look at it and say they beat [Tennessee pitcher] Bryan Morgado at Tennessee one night, 7-4,” Mainieri said. “They beat Centenary’s top pitcher the other day, 16-0.”Binghamton took two of three games against Centenary this weekend in Shreveport. The Bearcats fell in the final game, 3-5.LSU (21-3) swept its first series of the season against the Gents, but Mainieri said the Tigers had to battle with Centenary. “We’ll be in a dog fight,” Mainieri said. “They’ve got a kid that hit 16 home runs back on their team this year. I know they have a freshman All-American returning.”Binghamton has a record of recent success in the American East Conference. The team won its third consecutive conference title and finished third in the Greenville, N.C., Regional in 2009.”This is the biggest game I’m sure that their kids are going to play,” Mainieri said. “They are playing the defending national champions.”Junior outfielder Leon Landry said the Tigers are going to come out with a vengeance, even though it’s not against a Southeastern Conference opponent.”I expect them to come out and play their hearts out,” Landry said. “Every time we have an opponent come into Alex Box, they give it their all.”LSU freshman pitcher Michael Reed will take the mound Wednesday night. Reed enters the game with a 7.20 ERA in 15 innings of work.The Tigers are coming off a sweep of Tennessee last weekend. LSU took the third game of the series, 8-6, as junior pitcher Anthony Ranaudo saw his first action since the season opener against Centenary on Feb. 19.Ranaudo recorded two perfect innings and one strikeout in his first outing after suffering a stress reaction in his throwing elbow.”After being out a couple weeks, it feels good to be out there and be part of the team again,” Ranaudo said. “I’m going to keep building my pitch count up, and hopefully in a week or two, I’ll be 100 percent to go.”Mainieri said Ranaudo is expected to get a longer start against Georgia on Friday night.The coach said he is making one change for the Binghamton game. Sophomore Grant Dozar will get the start at second base, while sophomore Tyler Hanover will switch to third base.”I want Dozar to play a full game,” Mainieri said. “Hanover is our back-up third baseman and shortstop. I’d like him to play some over there.”Dozar, also junior Micah Gibbs’ backup at catcher, is hitting .357 in 14 at bats this season and started six games in 2009. Hanover has been hot at the plate. The Kernersville, N.C., native hit .533 with three doubles and seven RBIs in four games last week and was named one of two Louisiana Sportswriters Association Baseball Players of the Week.Mainieri said freshman Beau Didier will resume his role at third base this weekend.”Right now Didier is still the guy at third base,” Mainieri said. “I don’t think Didier played all that poorly.”–Contact Michael Lambert at [email protected]