In less than 24 hours, LSU will be taking the field and the 2020 baseball season will officially be underway.
Throughout the span of opening weekend, head coach Paul Mainieri will be revealing a few of the fresh faces to the Tigers program that are likely to have an early impact.
LSU will be starting at least 12 players during opening weekend against the Indiana Hoosiers.
Hayden Travinksi and Cade Doughty are among the freshmen who have earned their spot in the starting lineup on opening night. Their ability to track the ball well is what separated them from the rest of the freshmen.
“They hit. They hit really well,” said Mainieri when speaking on what earned Travinski and Doughty starting spots. “Travinski and Doughty have a unique quality to them as freshman. I describe it as them being unafraid.”
“They’re not intimidated by anything, Mainieri went onto say when speaking on the freshman. “They get in that batter’s box, and I don’t care who they’re facing, they’re not backing down.”
Traviniski, who is a strong catcher, will be serving as the designated hitter on opening night. Despite being held to limited action during the fall due to a concussion, the 6-3 Shreveport native battled his way back to earn his spot. Travinksi has power in his bat and is hoping to provide at the bottom of the order, hitting seventh in the Tigers lineup.
Doughty, the former 2019 Louisiana Gatorade Player of the Year and 2019 Collegiate Baseball All-American, has also earned his starting spot. The Denham Springs, Louisiana native will be playing second base and hitting in the two-hole. This freshman has the tools to be an all-around player for the game.
“Doughty is more of a line-drive hitter,” Maineri said. “He has the ability to use the whole field and can be a good hit-and-run guy. Cade (Doughty) has a way to go with his defense but hopefully he will play well enough defense that he will knock in more than he will give up.”
The Tigers will play the first of three games against the Indiana Hoosiers at Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field at 7 p.m. on Valentine’s Day.
