There’s no easing into the Southeastern Conference schedule for the No. 8 LSU baseball team.
LSU (16-1) opens the SEC slate against No. 1 Florida (15-2), which has retained its top ranking since the start of the season.
“It came so quick,” said junior shortstop Austin Nola. “I feel like yesterday was the opening night. I can’t wait.”
Florida brought out the brooms in Gainesville, Fla., against LSU in a three-game sweep during last year’s regular season, winning each game by at least three runs.
The Tigers retaliated with a 10-6 victory against the Gators in the first game of the 2010 SEC Tournament.
LSU took two of three games from Florida the last time the Gators came to Baton Rouge in 2009, including two wins by
four runs or more.
“We know it’s going to be a tremendous challenge,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “I think it’s going to be a phenomenal series.”
Both teams have faced top-notch non-conference competition. LSU swept No. 13 Cal State Fullerton last weekend, while Florida beat No. 6 Florida State, 5-4, in extra innings in its most recent game after losing to the Seminoles earlier this year.
“This is the amazing thing about being at LSU,” Mainieri said. “You think you can’t get any bigger, and the next weekend it gets bigger.”
Despite Florida’s top ranking, LSU’s team batting average of .325 is 10 points better than the Gators. The Tigers are also holding opponents to a .201 batting average, while the Gators’ opponents are hitting .227.
It’s not to say Florida is struggling on the mound.
Seven Gator pitchers who have tossed at least 10 innings have ERAs under 3.00, and two of Florida’s three typical weekend starters boast ERAs of less than 1.15.
Those two pitchers, sophomores Brian Johnson and Hudson Randall, have both pitched at least 24 innings and have surrendered only three earned runs all season.
“Their pitching staff is ridiculous,” Mainieri said. “The guy who was their Friday night guy last year is their midweek guy now, because the ninth pick of the draft has worked his way into the rotation.”
Mainieri said he plans to keep the normal starting rotation this weekend, which consists of freshmen Kurt McCune and Kevin Gausman and senior Ben Alsup.
McCune, LSU’s projected Friday starter, is in the same category as the Gators’ top two starters. He has a 1.11 ERA and has also surrendered only three earned runs this season.
Gausman leads the Tigers in strikeouts with 27, and Alsup held Fullerton to one earned run in 6 2/3 innings of work last weekend.
“Obviously, those three guys have pitched great,” Mainieri said. “It would be kind of foolish to take any of them out of the rotation at this point.”
The Gators enter Alex Box Stadium on a five-game winning streak since losing, 7-0, to Georgia Southern.
The Tigers kept their five-game winning streak alive with a 12-8 win Wednesday against Nicholls State after falling behind, 6-0, in the first inning.
Florida hasn’t had the same success when trailing early. The Gators are 2-2 when opponents score first, and LSU has scored in the first inning in nine of its 17 games.
Sophomore right fielder Mason Katz said a sweep against a top-20 team last weekend and a midweek comeback win against Nicholls State have the Tigers in the right groove against the Gators.
“It gives us all the confidence in the world,” Katz said.
“Whoever’s playing at the time, we have the confidence they can get it done.”
Sophomore designated hitter Raph Rhymes said it’s too early to pick potential winners of the Southeastern Conference, but the victor this weekend puts itself in a good position for the future.
“It’s a good matchup to have early,” Rhymes said. “I think it’ll be a big momentum builder for whoever comes out.”