Tonight’s LSU baseball game against Auburn, originally scheduled for 6 p.m. at Plainsman Park in Auburn, Alabama, has been postponed due to rain, both programs announced Friday afternoon.
No. 19 LSU and Auburn will play a doubleheader tomorrow. The first game will start at 1 p.m. and the second game will start 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game.
Despite the doubleheader, LSU coach Paul Mainieri said the pitching rotation will remain the same with sophomore right-hander Alex Lange throwing in Game 1, followed by junior left-hander Jared Poche’ in Game 2 and senior lefty John Valek III on Sunday.
“Just once I’m looking for a traditional Friday night start for Alex Lange,” Mainieri said. “It doesn’t seem to want to happen. Last year, I wanted to put him on Friday night, and he had a tight forearm before the Auburn series and wasn’t able to pitch. He never pitched on Friday for the rest of the year. This year twice we’ve tried to get him to Friday night, and it hasn’t worked out.”
Tomorrow will be the third time LSU has played a doubleheader this season and the second time due to weather. LSU took both games against Fordham at home on March 5, finishing off a three-game sweep of the Rams. A doubleheader was played on Saturday of that weekend due to travel limitations for Fordham.
After a rainout on March 18, the Tigers (16-8, 2-4 Southeastern Conference) opened up SEC play with a doubleheader against Alabama at Alex Box Stadium. The Crimson Tide won both games Saturday, but LSU avoided a series sweep on Sunday with 8-5 win.
“Fortunately or unfortunately – however you want to look at it – we’ve had several experiences of having to play doubleheaders, so we should [have] become accustomed to it,” Mainieri said. “It’s the first time we’ve had to do it on the road, however. That’s obviously got its own challenges because players can’t retire back to the locker room or player’s lounge, in rest and comfort. So, we’ll be resting in the dugout tomorrow between games, having to refocus on Game 2.”
LSU also starts its next series against Vanderbilt in Baton Rouge on Thursday, April 7, meaning Lange or Poche’ could be left with an even shorter rest period before games against the Commodores.
The Tigers experienced that in last weekend’s Texas A&M series as Poche’ pitched the first game on four days of rest while Lange pitched the second game on five days of rest.
While Mainieri realizes tonight’s postponement will have an impact on next weekend’s series, he’s not overly-concerned about that presently.
“Right now, all I’m focused on is the first game against Auburn, but just looking down the road it’s probably going to be something we’re going to have to look at, and just make a decision again based on rest days. But, right now, it’s not my biggest concern. My biggest concern is finding a way to beat Auburn.”