Shifting on the baseball field will hopefully promote shifting in the Tigers’ play this weekend as well.
Last weekend LSU lost its lead-off hitter junior Bruce Sprowl to a broken finger.
The centerfielder broke his pinky in three places Sunday afternoon after sliding head first into second base to beat the throw.
Sprowl underwent surgery on Thursday which involved three pins placed in his pinky finger but still made an appearance at the afternoon practice — sling and all.
The perception from the sidelines is one Sprowl knows very well after red-shirting last season.
“I am not that upset because it is similar to last year so I am used to it,” Sprowl said. “It is a little frustrating, but it is not season-ending.”
Sprowl begins rehab on Monday and will return in a week and a half at the earliest.
The remaining starters will compete this weekend with Arizona State and Western Illinois.
The starting eight have to substitute Sprowl but have other problems to sort out as well.
After dropping three of its past five games, LSU has to find a way to regroup before entering Southeastern Conference play next weekend.
“The baseball season is so long, we play 60 games a year. You’re going to lose games during the year, and you’re not going to play your best every time,” said senior left fielder Ryan Patterson. “Our goal is to get better every day and to prepare for the SEC and the SEC tournament and down the line. If we keep getting better every day then we will be at the point we want to be at that time.”
Patterson will slide a few feet from left field over to center to replace Sprowl. The left field slot still is pending between junior Quinn Stewart and senior Dustin Weaver.
Left field is not the first position Weaver has competed for this season. He also competes with Matt Liuzza as starting catcher.
Replacing Sprowl as lead-off hitter was no competition for true freshman Michael Hollander. Hollander was placed first in the lineup for Tuesday night’s game against No. 1 Tulane. The starting shortstop went 2 for 4 with a double on the night.
“With Sprowl being our lead off hitter and center fielder it is hard to replace a guy like that,” Patterson said. “He is a great player on defense. I am going to move over to center and try to do the best job I can, and whoever bats lead-off is just going to try to get it done.”
The weekend pitching rotation will also have a minor adjustment. While senior left-handers Lane Mestepey (3-1) and Greg Smith (3-1) will remain as starters, coach Smoke Laval will give Saturday’s starter Clay Dirks the weekend off.
Dirks is undefeated on the season, including four wins. While giving Dirks a rest, Laval will call junior right-hander Chris Cahill to the mound to start Saturday’s contest.
The weekend series will conclude a seven-game homestand before traveling to the University of Georgia to begin SEC play.
With four losses on the season, junior first baseman Will Harris said he hopes this weekend proves to be a breakout series for the team.
“The season is like a working progress. You’re going to win some games and lose some games,” Harris said. “After the past two games, yeah we want to work some kinks out. We have the right team, the right coaching and the right talent to win games until it all comes together — we just have to roll with it.”
The Tigers will face Arizona State Friday night at 6:30 p.m. Saturday’s matchup against Western Illinois begins at 4 p.m., before wrapping up the series with a second game against Arizona State on Sunday at 4 p.m.