This past weekend the baseball team found itself in a different position than usual. It was the earliest point in the season, and LSU had problems with its bats coach Smoke Laval recalled after its 4-3 loss to the University of Alabama-Birmingham Sunday.
As a result of the loss LSU dropped to No. 5 in the nation.
The Tigers only had one day to improve their offense. Despite the improvements they may have made, there is another unusual position LSU will find itself in tonight — hosting the No. 1 team in the state for its first contest with a ranked opponent this season.
“We’ve played No. 1 teams before and that’s not a big deal,” Laval said, who is 7-6 against Tulane. “It doesn’t matter who we’re playing, if we don’t start hitting we’re going to get beat again.”
For the past decade the Tigers predominantly have been the baseball powerhouse of the state and even the nation. When the preseason polls were announced earlier in the year, Louisiana still had the best team in the nation — only it was located farther south at Tulane University.
“I don’t think we consider ourselves an underdog. We can’t come out here thinking they’re a little better than us,” said senior designated hitter Blake Gill. “That’s not good for us. We have to come out here knowing we’re the top in the country. We have the talent — everybody knows we have the talent. We need to play like we know we have the talent.”
When LSU takes on Tulane it is always a heated rivalry. Last year the Tigers won two of the three meetings between the two opponents. In the recent past LSU has won six of the last nine meetings as well.
“Tulane has gotten a lot better over the years. Obviously it is a big rivalry,” Gill said. “It’s a game they get really excited for and so do we. Hopefully, we’ll come out here with a little fire in our eyes and play ball like we know we can. We have to win these mid-week games and come together. We control our own destiny.”
The Tigers have only competed in two mid-week games this season, and Laval is still working on his starting pitchers beyond those set during the weekend.
Past mid-week starters included juniors Chase Dardar and Brandon Nall who both fell into trouble — including a loss to Centenary credited to Nall. With the early-season obstacles in mind, Laval calls junior right-hander Justin Meier (0-0) to the mound for the Tigers. Meier posts a 4.05 ERA in 6.2 innings of work including 11 strike outs. Junior left-hander Jason Determann (1-0) is reserved for relief.
Tulane will start sophomore right-hander Brandon Gomes (1-0) who has put up 17.1 innings of work including 17 strikeouts with a 3.12 ERA.
“It’s still the same game. Three strikes is still an out — four balls is a walk,” said fellow junior pitcher Greg Smith. “We have to go out there with a little more intensity — a little bit more adrenalized — and get back into the game.”
The much anticipated matchup begins at 6:30 p.m. in Alex Box Stadium.
“It will be a good college baseball game — good for the fans.” Smith said. “Maybe it will get us back into playing. A hyped-up game like that, maybe it will get our adrenalin going and get us back into it.”