Nearly 10 months have passed since the baseball team felt the worst feeling in sports — the ending of a season.
To make matters worse the loss came from Southeastern Conference rival the South Carolina Gamecocks.
In an embarrassing finish to a successful 2004 season, the Tigers were knocked out of the College World Series by a 15-4 deficit.
Any team would like the chance for redemption or a second chance. This weekend will be the first time since June that the Tigers will get that opportunity.
LSU (23-8) will square off with South Carolina in a three-game weekend series at Alex Box Stadium starting tonight.
It is far from Omaha, but the SEC matchup is vital to both teams’ records — both are one game back in their SEC divisions — and for LSU, its reputation.
After giving up two consecutive SEC weekend series to Auburn and Alabama, the Tigers are hoping to bounce back.
“We’re still only one game back in the SEC West,” senior left-fielder Ryan Patterson said. “We’re right into striking distance and we haven’t even played well.”
Both teams stand at 5-4 in the SEC, but the Gamecocks hold a better overall record at 25-5 on the season. The Tigers still lead in all-time match ups at 21-12-1.
No. 4 South Carolina went 10 games before losing a single match. When the loss came, it was to Pepperdine — who also handed No. 1 Tulane its first loss of the season.
The Gamecocks’ other four losses came to SEC opponents. South Carolina lost two games to both Arkansas and Florida.
Last weekend South Carolina swept Georgia in three games.
The Tigers have handled their busiest week of the season with ease. They picked up two wins over Nicholls State and Rice Tuesday and Wednesday.
“We just [wanted] to go out there this week and put up some offense and gain some more confidence going into the weekend,” Patterson said.
South Carolina also defeated The Citadel, its mid-week opponent, 9-4.
This weekend the series will feature right-handed pitchers against lefties.
LSU will throw their normal weekend rotation of lefties, consisting of senior Lane Mestepey, sophomore Clay Dirks and senior Greg Smith.
The Gamecocks will put three experienced, senior right-handers on the mound. Senior Jason Fletcher will face Mestepey (5-3) Friday night. Fletcher is 3-1 with a 1.75 ERA.
Zac McCamie will face Dirks in Saturday’s contest. McCamie posts a 6-1 record compared to Dirks’ record of 7-0.
Sunday will wrap up the series with Aaron Rawl on the mound for the Gamecocks. Rawl posts a 2.80 ERA with six wins and one loss on the season.
Friday’s game will begin at 6:30 p.m., and game two is set for 2 p.m. Saturday. The series wraps up with game three Sunday at noon.