The Tigers return to Alex Box Stadium tonight after being on the road for the past seven games to host in-state rival Southern University.
The Tigers are coming off a weekend series victory against the Vanderbilt Commodores. The Jaguars also are going into tonight’s contest with momentum after their series win over Prairie View A&M over the weekend that clinched the Southwestern Athletic Conference Western Division title.
Southern has not lost a series since mid-March to Prairie View A&M. In mid-week games the Jaguars have defeated Louisiana foes Southern Louisiana University and Grambling University. Southern has fallen however to Nicholls State and University of Louisiana—Lafayette.
The only Louisiana team the two opponents have in common is Nicholls State. While Southern fell to the Colonels in a three-game sweep, the Tigers are 4-0 against Nicholls earlier in the year.
This is the first face-off between the two teams this season, but the student bodies have been at each other’s necks over other pressing issues. But the contest tonight is completely separate to the players from both schools.
“[Southern coach Roger Cador and I] are friends beyond the baseball world,” said LSU coach Smoke Laval. “We talk regularly.”
The Tigers will call on junior right-hander Jordan Meier to take the mound tonight. Meier (1-2) will make his fourth start tonight and his first since his only win against the Rice Owls at Zephyr Field on April 6.
Southern’s starter is yet to be announced.
“Early on in the season, you see if other pitchers can do something and get some time during the SEC,” Laval said. “You might lose the game, but that just shows you not to put him in against Vanderbilt or Arkansas. But now, you have to win those games.”
The Tigers lead the all-time series against Southern 39-1. Southern’s single win came in 2001. The last meeting between the two teams last season found LSU on top 21-10 at Southern.
Tonight’s game begins at 6:30 p.m. in Alex Box Stadium. Southern will conclude its regular season schedule against LSU, and the Tigers will play their last mid-week home game of the regular season.