LSU Baseball left-handed pitcher Conner Ware spoke to the media Thursday morning on the team’s goal and his individual impact on the mound as they face No.6 Tennessee this weekend.

Ware spoke about how even though all eyes are on this weekend’s matchup against the Volunteers, his team has its eyes focused on each other rather on the hype around the series.

“Coming into a weekend like this, you kind of got to stay together,” Ware said. “I think we just kind of have to play how we play. We don’t play to the competition. We don’t play to the scoreboard. We play… our standard of baseball. I think that’ll be a huge way we have to approach this weekend.”

Staying together as a team is something No.7 LSU (34-8, 12-6) must do after suffering a brutal 13-3 loss on Tuesday against Northwestern State. Despite Tennessee (33-7, 12-6 SEC) also coming off its worst offensive performance against Kentucky (23-15, 8-10), the Volunteers have shown how they can compete with the best of the best time and time again.

Although most players would fear pitching against a top team like Tennessee, Ware understands his job on the mound and isn’t afraid but rather excited for this matchup.

“I think every kid’s dream is to play big SEC series like this,” Ware said. “Big schools going at it… it’s exciting.”

“It’s a very heated game. Everybody wants to be the best. It’s going to be a fight, but you know it’s what every player on the team is excited for.”

No. 7 LSU will face No. 6 Tennessee on Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT at Alex Box Stadium.