Senior outfielder Ryan Patterson begins his last Southeastern Conference season with LSU this weekend at the University of Georgia.
Patterson was named one of the Louisiana Baseball Players of the Week this week after posting a .563 batting average in last weekend’s series against the University of Arizona and Western Illinois.
Last weekend the fifth-ranked Tigers scored 36 runs on the weekend in three games. Patterson added to the damage with four home runs in two of the three games of the weekend series.
LSU has prepared in its first 19 games for the SEC, which begins this weekend, with a three-game series in Athens, Ga. at Foley Field. After working out their kinks, the Tigers stand at 14-4 on the season.
“We are right where we expected to be,” said LSU coach Smoke Laval in a news release. “The injury bug hit us a bit early, but we’re all right. We have a long way to go and a short time to do it. Competing in the SEC will be more difficult than ever, because the league is as balanced as it’s ever been.”
No. 17 Georgia (10-6) is beginning SEC play as reigning SEC co-champions. Despite last year’s title, UGA is going into the series with a two-game losing streak. The Bulldogs are not only looking to improve their overall record but their record against LSU as well.
LSU leads the series 48-14-1. The last meeting between the two opponents tells a different story. Regardless of the Tigers’ domination, Georgia came out on top 1-0 in the last meeting between the two opponents in the SEC Tournament last season.
Friday’s game begins at 6 p.m. when junior right-hander Mitchell Boggs (1-1, 1.38 ERA) takes the mound for the Bulldogs. The Tigers continue their ritualistic weekend rotation with senior left-hander Lane Mestepey (4-1, 1.89 ERA) beginning the contest Friday night.
Sophomore Clay Dirks is matched up with UGA right-hander Michael Hyle (1-0, 2.79 ERA) for Saturday’s afternoon game beginning at 3 p.m. Dirks is 4-0 on the season with a 2.55 ERA.
Laval will send junior left-hander Greg Smith (4-1, 2.97 ERA) to the mound for the last game on Sunday at noon. Smith will be up against senior Bulldog Sean Ruthven. The right-hander is 1-1 on the season with a 4.11 ERA.
Georgia coach David Perno may have made his pitching decisions for the weekend but will have to leave Friday night’s game decisions up to assistant coach Butch Thompson.
Perno will spend Friday night serving a suspension he received last season after being ejected in last year’s regional game against Clemson. Perno was issued a one-game suspension for the first SEC game this season by the SEC Commissioner.
Perno will return Saturday to coach the remainder of the series.