LSU Baseball Update: No. 1 Tigers trek to Tulane, host Kentucky this week

LSU Baseball Report – April 10, 2023
Overall Record: 26-5 (7-4 in SEC)

Last Week’s Results (2-1)
April 4 (Tue.) – NICHOLLS (W, 12-2 – 7 innings)
April 6 (Thu.) – at South Carolina (L, 5-13)
April 7 (Fri.) – at South Carolina (W, 8-7)
April 8 (Sat.) – at South Carolina (canceled, inclement weather)

This Week’s Schedule
April 11 (Tue.) – at Tulane, 6 p.m. CT (ESPN +)
April 13 (Thu.) – KENTUCKY, 6 p.m. CT (SEC Network)
April 14 (Fri.) – KENTUCKY, 6:30 p.m. CT (SEC Network +)
April 15 (Sat.) – KENTUCKY, 1 p.m. CT (SEC Network +)

Tigers Update
• LSU won two of its three games last week, including an SEC two-game series split at No. 3 South Carolina … LSU’s 26-5 record is its best through 31 games since 2015, when the Tigers were also 26-5.

• LSU, which has been ranked No. 1 all season by all of the college baseball polls, enters this week at or near the top of several NCAA statistical categories … the Tigers are No. 1 in the nation in shutouts pitched (7) … LSU is No. 2 in the nation in on-base percentage (.450), runs scored (321), scoring average (10.4 runs per game) and strikeouts pitched per nine innings (12.0) … the Tigers are No. 3 nationally in hits allowed per nine innings (6.49), No. 4 in slugging percentage (.586) and WHIP (1.16), and No. 5 in batting average (.328).

• LSU centerfielder Dylan Crews is No. 1 in the nation in batting average (.510), on-base percentage (.645) and in runs scored (53); he is No. 4 in slugging percentage (.882) … third baseman Tommy White is No. 1 in the nation in RBI per game (1.82) and No. 2 in total RBI (51) … right-hander Paul Skenes leads the nation in strikeouts (91), strikeouts per nine innings (17.30), hits allowed per nine innings (3.99) and WHIP (0.61) … Skenes is No. 2 in the nation in ERA (1.14) and No. 5 in strikeout-to-walk ratio (11.38).

Hitting Notes
• Graduate second baseman Gavin Dugas batted .444 (4-for-9) in LSU’s three games last week with one double, one triple, one homer and seven RBI … he also walked twice and was hit by a pitch, posting a .538 on-base percentage … in Friday’s win at third-ranked South Carolina, Dugas launched a two-out grand slam in the top of the eighth inning, erasing a 7-3 deficit and tying the game at 7-7 … LSU went on to score the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth and secure an 8-7 victory … the grand slam was the third of Dugas’ career – he hit two grand slams in 2021 – and it marked his 10th home run this season … in LSU’s win over Nicholls on Tuesday, Dugas was 3-for-3 with a double, a triple and three RBI.
• Shortstop Jordan Thompson hit .500 (3-for-6) in two games at South Carolina with two homers, five RBI and three runs scored … designated hitter Cade Beloso batted .429 (3-for-7) at South Carolina with one homer, three RBI and three runs scored … Beloso provided the game-winning hit in the top of the ninth inning on Friday, when he broke a 7-7 tie with an RBI single and lifted LSU to an 8-7 victory.

Pitching Notes
• Freshman right-hander Gavin Guidry posted the first two pitching wins of his collegiate career last week, as he recorded relief victories over Nicholls and third-ranked South Carolina … he recorded a combined 3.0 scoreless innings with one hit, one walk and six strikeouts … in Friday’s win over the Gamecocks, Guidry pitched the final 1.2 innings, limiting South Carolina to no runs on one hit with one walk and three strikeouts … he entered the game in the bottom of the eighth inning with one out and the score tied 7-7, and he retired two straight batters to end the inning; after LSU took an 8-7 lead in the top of the ninth, Guidry blanked the Gamecocks in the bottom of the frame by striking out the side to end the game … Guidry earned the win over Nicholls on Tuesday night by pitching 1.1 scoreless innings with three strikeouts … he entered the game in the top of the third inning with two runners on and LSU trailing 1-0, and he recorded a strikeout to end the inning … he then blanked Nicholls in the fourth inning, firing two more strikeouts.

No. 1 LSU Tigers (26-5) at Tulane Green Wave (9-23)

DATE/TIME
• Tuesday, April 11 @ 6 p.m. CT (ESPN +)
STADIUM
• Turchin Stadium in New Orleans, La. (5,000)
RANKINGS
• LSU – No. 1 in all college baseball polls
• Tulane – unranked
RADIO
• LSU Sports Radio Network affiliates, including 98.1 in Baton Rouge
• Live audio for LSU games at www.LSUsports.net/live; Live stats for LSU games at www.LSUstats.com
ONLINE
• Tuesday’s game will be streamed on ESPN +

LSU SERIES RECORD VS. TULANE
• LSU leads Tulane, 182-131-3, in a series that began with the first intercollegiate athletics event in LSU history, a 10-8 victory for the Tiger baseball squad over Tulane in 1893 … LSU defeated Tulane, 7-5, last season (March 15) in Baton Rouge, and that game marked the first meeting between the teams since April 18, 2018, when Tulane posted a 10-9 win over LSU in New Orleans … LSU won nine of 10 meetings with the Green Wave from 2011-15, but Tulane has won five of the last seven games in the series.

QUOTING COACH JAY JOHNSON
“Tulane is a much better team than their record indicates; they have played an extremely tough schedule. They have good players, and they’re really well-coached. If we win, I’m going to walk out of there feeling like it’s a good win. Tulane will finish better in the American Conference than what was predicted in the preseason.”

ABOUT THE TIGERS
• LSU won two of its three games last week, including an SEC two-game series split at No. 3 South Carolina … LSU’s 26-5 record is its best through 31 games since 2015, when the Tigers were also 26-5.

• LSU, which has been ranked No. 1 all season by all of the college baseball polls, enters this week at or near the top of several NCAA statistical categories … the Tigers are No. 1 in the nation in shutouts pitched (7) … LSU is No. 2 in the nation in on-base percentage (.450), runs scored (321), scoring average (10.4 runs per game) and strikeouts pitched per nine innings (12.0) … the Tigers are No. 3 nationally in hits allowed per nine innings (6.49), No. 4 in slugging percentage (.586) and WHIP (1.16), and No. 5 in batting average (.328).

• LSU centerfielder Dylan Crews is No. 1 in the nation in batting average (.510), on-base percentage (.645) and in runs scored (53); he is No. 4 in slugging percentage (.882) … third baseman Tommy White is No. 1 in the nation in RBI per game (1.82) and No. 2 in total RBI (51) … right-hander Paul Skenes leads the nation in strikeouts (91), strikeouts per nine innings (17.30), hits allowed per nine innings (3.99) and WHIP (0.61) … Skenes is No. 2 in the nation in ERA (1.14) and No. 5 in strikeout-to-walk ratio (11.38).

• Graduate second baseman Gavin Dugas batted .444 (4-for-9) in LSU’s three games last week with one double, one triple, one homer and seven RBI … he also walked twice and was hit by a pitch, posting a .538 on-base percentage … in Friday’s win at third-ranked South Carolina, Dugas launched a two-out grand slam in the top of the eighth inning, erasing a 7-3 deficit and tying the game at 7-7 … LSU went on to score the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth and secure an 8-7 victory … the grand slam was the third of Dugas’ career – he hit two grand slams in 2021 – and it marked his 10th home run this season … in LSU’s win over Nicholls on Tuesday, Dugas was 3-for-3 with a double, a triple and three RBI.

• Shortstop Jordan Thompson hit .500 (3-for-6) in two games at South Carolina with two homers, five RBI and three runs scored … designated hitter Cade Beloso batted .429 (3-for-7) at South Carolina with one homer, three RBI and three runs scored … Beloso provided the game-winning hit in the top of the ninth inning on Friday, when he broke a 7-7 tie with an RBI single and lifted LSU to an 8-7 victory.

• Freshman right-hander Gavin Guidry posted the first two pitching wins of his collegiate career last week, as he recorded relief victories over Nicholls and third-ranked South Carolina … he recorded a combined 3.0 scoreless innings with one hit, one walk and six strikeouts … in Friday’s win over the Gamecocks, Guidry pitched the final 1.2 innings, limiting South Carolina to no runs on one hit with one walk and three strikeouts … he entered the game in the bottom of the eighth inning with one out and the score tied 7-7, and he retired two straight batters to end the inning; after LSU took an 8-7 lead in the top of the ninth, Guidry blanked the Gamecocks in the bottom of the frame by striking out the side to end the game … Guidry earned the win over Nicholls on Tuesday night by pitching 1.1 scoreless innings with three strikeouts … he entered the game in the top of the third inning with two runners on and LSU trailing 1-0, and he recorded a strikeout to end the inning … he then blanked Nicholls in the fourth inning, firing two more strikeouts.

ABOUT THE GREEN WAVE
• Tulane is 3-3 in the American Athletic Conference after winning two of three games versus Memphis and dropping two of three games at South Florida … the Wave is hitting .237 as a team with 52 doubles, seven triples, 37 homers and 41 stolen bases in 52 attempts … Tulane’s pitching staff has a 6.40 cumulative ERA with 285 strikeouts in 277.0 innings.
• Infielder Brady Marget is hitting .301 for the Wave with eight doubles, five homers and 14 RBI … catcher Brennan Lambert and outfielder Jackson Linn share the team lead in RBI with 19, and Linn has a team-high seven homers.

BASEBALL AMERICA TOP 25
Rank Team Record
1 LSU 26-5
2 Florida 27-6
3 Wake Forest 28-4
4 Vanderbilt 26-6
5 South Carolina 28-4
6 Arkansas 25-6
7 Stanford 21-7
8 Virginia 28-4
9 East Carolina 24-8
10 Louisville 24-7
11 Campbell 24-6
12 Kentucky 27-5
13 North Carolina 22-10
14 Oklahoma State 23-10
15 Texas 23-10
16 Boston College 21-9
17 Tennessee 22-10
18 Coastal Carolina 20-9
19 Texas Tech 22-10
20 Miami 20-12
21 Southern California 20-10-1
22 Arizona State 23-9
23 TCU 20-12
24 Florida Gulf Coast 26-6
25 Connecticut 22-8

D1BASEBALL.COM TOP 25
Rank Team Record Previous
1 LSU 26-5 1
2 Wake Forest 28-4 2
3 Florida 27-6 3
4 Vanderbilt 26-6 4
5 Arkansas 25-6 5
6 South Carolina 28-4 6
7 Virginia 28-4 7
8 Stanford 21-7 8
9 East Carolina 24-8 12
10 Louisville 24-7 18
11 Boston College 21-9 9
12 Kentucky 27-5 10
13 North Carolina 22-10 13
14 Campbell 24-6 14
15 Florida Gulf Coast 26-6 15
16 Tennessee 22-10 11
17 Coastal Carolina 20-9 17
18 Oklahoma State 23-10 16
19 Texas 23-10 21
20 Connecticut 22-8 19
21 Texas Tech 22-10 22
22 UCLA 19-8-1 23
23 Southern California 20-10-1 NR
24 Arizona State 23-9 NR
25 TCU 20-12 NR

Dropped Out:
Miami 20-12 20
West Virginia 23-9 24
Oregon 20-9 25

PERFECT GAME TOP 25
Ranking Team Record Previous
1 LSU 26-5 1
2 Florida 27-6 2
3 Wake Forest 28-4 3
4 Vanderbilt 26-6 4
5 South Carolina 28-4 6
6 Arkansas 25-6 5
7 Virginia 28-4 8
8 Stanford 21-7 12
9 East Carolina 24-8 15
10 Louisville 24-7 17
11 North Carolina 22-10 16
12 Tennessee 22-10 10
13 Kentucky 27-5 9
14 UCLA 19-8-1 19
15 Boston College 21-9 7
16 Campbell 24-6 11
17 Texas Tech 22-10 13
18 FGCU 26-6 18
19 Oklahoma State 23-10 14
20 Coastal Carolina 20-9 20
21 Dallas Baptist 23-9 NR
22 UConn 22-8 21
23 USC 20-10-1 NR
24 Indiana 22-10 NR
25 Texas 23-10 NR

COLLEGIATE BASEBALL TOP 30
Rank Team (Record) Points Previous
1. LSU (26-5) 493 1
2. Vanderbilt (26-6) 491 2
3. South Carolina (28-4) 489 3
4. Wake Forest (28-4) 488 4
5. Virginia (28-4) 486 5
6. Florida (27-6) 483 6
7. Arkansas (25-6) 481 7
8. Louisville (24-7) 480 9
9. Stanford (21-7) 478 10
10. Arizona St. (23-9) 475 16
11. Kentucky (27-5) 470 8
12. Texas (23-10) 467 13
13. Cal. St. Fullerton (16-10) 465 21
14. North Carolina (22-10) 458 14
15. East Carolina (24-8) 457 22
16. UC Santa Barbara (19-9) 456 11
17. TCU (20-12) 452 NR
18. Oklahoma St. (23-10) 451 12
19. Campbell (24-6) 449 15
20. Tennessee (22-10) 447 17
21. Miami, Fla. (20-12) 444 18
22. Oregon (20-9) 440 20
23. Texas Tech. (22-10) 438 23
24. Southern California (20-10-1) 436 NR
25. Florida Gulf Coast (26-6) 433 25
26. Ball St. (23-8) 432 26
27. U.C. San Diego (20-9) 430 30
28. Louisiana-Lafayette (23-9) 427 NR
29. Coastal Carolina (20-9) 424 27
30. Xavier (20-12) 422 NR

COACHES POLL
Rank School (First-Place Votes) Record Points Previous
1 LSU (25) 26-5 743 1
2 Wake Forest (1) 28-4 704 2
3 Florida (2) 27-6 681 3
4 Vanderbilt 26-6 666 4
5 South Carolina (1) 28-4 610 6
6 Arkansas 25-6 601 5
7 Virginia (1) 28-4 585 7
8 Stanford 21-7 524 9
9 Louisville 24-7 482 12
10 East Carolina 24-8 449 16
11 Kentucky 27-5 443 10
12 Tennessee 22-10 387 8
13 North Carolina 22-10 328 15
14 Boston College 21-9 325 11
15 Campbell 24-6 306 14
16 Oklahoma State 23-10 292 13
17 Florida Gulf Coast 26-6 280 17
18 Texas 23-10 238 19
19 UCLA 19-8 221 22
20 Connecticut 22-8 178 18
21 Coastal Carolina 20-9 174 21
22 Texas Tech 22-10 107 23
23 Arizona State 23-9 78 NR
24 USC 20-10 60 NR
25 Miami 20-12 52 20

NCBWA TOP 30
Rank School Record Previous
1. LSU 26-5 1
t2. Wake Forest 28-4 2
t2. Florida 27-6 3
4. Vanderbilt 26-6 4
5. Arkansas 25-6 5
6. Virginia 28-4 7
7. South Carolina 28-4 6
8. Stanford 21-7 8
9. East Carolina 24-8 12
10. Louisville 24-7 14
11. Kentucky 27-5 11
12. Tennessee 22-10 9
13. North Carolina 22-10 16
14. Boston College 21-9 10
15. FGCU 26-6 17
16. Campbell 24-6 13
17. Oklahoma State 23-10 15
18. Coastal Carolina 20-9 20
19. Texas 23-10 24
20. Texas Tech 22-10 19
21. UCLA 19-8-1 23
22. Connecticut 22-8 21
23. Arizona State 23-9 RV
24. Miami (Fla.) 20-12 18
25. West Virginia 23-9 22
26. USC 20-10-1 RV
27. TCU 20-12 RV
28. Texas A&M 20-12 29
29. DBU 23-9 RV
30. Oregon 20-9 26