For all of LSU’s ups and downs this baseball season, all the usual goals for the Tigers are still on the table.
But their legacy is yet to be written.
LSU, as always, will ultimately be judged on the postseason. But the final three weeks of the regular season could go a long way in setting that up.
The Southeastern Conference is a jumbled mess right now, particularly at the top where there are three teams atop the league at 14-7 in the league, with five more a game back at 13-8 in hectic pursuit of them.
LSU (30-15, 13-8 SEC) hosts South Carolina (26-17, 10-11) this weekend, beginning tonight.
“These final three weeks of SEC games will write the story of our season, beginning this weekend,” LSU coach Paul Mainieri said.
Forgetting the conference race, the next three weeks will likely decide if LSU hosts one of the 16 NCAA tournament regionals, with a chance to earn one of the eight national seeds with a hot finish.
The Tigers are ranked in the top 15 in all the polls, and their Ratings Percentage Index is No. 15.
That could still go up or down.
Looking ahead, it’s a classic good news/bad news scenario for the Tigers.
The good: LSU controls its destiny in the SEC West. The two teams ahead of the Tigers in the standings, Auburn and Mississippi State, are still on their schedule.
The bad: Throw in the Gamecocks and the three teams left for LSU weekends are a combined 38-25 in the conference. Among the contenders, that ties Texas A&M for the toughest remaining schedule.
“Everybody seems about the same,” Mainieri said. “Some teams might have a strength that’s a little bit better than another team, but everybody has their limitations, too. Everybody has their area of concern.”
South Carolina, which began the season ranked in the top five nationally and deals with similar fan expectations as LSU, has had its problems in slipping below .500 in conference play,
The Gamecocks, who lost two of three to SEC East-leader Kentucky last weekend, fell completely out of all but one national poll. South Carolina got more bad news when ace pitcher Clarke Schmidt was lost for the season and will require Tommy John surgery. Schmidt, a junior, was projected as a first-round First-Year Player Draft pick in June.
South Carolina has lost five consecutive SEC series after opening conference play 5-1.
“It hasn’t been any one thing,” Gamecocks head coach Chad Holbrook said.
“We are very aware of how athletic this South Carolina team is, and they have a tremendous pitching staff full of outstanding arms,” Mainieri said. “They were a preseason top-five team in the polls, so we know they present a huge challenge.”
Because of final exams on campus this week, LSU hasn’t played since sweeping last-place Alabama last weekend to complete a seven-game road trip.
They weren’t able to practice as a complete team this week due to the exam schedule, although Mainieri did arrange different groups into workouts.
Mainieri didn’t think it was all bad.
“This break came at a good time,” he said. “We were tired, especially after seven straight games away from the Box. Those last games at Alabama were very tiring. They were tough.”
South Carolina at LSU
7 p.m. Today
LSU, Jr. RHP Alex Lange (5-4, 3.31 ERA, 65.1 IP, 26 BB, 86 K’s) vs. SC, Jr. RH Wil Crowe (4-4, 3.56 ERA, 68.1 IP, 22 BB, 63 K’s).
7 p.m. Saturday (SECN)
LSU, Jr. LH Jared Poch? (7-3, 3.55 ERA, 66.0 IP, 16 BB, 46 K’s) vs. SC, K’s. RH Adam Hill (3-3, 2.30 ERA, 54.2 IP, 28 BB, 62 K’s).
2 p.m. Sunday (ESPN)
LSU, Fr. RHP Eric Walker (5-1, 3.69 ERA, 61.0 IP, 14 BB, 52 K’s) vs. SC, TBA.
Remaining SEC Series
(Combined SEC record of remaining opponents)
LSU: (38-25) South Carolina, Auburn, at Mississippi State.
Auburn: (26-37) Alabama, at LSU, Ole Miss.
Mississippi State: (31-32) at Texas A&M, at Georgia, LSU.
Arkansas: (29-32) Tennessee, Vanderbilt, at Texas A&M.
Texas A&M: (38-25) Mississippi State, at Ole Miss, Arkansas.
Kentucky: (24-38) Georgia, Tennessee, at Florida.
Florida: (27-36) Ole Miss, at Alabama, Kentucky.
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