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Aces Go Head-To-Head In LSU-Ole Miss Match-Up

Collegebaseball360.com contributor Randy Rosetta covers LSU baseball for the Baton Rouge Advocate.  He checks-in with a preview of today’s marquee pitching match-up between LSU’s Anthony Ranaudo and Drew Pomeranz of Ole Miss.  Pomeranz went head-to-head last week with CB360 Prime Time Pitcher of the Week Blake Cooper of South Carolina.

NOTE:  This game was rained-out Friday night and will be played as part of a Saturday doubleheader.

By RANDY ROSETTA

Anthony Ranaudo (LSU photo)

(Oxford, MS)–LSU coach Paul Mainieri will have a pretty good seat Friday when the fifth-ranked Tigers square off with No. 19 Ole Miss, with aces Anthony Ranaudo and Drew Pomeranz locking up for the second year in a row.

Just being in the stadium would be enough for him, though.

“I’d like to sit in the stands and just enjoy it,” Mainieri said.

“This is probably the matchup of the year in college baseball – two guys who are going to go in the top 5 (of the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft) and for sure in the top 10 picks.”

Ranaudo and Pomeranz collided in the series opener last season, with Pomeranz and the Rebels claiming a 7-4 victory, one of just three losses Ranaudo suffered all season.

Pomeranz was 8-4 last season and is off to a 6-0 start this season with a 1.38 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 58 2/3 innings. He tops the SEC in ERA, strikeouts and opponent batting average (.165).

This hasn’t been a dominant season for Ranaudo – yet.

Drew Pomeranz

He missed four starts with a stress reaction in his right elbow and has come back to start on the last four Southeastern Conference weekends with a pair of victories and a 3.00 ERA. Ranaudo has struck out 22 in 21 innings and last week logged a season-high six frames with eight strikeouts vs. Alabama.

“I think Anthony is 100 percent and will be the Anthony Ranaudo of old,” Mainieri said.

A key for Ranaudo will be to keep his emotions in check as he strives to match whatever Pomeranz does. Last week a controversial call led to a four-run Alabama second inning, but the Crimson Tide never threatened again with Ranaudo on the mound.

“I have to go out there like it’s any other start, compete and set the tone for our pitchers, just throw strikes and be me,” Ranaudo said. “The bar is set pretty high this weekend.

“I’m 100 percent ready – no pitch count and my arm feels great. I’m back in my routine for everything, so now I can just go out and focus on winning games.”

Mainieri doesn’t expect the situation to overwhelm his big right-hander.

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SEC Baseball Capsules Entering Conference Play

SEC baseball play is underway this weekend, and Baton Rouge Advocate writer (and Collegebaseball360.com contributor) Randy Rosetta just published SEC baseball team capsules.  Here’s a look at how every team in the SEC shakes down.

2010 SEC BASEBALL WEST DIVISION

(Projected order of finish)

LSU

2009 finish 56-17, 20-10 (West and SEC co-champion); won College World Series

2010 record: 14-2

Rankings: No. 3 Collegiate Baseball, No. 3 USA Today/ESPN, No. 6 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, No. 7 Baseball America

Key wins so far: Pepperdine (2), Kansas

Top offensive threats: Leon Landry (.411, 17 R, 3 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR, 17 RBIs, 8-9 SB), Blake Dean (.391, 6 2B, 4 HR, 23 RBIs), Mikie Mahtook (.385, 14 R, 6 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 14 RBIs, 10-12 SB)

Top pitchers: Anthony Ranaudo (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 6 SO 5 IP), Matty Ott (0-0, 6 saves, 2.25 ERA), Austin Ross (2-0, 4.57 ERA, 25 SO)

Key SEC series: Arkansas (Friday-Sunday), at Florida (April 30-May 2)

Of note: The Tigers are third in the SEC with 34 steals and are tied for third with 20 home runs. … LSU has saves in half its games, paced by Ott’s league-best six. … Trey Watkins tops the SEC with 27 runs scored. The Tigers are the only team in the league with two players with 10 stolen bases (Watkins and Mahtook). … LSU has hit a league-best eight triples, with Landry (3), Watkins (3) and Mahtook (2) splitting the total.

Arkansas

2009 finish 41-24, 14-15 (fourth place); went 2-2 at CWS and finished tied for third place

2010 record: 12-3

Rankings: No. 13 Baseball America, No. 14 NCBWA, No. 15 USA Today/ESPN, No. 16 Collegiate Baseball

Key wins so far: Kansas, California (2)

Top offensive threats: Zack Cox (.410, 18 R, 2 HR, 18 RBIs), Andy Wilkins (.315, 6 HR, 20 RBIs), Collin Kuhn (.340, 2 HR, 10 RBIs, 7-7 SB)

Top pitchers:  Drew Smyly (2-0, 1.80 ERA, 31 SO), Mike Bolsinger (2-0, 3.38 ERA, 19 SO)

Key SEC series: Alabama (March 26-28), at Florida (April 23-25)

Of note: The Razorbacks have issued a league-low 30 walks in 135 innings. Arkansas hitters have also drawn the most walks (98). … The Hogs have also struck out a league-low 67 times. … Arkansas owns the SEC’s top ERA (2.72) and ranks third in opponent batting average (.241). … The Razorbacks have produced the fewest extra-base hits in the league, 46 (23 doubles, 2 triples, 21 home runs).

Alabama

2009 finish 37-21, 18-11 (third place); lost in NCAA Regional

2010 record: 14-1

Rankings: No. 21 USA Today/ESPN, No. 23 NCBWA

Key wins so far: at College of Charleston (2), Minnesota (2)

Top offensive threats: Taylor Dugas (.463, 6 2B, 18 R, 7-11 SB), Clay Jones (.365, 5 HR, 23 RBIs), Josh Rutledge (.403, 5 2B, 3 HR, 20 RBIs, 6-6 SB)

Top pitchers:  Jimmy Nelson (3-0, 0.82 ERA, 26 SO), Adam Morgan (2-0, 3.27 ERA, 25 SO)

Key SEC series: at LSU (April 16-18), Ole Miss (May 14-16)

Of note: The Crimson Tide is in its first season under former Northwestern State coach and LSU player Mitch Gaspard. … Dugas, a Lafayette native, leads the SEC in hitting by 42 points. … Alabama is tied for second in the SEC in fielding percentage at .979, but the Crimson Tide has turned a league-low eight double plays. … Bama pitching has surrendered a league-low five home runs.

Ole Miss

2009 finish 44-20, 20-10 (West and SEC co-champions); lost in Super Regional

2010 record: 13-4

Rankings: No. 19 USA Today/ESPN, No. 20 Collegiate Baseball, No. 21 Baseball America, No. 22 NCBWA

Key wins so far: Louisville

Top offensive threats: Tim Ferguson (.353, 17 R, 4 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBIs, 11-11 SB), Matt Smith (.339, 23 R, 4 2B, 3 HR, 19 RBIs)

Top pitchers: Aaron Barrett (4-0, 1.80 ERA, 30 SO), Drew Pomeranz (2-0, 1.54 ERA, 40 SO)

Key SEC series: Florida (March 26-28), LSU April 23-25

Of note: Pomeranz tops the league with 40 strikeouts in 23ª innings. … Ole Miss hitters have struck out 124 times, second most in the SEC, but the Rebels have also drawn 96 walks, which is  the second most.

Auburn

2009 finish 31-25, 11-19 (fifth place)

2010 record: 11-5

Rankings: None

Key wins so far: None

Top offensive threats: Brian Fletcher (.421, 4 2B, 7 HR, 26 RBIs), Hunter Morris (.380, 5 2B, 4 HR, 17 RBIs), Dan Gamache (.380, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 12 RBIs)

Top pitchers:  Cole Nelson (3-0, 3.74 ERA, 26 SO), Dexter Price (2-0, 2.84 ERA)

Key SEC series: South Carolina (March 26-28), at Ole Miss (May 20-22)

Of note: Slugger Brian Fletcher tops the SEC in slugging percentage (.860) and ranks second in batting (.421), homers (7) and RBIs (26). … AU has more position starters back (7) than any team in the West. … The Tigers haven’t been to the SEC tournament since 2003. … Auburn leads the SEC with 25 homers and is also tied for the league lead in sacrifice bunts with 16. … The Tigers have committed an SEC-worst 32 errors and AU pitchers have surrendered 48 extra-base hits (31 doubles, 1  triple, 16 home runs).

Mississippi State

2009 finish 25-29, 9-20 (sixth place)

2010 record: 11-6

Rankings: None

Key wins so far: None

Top offensive threats: Connor Powers (.409, 14 R, 4 2B, 8 HR, 19 RBIs, 3-3 SB), Cody Freeman (.370, 3 2B, 2 HR, 11 RBIs), Luke Adkins (.345, 18 R, 3 2B, 1 HR)

Top pitchers:  Chris Stratton (2-2, 2.95 ERA, 21 SO), Caleb Reed (0-1, 2.33 ERA, 20 SO)

Key SEC series: Ole Miss (April 30-May 2), at Auburn (May 7-9)

Of note: Power accounts for half of the Bulldogs’ 16 home runs and has driven in 26 percent of their runs. … State pitching has thrown 20 wild pitches and has hit 20 batters. … The Bulldogs have struck out 144 times, 20 more times than anybody in the league. … Stratton is the only MSU pitcher who has started with an ERA under 4.00. Only three of the hits he has allowed have gone for extra bases and none have left the ballpark.

EAST DIVISION

(Projected order of finish)

Florida

2009 finish 42-22, 19-11 (SEC champion); lost in Super Regional

2010 record: 13-3

Rankings: No. 6 Baseball America, No. 8 NCBWA, No. 11 Collegiate Baseball, No. 11 USA Today/ESPN

Key wins so far: Miami (2), Florida State

Top offensive threats: Matt den Dekker (.394, 23 R, 2 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 10 RBIs, 6-6 SB), Preston Tucker (.383, 4 2B, 2 HR, 15 RBIs), Austin Maddox (.373, 5 2B, 4 HR, 21 RBIs)

Top pitchers:  Alex Panteliodis (4-0, 1.10 ERA, 17 SO), Kevin Chapman (0-0, 3 saves, 0.00, 10 SO)

Key SEC series: LSU (April 30-May 2), at South Carolina (May 20-22)

Of note: The Gators returned 10 pitchers from last season’s roster, but none who won more than six games last season. Five pitchers have started this season and four have saves. … Florida has topped 10 runs only twice this season but also has allowed 10 or more only twice. … The Gators’ first 20 games are all in Florida. Their only road games so far have been in Tallahassee and Miami. … Florida is 3-2 against the Hurricanes and Seminoles this season and also owns three wins against South Florida and one against Central Florida. … den Dekker’s 28 hits lead the SEC and is tied for third with 71 at-bats.

South Carolina

2009 finish 40-23, 17-13 (second place); lost in NCAA Regional

2010 record: 13-4

Rankings: No. 16 Baseball America, No. 23 Collegiate Baseball, No. 24 NCBWA

Key wins so far: East Carolina, Clemson

Top offensive threats: Kyle Enders (.393, 6 2B, 11 RBIs), Scott Wingo (.378, 17 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 11 RBIs), Whit Merrifield (.351, 23 R, 5 2B, 3 HR, 17 RBIs, 3-4 SB)

Top pitchers:  Blake Cooper (3-0, 3.28 ERA, 24 SO), Nolan Belcher (2-0, 0.61 ERA, 21 SO)

Key SEC series: at Vanderbilt (April 9-11), Florida (May 20-22)

Of note: The Gamecocks have allowed an SEC-low 118 hits, but have allowed the most home runs in the league (17), issued 60 walks (9th in the league) and hit 11 hitters (9th). … USC pitchers also top the league with 183 strikeouts. … All of South Carolina’s losses are against ranked teams – two apiece to East Carolina and Clemson. … Wingo has collected only 14 hits this season, but is second in the SEC in on-base average (.579) because of 12 walks and seven hit-by-pitches. … Merrifield tops the SEC in plate appearances (86) and official at-bats (74).

Vanderbilt

2009 finish 37-27, 12-17 (fourth place); lost in NCAA regional

2010 record: 15-2

Rankings: No. 16 USA Today/ESPN, No. 18 Collegiate Baseball, No. 18 NCBWA, No. 19 Baseball America

Key wins so far: Southern California, Oklahoma State

Top offensive threats: Bryan Johns (.419, 18 R, 5 2B, 9 RBIs, 3-3 SB), Jason Esposito (.391, 20 R, 7 2B, 4 HR, 20 RBIs, 10-11 SB), Aaron Westlake (.333, 15 R, 7 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 19 RBIs)

Top pitchers: Taylor Hill (3-0, 1.98 ERA, 24 SO), Sonny Gray (3-1 2.96 ERA, 29 SO), Chase Reid (2-1, 1.47 ERA, 18 SO)

Key SEC series: at Florida (April 2-4), South Carolina (April 9-11)

Of note: The Commodores are the only team in the league in the top three in team batting (first, .352) and team pitching (second, 2.77 ERA). … Vandy also leads the leagues in runs (153), hits (211), doubles (47) and ranks second with 35 stolen bases. … Despite leading the SEC in those categories, no Commodore leads the league in a major category. … Vandy has pounded 10 hits or more in 13 of 17 games this season. … The Commodores four starting pitchers (Hill, Gray, Reid and Jack Armstrong) have combined for an 85-to-28 strikeout-to-walk ratio. That quartet has also given up only three home runs in 92ª innings.

Kentucky

2009 finish 28-26, 12-16 (fifth place)

2010 record: 14-3

Rankings: No. 20 USA Today/ESPN, No. 20 NCBWA, No. 22 Baseball America, No. 26 Collegiate Baseball

Key wins so far: Virginia Tech, Coastal Carolina

Top offensive threats: Keenan Wiley (.390, 16 R, 3 2B, 2 HR, 14 RBIs, 4-6 SB), Gunner Glad (.373, 13 R, 4 2B, 2 HR, 15 RBIs), Chad Wright (.357, 2 2B, 2 HR, 16 RBIs)

Top pitchers:  Logan Darnell (3-0, 2.17 ERA, 23 SO), Taylor Rogers (3-0, 4.30, 14 SO), Matt Little (1-0, 4 saves, 0.59 ERA, 21 SO)

Key SEC series: at Arkansas (April 2-4), LSU (May 14-16)

Of note: The Wildcats returned eight position starters from last season, the most in the SEC. … UK tops the league with 36 stolen bases and has attempted the most (46). … Kentucky pitchers have given up 10 hits or more in five games and the ‘Cats have won three of those. … Andy Burns leads the Wildcats with four home runs. Burns also has four doubles and a triple among his 19 hits this season. … Neiko Johnson is hitting just .150 for the Wildcats, but he has managed to steal an SEC-best 15 bases in 15 tries.

Tennessee

2009 finish 26-29, 11-19 (sixth place)

2010 record: 10-7

Rankings: None

Key wins so far: Oregon State

Top offensive threats: P.J. Polk (.373, 14 R, 5 2B, 10-14 SB), Cody Hawn (.321, 4 2B, 3 HR, 14 RBIs), Zach Osborne (.295, 17 R, 7 2B, 4 HR, 13 RBIs)

Top pitchers:  Stephen McCray (2-1, 0.73 ERA, 15 SO), Bryan Morgado (2-1, 5.16 ERA, 29 SO)

Key SEC series: at South Carolina (Friday-Sunday), at Georgia (May 7-9)

Of note: The Volunteers’ eight wins against LSU coach Paul Mainieri are the most of any SEC opponent. … McCray tops the SEC in ERA and opponent batting average (.153). Morgado has also been tough to solve, as foes are hitting just .188 (third) and have struck out looking 13 times, an SEC high. … UT has three one-run losses and two others by two runs. Included in that group are a 1-0 loss at Oregon State and a 2-0 setback against Ohio State, two ranked foes. … Six  pitchers have started for the Vols. … Only three Tennessee regulars are hitting above .300, paced by Polk and Hawn.

Georgia

2009 finish 38-24, 15-15 (third place); lost in NCAA Regional

2010 record: 8-9

Rankings: None

Key wins so far: Baylor

Top offensive threats: Christian Glisson (.396, 12 R, 2 2B), Zach Cone (.382, 17 R, 3 2B, 4 3B, 1 HR, 16 RBIs, 4-4 SB), Peter Verdin (.306, 16 R, 6 2B, 5 HR, 16 RBIs, 6-6 SB)

Top pitchers:  Justin Grimm (1-1, 5.40 ERA, 21 SO), Michael Palazzone (4-1, 7.85 ERA, 10 SO)

Key SEC series: Auburn (Friday-Sunday), Tennessee (May 7-9)

Of note: Two years removed from playing for the national championship, the Bulldogs are the only league team with a losing record heading into SEC play. Pitching is the main culprit: The Bulldogs’ staff has a 7.22 ERA and has given up 190 hits in 147 innings, along with an SEC-worst 79 walks. … Georgia has lost all five games against ranked foes this season, including four in a row vs. Alabama (non-conference) and Florida State. … The Bulldogs have allowed 92 runs in their nine losses and 38 in their eight wins.

Tigers Still Missing Ace Ranaudo

BLOG: 2theadvocate.com/blogs/linedrives

TWITTER: twitter.com/RandyRosetta

BATON ROUGE, LA–Could the weekend series against Kansas be a sign of things to come this Southeastern Conference season for LSU?

That might be the case until Tigers ace Anthony Ranaudo is back and healthy.

That was LSU coach Paul Mainieri’s assessment after the Jayhawks stunned top-ranked LSU for the second time in three days.

“We’re going to have a lot of series like this,” Mainieri said.

“We’re not as dominant on the mound as we were last year.”

Without Ranaudo for the third weekend in a row, the Tigers (13-2) got only one quality start in three games — Austin Ross’ no decision in a 4-2 LSU win Saturday.

Friday starter Joey Bourgeois couldn’t escape the second inning before allowing six runs, and Sunday starter Jordan Rittiner ran into trouble with a four-run fifth.

Kansas racked up 32 hits in 27 innings, anchored by a 13-hit assault Friday that was the most the Tigers have allowed this season. The Jayhawks had 12 hits Sunday.

Not that the LSU pitchers need to shoulder all the responsibility.

The Tigers squandered several chances at big innings throughout the weekend and got outscored 21-17. LSU scored more than two runs in an inning only once all weekend.

“We can’t expect to score four runs and win on a regular basis,” Mainieri said.

Ranaudo watch

Anthony Ranaudo

Mainieri said Ranaudo is scheduled to try to throw again today (Monday), and “if it goes well (LSU) will progress from there.”

Ranaudo has missed his last three starts with a stress reaction in his right elbow. He threw last Monday and still had discomfort, prompting a CAT scan that showed no structural damage to the tendon or ligament.

Should Ranaudo show positive signs today, he will throw again at least twice this week with the aim of getting him against Arkansas on Sunday.

Kansas coach Ritch Price said before the series his team was disappointed to not get a chance to see Ranaudo.

With Ranaudo on the shelf, the Jayhawks instead saw Bourgeois, Ross and Rittiner, who made his third consecutive Sunday start.

Rittiner was effective in his first two starts, allowing one run each time in six innings.

He was following a similar path Sunday — Kansas had one run in four frames — before the Jayhawks erupted for four runs in the fifth.

That didn’t keep Price from singing Rittiner’s praises.

“I really liked the freshman left-hander,” Price said. “Whether they use him as a starter or use him out of the bullpen, he’s really tough on left-handed hitters. Whether coach Mainieri keeps him in the bullpen or makes him a midweek starter, they’re going to be a lot better when they get their first-rounder back.”

LSU was also without sophomore left-hander Chris Matulis, who has had a sore forearm since his start against Pepperdine on March 4, a game he won 8-1.

Matulis could be the starter Wednesday against Nicholls State, but Mainieri said he wanted to sleep on it before making a decision.

Déjà vu all over again?

The series loss to KU comes at the exact same point of the 2009 season when the Tigers lost two of three games to Illinois before embarking on SEC play.

Between Illinois and this weekend, LSU lost just one other series: at home to Tennessee.

The Tigers start league play this weekend when Arkansas visits Alex Box Stadium in a showdown of 2009 College World Series teams.

Like the Jayhawks, the Illini handed LSU its first loss of the season.

“Everything is a learning experience,” Tigers senior Paul Bertuccini said. “It’s good to get tested like this before conference play. It was a tough weekend for us, but last year we did the same thing against Illinois and won the national championship. We can build off this.”

Or at the very least, the LSU players ought to learn something from the weekend.

“Whenever you lose two out of three, it needs to be a little bit of a wakeup call,” first baseman Blake Dean said.

Positive sign?

In the losses, the Tigers bullpen was up and down, with 13 hits and eight runs allowed in 111/3 innings.

Besides closer Matty Ott’s impressive four-batter, four-strikeout save Saturday, the other bright spot was junior Mitch Mormann.

In a pair of appearances, Mormann faced 15 hitters, allowed two singles and no runs to stretch his scoreless stretch to six innings over four outings.

Mormann has entered a game only once this season when LSU led.

Advocate chat

The Advocate and www.2theadvocate.com will host an LSU baseball chat from noon-1 p.m. Wednesday.

To submit a question and follow the chat live, log onto 2theadvocate.com/lsubaseballchat.

Injury To Ace Brings Questions To Top-Ranked Tigers

LSU Preseason All-American pitcher Anthony Ranaudo missed his start last Friday when LSU hosted William & Mary.  The 6’7 junior has been experiencing discomfort on the outside bone of his right elbow.  Following is an update on the situation from today’s Baton Rouge Advocate by Collegebaseball360.com contributor Randy Rosetta.  HERE’S a link to Rosetta’s original story from last week.

Injured LSU pitcher Anthony Ranaudo was 12-3 with a 3.04 ERA last year.

BATON ROUGE, LA–Early-season baseball involves a lot of trial and error, especially with pitchers who are trying to carve out roles for the rest of the season.

For top-ranked LSU, there was a different wrinkle last weekend against William & Mary when ace Anthony Ranaudo sat the series out with a sore elbow, shuffling a starting rotation that still hasn’t completely taken shape yet.

The end results after the Tigers’ second three-game sweep in as many weeks were a mixed bag, with the two starters who threw best on the first weekend of the season running into trouble and a first-time starter delivering a solid outing.

LSU (7-0) had to scratch and claw in every game against the Tribe, in part because neither junior Austin Ross nor sophomore Joey Bourgeois lasted into the sixth inning after promising starts for both.

Ross was perfect through 41/3  innings Saturday in his debut as the opening-game starter in Ranaudo’s absence and there were no hints of looming trouble.

But W&M left fielder Stephen Arcure cranked a 2-and-0 fastball out of the ballpark with one out in the fifth and Ross staggered. He allowed back-to-back singles and walked the eight-hole hitter to load the bases, notched his seventh strikeout and then surrendered a two-out, two-run double to leadoff hitter Ryan Brown on a full-count pitch.

Those four runs were part of an 8-0 assault by the Tribe that forced the Tigers to generate their biggest rally in 22 years, which got Ross off the hook.

Then on Sunday, Bourgeois wasn’t as sharp as he was in his first start, but his tenacity allowed him to cruise through four innings without giving up a run.

That changed abruptly when nine-hole hitter Derek Lowe slammed the first pitch of the fifth inning over the fence in right-center field. Bourgeois walked the next two Tribe hitters, gave up an RBI single and exited after retiring cleanup hitter Chris Forsten on a sacrifice bunt.

“I was a little disappointed with Ross and Bourgeois with giving up the big innings,” LSU coach Paul Mainieri said. “They looked so dominant for four innings, both of them. We’ve got to get our arms around that and see why that happed.”

Mainieri said he doesn’t mind his pitchers giving up solo home runs, but he expects them to bounce back.

“The thing I didn’t like especially is that they both gave up a home run and things started to unravel after that,” Mainieri said. “You like to see a guy re-assert himself and show he’s the boss out there.

“If those two guys want to pitch at a real high level in this league, that’s what they’re going to have to learn to do.”

What Mainieri didn’t overlook was how the current No. 1 and 2 starters on the LSU staff threw before their problems.

Neither Ross nor Bourgeois allowed a run in their first starts of the season. Ross’s scoreless streak reached 91/3  innings before allowing the homer and Bourgeois’ stretch without getting touched was 10 frames.

Both extended their pitch counts: Ross from 56 to 79 and Bourgeois from 78 to 90.

“The first four innings both of them threw was great,” Mainieri said. “They both dominated for four innings, so I know they have the ability to pitch effectively at this level. We just need to somehow get them to focus and make better pitches and not fall behind on hitters when they get to the middle innings.”

While those two left some room for improvement, freshman left-hander Jordan Rittiner turned in a solid first start.

He threw 91 pitches in a 7-4 LSU triumph in the series finale and withstood a shaky first inning when a pickoff play allowed W&M to score two unearned runs before Rittiner had recorded an out.

Another freshman, Mike Reed, logged the final three innings to get a save after a rocky debut the week before when he gave up four runs in 12/3 innings in the Tigers’ 25-8 romp past Centenary.

Those two, along with junior Mitch Mormann, were the highlights of the series and give Mainieri and pitching coach David Grewe some middle-relief options heading into a stretch of nine games in 11 days starting against Pepperdine on Thursday.

“Reed threw fastballs for strikes had some good changeups,” Mainieri said. “He pitched the way I think he’s capable of.

“With the young guys, you’ve got to keep running them out there. You’re sitting on the edge of your seat when they’re pitching because they haven’t proved yet over a long period of time what they’re going to do. You watch them develop by running them out there. We’ve got a lot of innings to pitch next weekend and the week after that, so these guys are going to have pitch for us.”

Meanwhile, Ranaudo won’t be throwing any time soon.

Mainieri said the 6-foot-7 right-hander will get checked this week and may throw some on the side, but isn’t likely to pitch again until the LSU entertains Kansas on March 12-14.

“My guess is he’s probably not going to be ready to pitch this weekend,” Mainieri said. “I’m playing it in my mind that he’s not going to be ready to be pitch and Kansas will be the target.”

One more No. 1

LSU climbed into the top spot in another poll Monday and is No. 1 in three of the four rankings.

The Tigers were No. 2 in the USA Today/ESPN poll, voted on by coaches, when it was released in the preseason. That poll did not update last week when LSU moved to No. 1 in the Collegiate Baseball and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association polls.

The coaches elevated the Tigers to No. 1 with their newest poll. LSU remains No. 2 in the Baseball American poll behind Virginia.

(Baton Rouge Advocate)

Collegebaseball360.com Editor Sean Stires with some thoughts on Friday’s LSU-Arkansas and Texas-Arizona State games…

Two well played games on day one of the 2009 College World Series. Arkansas downed Cal State Fullerton 10-6 in the opener, while LSU downed Virginia 9-5. A few thoughts/facts on the action from Rosenblatt Stadium.