By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
Just when LSU is about to play one of the other worst teams in the Southeastern Conference, torrential downpours are in the forecast for Friday, and LSU officials are considering playing a doubleheader Saturday with game three on Sunday.
“That is on the table,” LSU coach Jay Johnson said Thursday at a press conference. “We won’t make a decision until we have to – not until tomorrow (Friday) at some point. That will likely be in the middle of the day.”
LSU (25-21, 6-15 SEC), which is in 15th place of 16 teams in the league after losing a school record nine straight SEC games, is scheduled to host 14th place South Carolina (22-24, 7-14 SEC) at 6:30 p.m. Friday, 6 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. The rain is expected to end early Saturday.
South Carolina will be the first team LSU will play with a sub .500 record in the SEC since Ole Miss started the Tigers’ losing streak in the league three weeks ago. And LSU’s offense improved dramatically last weekend in the three losses at State – 10-8 in 11 innings, 9-8 and 13-8 – with 24 runs on 32 hits, including 13 extra-base hits with seven home runs.
And the pitching could improve from a disastrous past weekend with the possible return of sophomore starting pitcher Casan Evans (2-2, 5.47 ERA, 76 strikeouts, 26 walks). Evans missed his start at State because of arm stiffness, which hurt LSU’s chances in that game and had a ripple effect with significant impact on the Tigers’ next two games as the bullpen had to be extended.
“He’ll throw today,” LSU coach Jay Johnson said. “That doesn’t mean he’ll pitch this weekend. We’ll handle that responsibly. There is nothing wrong with his arm in terms of structurally. But he hasn’t thrown in six days, so there is arm conditioning we have to do. Not ruling him out for later in the weekend. Also not ruling him in. He has started to feel better progressively day by day.”
LSU’s other starting pitchers will be sophomore William Schmidt (4-4, 4.17 ERA, 72 strikeouts, 25 walks) and freshman Marcos Paz (0-2, 7.23 ERA, 26 strikeouts, 16 walks). Paz started last Sunday at State. He allowed three runs on two hits with three walks in three innings while striking out two. When they will start depends on the weather and if Evans starts.
“If Casan pitches last weekend, the series is different, and not just the first game, I really believe that,” Johnson said.
“The season’s not over,” Johnson said when asked about what value of this season remains as the Tigers appear out of the NCAA postseason with nine SEC games remaining and at least one SEC Tournament game. “We are where we are. But I’ve seen things change quicker. We’re not far away. We’re going to be in better position.”
Asked about looking to next year, Johnson repeated, “Again, the season is not over. We are playing younger guys, but the goal is to win all three games. I don’t know if I’m ready to totally dive into that (the future).”
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