Game 50: LSU at Florida—Friday, May 10, 6:30 P.M. EDT, Gainesville
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Game 50: LSU at Florida—Friday, May 10, 6:30 p.m. EDT, Gainesville Down the stretch: LSU begins a brutal six-game stretch to close About Tonight’s Game... the regular season this weekend at Florida. Records ã LSU comes into Gainesville trailing SEC leader Alabama by 2 LSU 33-16, 14-9 (2nd in West, 4th overall); Florida 1/2 games. The Tigers host the Crimson Tide next weekend at 36-13, 16-8 (2nd in East, 3rd overall) Alex Box Stadium. ã The Tigers have won 16 of 20 games since the start of April af- Rankings ter being 17-12 in the first two months of the year. LSU is #20 in ESPN/Baseball Weekly, #21 in Base- ã On April 6, LSU stood last in the SEC West with a 4-6 conference ball America and #25 in Collegiate Baseball mark. Since then, the Tigers have won 10 of 13 league games Florida is #8 in ESPN/Baseball Weekly and Base- to move into second place in the West. ball America, #10 in Collegiate Baseball ã LSU needs one win or one loss by Arkansas to clinch a spot in the SEC Tournament for a record 18th consecutive year. Radio/TV Radio: LSU Sports Network (WDGL-98.1 FM in Ba- Scouting the Gators: Florida has returned to elite status in the SEC ton Rouge)—Jim Hawthorne, Bill Franques under former Mississippi St. skipper Pat McMahon. Gator Network (WRUF-850 AM in Gainesville) — ã LSU coach Smoke Laval was an assistant coach at Florida in Steve Babik, Steve Russell 1982 and ‘83 under Jack Rhine before joining Skip Bertman at Internet: www.lsusports.net (live audio and stats) LSU. Live TV: Sunshine Network (Cox Cable Ch. 4 in Ba- ã The weekend will be a homecoming for Tiger outfielder Matt ton Rouge)—Mick Hubert, Nick Belmonte Heath, who played for the Gators in 1999 and 2000. ã The Gators have been the SEC’s top hitting team all year long, Umpires (assigned by the SEC) and enters the weekend batting .358, 36 points higher than Tony Walsh (Memphis), Mark McGill (Franklin, second place Ole Miss. Florida also leads the league in runs Tenn.) and Jay Asher (Lexington, Ky.) scored and is second in home runs with 84. ã Florida’s home run assault is led by first baseman Ryan Shealy Series (19) and third baseman Pat Osborn (12). LSU leads, 41-23 (since 1971) ã Florida is coming off of its third SEC sweep of the season, tak- ing all three games from Mississippi St. in Starkville. The Gators Last Year have also swept Ole Miss and Vanderbilt at home. LSU won all four meetings, taking three games in ã Gators coach Pat McMahon is a Jacksonville native who left Mis- Baton Rouge (18-10, 4-3 and 10-7), then winning a sissippi St. to replace Andy Lopez in June of 2001. first-round game in the SEC Tournament. ã In his four years sat Mississippi St., McMahon was 8-8 against LSU, including the 2001 SEC Tournament championship that Last Meeting the Bulldogs won 4-1. LSU 10, Florida 0 in 7 innings (5/16/01 at Birming- ham in SEC Tournament) About the Series: LSU has won the last five meetings with the Ga- tors and holds a 41-23 all-time edge. Coaches ã LSU swept the series last year in Baton Rouge, scoring 18-10, 4- Smoke Laval, LSU (33-16 at LSU; 241-159 in 3 and 10-7 victories and have won eight of the last nine meet- seven years at UL-Monroe) ings. Pat McMahon Florida (36-13 at Florida; 10th year ã The Tigers also won 10-0 in last year’s SEC Tournament opener overall, 389-187) in a game that was called by the 10-run rule behind a three-hit shutout from Jason Scobie. Rest of the series ã LSU also defeated Florida 9-6 in the 2000 SEC Tournament Game 2 Saturday at 4 p.m. championship game. Game 3 Sunday at 1 p.m. (Live TV on Jumbo Sports ã Florida’s only series victories against LSU have been in Gaines- Network and Sunshine Network) ville, as the Gators swept the Tigers in 1996, and won two of three in 1988 and 1998. In all three of those years, the Gators reached the College World Series. ã The Tigers are 4-0 against the Gators on college baseball’s big- On Deck gest stage, defeating Florida twice in both the 1991 and 1996 May 17 .......... Alabama, 6:30 p.m. College World Series. In both of those years, LSU went on to win May 18 .......... Alabama, 2 p.m. the national championship. May 19 .......... Alabama, 1 p.m. ã The teams first met in 1971, with the Tigers winning two of END OF REGULAR SEASON three in Baton Rouge. May 22-26 ..... SEC Tournament, Birmingham 5/31-6/2 ....... NCAA Regional, TBA Tonight’s Starting Pitcher #46 Soph. LH Lane Mestepey (6-0, 187, Zachary—Central Private) Lane Mestepey saw his six-game win streak ended last week in a heartbreaking 2-1 loss at Tennessee, where the Vol- unteers won despite getitng just one hit through the first 7.2 innings. Mestepey will try to bounce back in front of what promises to be a tough Florida crowd and Gator senior left-hander Jimmy Ramsahw (4-3, 4.61). CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 2002: Is 9 -3 with a 2.93 ERA on the season; 20-6 for his career. ã Did not allow a walk over a span of 33.0 innings from Feb. 23 to Mar. 23. ã Was 4-0 with a 1.89 ERA in four starts in April, and has not lost since Mar. 16. ã Has thrown nine career complete games. ã Won his 20th game in spectacular fashion vs. Arkansas (4/26), throwing a complete game four-hit shutout for his first career shutout in 35 outings. Mestepey threw 80 of his 115 pitches for strikes and did not walk a batter and allowed just one batter to reach third base. ã Despite losing to Tennessee (5/4, Game 1), Mestepey allowed just one hit through the first 7.2 innings and four hits for the game. ã Giving up a miniscule 1.25 walks per nine innings (13 in 93.1 IP). ã Gave up a career high 12 hits in 8.2 innings at South Carolina (4/19), but still earned the win. ã Pitched third complete game of the season and the seventh of his career to defeat Georgia (4/12). Gave up just two runs and struck out five. ã Earned third straight victory with 6.2 innings at Auburn (4/5), allowing just two earned runs and striking out four. ã Walked none in 6.1 innings to improve to 5-2 with win over Mississippi St. (3/30). ã Picked up second complete game victory at Ole Miss (3/23) despite walking a career-high five batters. ã Gave up five runs (four earned) on nine hits in last outing vs. Vanderbilt (3/16). ã Earned second consecutive LSWA Pitcher of the Week honor for effort vs. UL-Monroe (3/ 9), giving up one run in eight innings. ã Earned complete-game victory at Houston (2/23), giving up just one run on six hits in the final 7.0 innings. ã Followed up Houston game with brilliant 8.0 inning stint vs. Long Beach St. (3/2, Game 2), striking out a career-best eight to improve to 2-0 to earn LSWA Pitcher of the Week honors. ã Struck out six in 7.0-plus innings against Birmingham-Southern (2/9). Carried a shutout into the eighth inning. ã Has 11 quality starts (6.0+ IP, <4 ER) out of 13 this season. 2001: Led the SEC in victories (11) and ERA (3.75), going 11-3 in 22 games (19 starts), pitching 139.1 innings. ã Named the national Freshman of the Year by Collegiate Baseball and was a third team All-American by the same publication. ã Named the 2001 SEC Freshman of the Year and was a first team All-SEC selection. ã Allowed two or fewer earned runs in 11 of 19 starts. ã Yielded only 2.39 walks per nine innings. ã Went 7.1 or more innings in his first eight SEC starts. ã Named SEC Pitcher of the Week on Apr. 16 for sterling Easter Sunday effort vs. Ole Miss. In complete-game victory, Mestepey walked none and scattered nine hits. Was 2-0 with a 1.20 ERA in two outings in 2001 against the Rebels. ã Four days before the Ole Miss victory, he allowed only one earned run over 7.2 innings against Tulane at Zephyr Field. ã Got victory in first career start vs. Kansas St. on Feb. 11, giving up six hits in 6.0 innings. ã Had superb effort in no-decision at Georgia on Mar. 10, giving up one earned run and striking out six in 7.2 innings. ã Fell just short of shutout on Mar. 24 at Mississippi St., allowing one run and no walks while fanning six over 8.1 innings. ã First complete-game came vs. Kentucky on Mar. 30, giving up one earned run and striking out five. ã Did not lose until Apr. 20 vs. Vanderbilt, and even in that loss, he threw a complete game. ã Turned in spectacular complete-game effort at Alabama on Apr.