LSU vs. Kentucky: Super regional schedule, possible lineups, pitchers

NCAA TOURNAMENT

Baton Rouge Super Regional

Series Schedule

GAME 1: 7:06 p.m. Saturday (ESPN)

GAME 2: TBD Sunday (TV TBA)

GAME 3: TBD Monday (TV TBA)*

* if necesSary

THE TIGERS

LSU PLAYER TO WATCH

Dylan Crews

Labeled by many as the greatest player in LSU’s storied baseball history, there isn’t much that can be written about this talented Floridian that hasn’t already been said in his three seasons in Baton Rouge. The only things the two-time Southeastern Conference player of the year needs to put a purple and gold bow on his brilliant collegiate career is a trip to Omaha for the College World Series, and, of course, help the school claim its first national championship since 2009. The Golden Spikes and Dick Howser award finalist has compiled a .379 batting average in 177 career games with an on-base percentage of .496 and slugging percentage of .736. Labeled a “five-tool” prospect for the upcoming MLB draft by most publications, Crews is no slouch defensively. The speedy outfielder has committed just three errors in 438 total chances for a career fielding percentage of .993.

Likely Starters

Average/On-base/Slugging

1. DYLAN CREWS, CF

.432/.573/.736, 17 HRs, 63 RBIs

LSU’s top offensive player is back on track after a tough start to the month of May and has hit .412 in the past 11 games.

2. TOMMY WHITE, 3B

.378/.442/.742, 20 HRs, 93 RBIs

Tigers’ long-ball king has clobbered a home run in every 9.8 at-bats in his two-year college career at NC State and at LSU.

3. TRE’ MORGAN, 1B

.303/.416/.469, 7 HRs, 44 RBIs

Slick fielder was a two-time All-SEC defensive pick, but spent some time in left field this season before moving back to first late in the season.

4. HAYDEN TRAVINSKI, C

.427/.520/.854, 10 HRs, 29 RBIs

While a veteran, Travinski didn’t get his first start until the Ole Miss series, and he’s been a reliable bat as of late and a key for the offense with a homer in every 8.2 at-bats.

5. CADE BELOSO, DH

.329/.457/.631, 13 HRs, 38 RBIs

Enjoyed a bounce-back season after missing the 2022 campaign with a knee injury and has been productive with his power and timely hitting.

6. GAVIN DUGAS, 2B

.286/.450/.578, 14 HRs, 41 RBIs

Taking advantage of a fifth season, he handled a move from left field to second base and has had a solid season at the plate.

7. BRAYDEN JOBERT, RF

.305/.419/.578, 11 HRs, 41 RBIs

Took over in right field after Dylan Crews’ move to center and, like the Tigers’ All-American, has not been charged with an error in 41 starts.

8. JORDAN THOMPSON, SS

.269/.399/.491, 11 HRs, 46 RBIs

Wiry, strong-armed shortstop has shown some additional pop in his bat as a junior with career-highs in both home runs (11) and runs batted in (46).

9. JOSH PEARSON, LF

.250/.403/.404, 2 HRs, 24 RBIs

Speedy outfielder has assumed a more-regular role in left field lately and has started to hit the ball better with more opportunities at the plate.

Pitching Rotation

NO. 1 STARTER

PAUL SKENES

JUNIOR, RHP

11-2 | 1.90 ERA | 99.1 IP | 17 BB | 179 K

Like Dylan Crews, this Air Force transfer has put up ridiculous numbers. Using a four-pitch arsenal, the 6-foot-6, 247-pounder usually overpowers batters with a 100 mph fastball, but he also possesses a devastating breaking ball that has him just 24 strikeouts away from overtaking the great Ben McDonald as the program’s all-time leader.

NO. 2 STARTER

TY FLOYD

JUNIOR, RHP

7-0 | 4.34 ERA | 74.2 IP | 31 BB | 88 K

After going 5-6 in his first two seasons, Floyd has flourished as a Saturday starter. He’s second on the team with 88 strikeouts and LSU produced a 7-3 record in the conference with Floyd on the mound.

NO. 3 STARTER

THATCHER HURD

SOPHOMORE, RHP

6-2 | 6.49 ERA | 51.1 IP | 34 BB | 71 K

The UCLA transfer has come on as a spot starter and situational reliever. In Sunday’s NCAA regional win against Oregon State, he recorded 12 strikeouts in five innings.

Top Relievers

CLOSER

GAVIN GUIDRY

FRESHMAN, RHP

2 saves | 3.86 ERA | 21.0 IP | 11 BB | 32 K

Former Louisiana Gatorade Player of the Year came to LSU as an infielder, but has sparkled in the bullpen after early injuries ate up pitching depth.

Others

Riley Cooper, Jr. LHP

5.33 ERA, 49.0 IP, 52 K

Griffin Herring, Fr. LHP

4.55 ERA, 29.2 IP, 35 K

Nate Ackenhausen, Jr. LHP

3.63 ERA, 22.1 IP, 24 K

The Coach

JAY JOHNSON

Johnson, who is 86-37 in two seasons at LSU, is looking to get to Omaha for a third time after taking Arizona in 2016 and ’21.

Numbers to Know

65

Consecutive games that Dylan Crews has reached base, a streak that began with the final four games in 2022 and includes all 61 games this season.

16.22

Strikeouts per nine innings for right-hander Paul Skenes, who leads the nation in that category. The 6-foot-6, 247-pound flamethrower has fanned a Division I-best 179 batters.

18

College World Series appearances for LSU in the past 36 full seasons — the most in the nation since the Tigers’ first trip to Omaha in 1986.

THE WILDCATS

KENTUCKY PLAYER TO WATCH

Emilien Pitre

The native of Quebec, Canada, was named the best hitter at the Canada Cup in 2019, then played on the Canadian Junior National Team in 2020 and was the No. 6 prospect in Quebec in high school in 2021. After playing in just 11 games as a freshman, the 5-foot-11, 175-pounder who barely spoke English after arriving in Lexington, earned a starting job this season and has run with it. He was a second-team All-SEC pick and was an All-Defensive team selection at second base. He’s the team’s third-best hitter at .322 and is third in RBIs (51) and stolen bases (18). LSU fans know what he can do with the bat after he went 7-for-9 with eight RBIs in the first two games of a mid-April series in Alex Box Stadium. The slick-fielding Pitre committed just five errors in 254 total chances in 59 games this season for the nation’s second-best defense.

Likely Starters

Average/On-base/Slugging

1. JACKSON GRAY, CF

.348/.504/.548, 41 BB, 19 SBs

Speedy outfielder sets the table for the SEC’s fourth-best hitting team by average. His on-base percentage of .504 is third in the conference.

2. JASE FELKER, 3B

.297/.434/.362, 29 RBIs, 20 SBs

Has batted in the No. 2 spot most of the season, but after being dropped down went back up for the NCAA tournament.

3. DEVIN BURKES, C

.298/.432/.502, 8 HRs, 52 RBIs

Was the hitting star of the NCAA Lexington regional in going 6 for 13 with two homers, two doubles and seven RBIs — hitting .462 in five games.

4. EMILIEN PITRE, 2B

.322/.448/.421, 51 RBIs, 18 SBs

Slightly-built infielder has just one homer, but does everything else very well. He’s a selective hitter with 42 walks and 32 strikeouts in 200-plus plate appearances.

5. HUNTER GILLIAM, 1B

.324/.417/.560, 12 HRs, 71 RBIs

UK’s best long-ball threat has a hefty average to go with 12 homers. He’s also exceptional with the glove with four errors in 497 total chances.

6. REUBEN CHURCH, DH

.291/.438/.430, 3 HRs, 20 RBIs

Church was UK’s second-leading hitter with a .333 average in the regional. He’s one of seven UK players to be hit by a pitch at least 10 times.

7. RYAN WALDSCHMIDT, LF

.289/.427/.448, 5 HRs, 37 RBIs

Versatile hitter has moved up and down the lineup for most of the season, being penciled in at every spot except cleanup and the No. 9 hole.

8. NOLAN McCARTHY, RF

.290/.354/.435, 3 HRs, 27 RBIs

Was rewarded with four starts in the regional and delivered two home runs, which may have earned him more opportunities in the super regional.

9. GRANT SMITH, SS

.283/.378/.449, 8 HRs, 30 RBIs

Started all 59 games at shortstop and was charged with just three errors and has shown some pop from the nine-hole spot with eight home runs.

Pitching Rotation

NO. 1 STARTER

TRAVIS SMITH

FRESHMAN, RHP

4-3 | 4.84 ERA | 48.1 IP | 26 BB | 43 K

Battler came back from Tommy John surgery and heart surgery to be coach Nick Mingione’s mid-week starter, then assumed the role as Friday starter for the last three SEC series.

NO. 2 STARTER

ZACK LEE

SENIOR, RHP

5-3 | 3.74 ERA | 67.1 IP | 27 BB | 73 K

Was the Saturday mound option most of the season and was UK’s most consistent starter. He was roughed up by LSU on April 15, however, and lasted just 1⅓ innings.

NO. 3 STARTER

AUSTIN STRICKLAND

JUNIOR, RHP

4-1 | 4.44 ERA | 52.2 IP | 16 BB | 57 K

Struggled in the bullpen most of the season, but got two starts late in the season. He had back-to-back six-plus innings of work to perhaps earn another start.

Top Relievers

CLOSER

MASON MOORE

SOPHOMORE, RHP

4 saves | 1.95 ERA | 50.2 IP | 28 BB | 49 K

UK’s relief ace will more often than not be used for multiple innings, not just to close. His main weapon is a sinker that’s hard to hit.

Others

Darren Williams, Gr. RHP

5.33 ERA, 49.0 IP, 52 K

Ryan Hagenow, Jr. RHP

3.91 ERA, 25.1 IP, 34 K

Ryder Giles, Sr. RHP

4.00 ERA, 18.0 IP, 13 K

The Coach

NICK MINGIONE

Mingione is 216-148 in seven seasons at Kentucky. He was named national coach of the year in 2017 after guiding the program to its first super regional.

Numbers to Know

201

Total runs scored by Kentucky in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings this season to its opponents’ 80 in 59 games played.

.9838

UK’s fielding percentage, which is a close second in Division I behind Oral Roberts’ .9841. Both teams have committed just 34 errors this season.

55

Successful sacrifice bunts for Kentucky, a team that doesn’t mind playing a little small-ball to get its runs across the plate, which ranks fifth nationally.