First up tonight @ 7, Brown out of the Ivy league. Their season started just a few hours ago, beating the Fightin' Peppers 8-7 after being down 7-4 heading into the 8th. We play Pepperdine again tomorrow @ 7 (after they play each other again) and Brown again on sunday @ 12. No TV. Pitching matchups Brown at LSU, 7 p.m. Friday LSU - Jr. RHP Austin Ross (1-0, 3.60 ERA, 10.0 IP, 1 BB, 13 SO) BROWN - TBA Pepperdine at LSU, 7 p.m. Saturday LSU - So. RHP Joey Bourgeois (1-0, 3.48 ERA, 10.1 IP, 5 BB, 13 SO) PEP - Jr. LHP Matt Bywater (1-0, 0.64 ERA, 14.0 IP, 5 BB, 14 SO) Brown at LSU, 12 p.m. Sunday LSU - TBA BROWN - TBA
"This weekend will provide our team with a tremendous challenge," said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. "Both Pepperdine and Brown have excellent clubs, and we'll certainly have to be at our best to win these games. Pepperdine is a program that has won the College World Series (1992), and they are perennially one of the best teams on the West Coast. Brown is one of the top clubs in the Ivy League; they set a school record last season with a 15-5 record in conference play." Although not officially given a name, this is pretty much an Alex Box Invitational Tournament, similar to the recent Auburn Tournament and Vandy's Music City Classic this weekend. Three teams--LSU, Pepperdine (Malibu, CA), and Brown (Providence, RI)--play six games in the Box over four days (Thursday to Sunday). Each team plays each other twice in the Box. The two Brown vs. Pepperdine games in the Box are free admission. Note that LSU plays one game each day, while Brown plays a double-header today, and Pepperdine plays a double-header tomorrow. Thursday, March 4 Pepperdine vs. LSU, 6:30 p.m. CT Friday, March 5 Brown vs. Pepperdine, 2 p.m. CT Brown vs. LSU, 7 p.m. CT Saturday, March 6 Pepperdine vs. Brown, 2 p.m. CT Pepperdine vs. LSU, 7 p.m. CT Sunday, March 7 Brown vs. LSU, Noon CT
LSU starters: Batting lineup 1. Watkins LF 2. Nola SS 3. Dean 1B 4. Gibbs C 5. Hanover 2B 6. Landry CF 7. Mahtook RF 8. Gaudet DH 9. Delatte 3B -----------------CF Landry----------------- ----LF Watkins--------------RF Mahtook---- ----------SS Nola-----2B Hanover--------- --3B Delatte-----P Ross--------1B Dean -----------------C Gibbs------------------
Top of the first... Brown at bat. Groundout to Nola, 1 out. Single to center, runner on 1st. Fly out to Watkins, 2 outs. Fly out to Mahtook to end the inning.
Brown baseball's recent history: 2009: 24-19 (55.8%) -- #2 in Ivy League (15-5) 2008: 20-24 (45.5%) -- #5 in Ivy League (9-11) 2007: 26-21 (56.3%) -- #1 in Ivy League (14-6) -- 4th place, Round Rock Regional 2006: 16-24 (40.0%) -- #3 in Ivy League (12-8) 2005: 23-19 (54.8%) -- #2 in Ivy League (14-6) 2004: 16-26 (38.1%) -- #5 in Ivy League (9-11) 2003: 18-28 (39.1%) -- #7 in Ivy League (8-12) The Ivy League Champion (there are 8 teams in the Ivy League) gets an automatic berth in one of the four-team NCAA Regionals in the NCAA Tourney. In recent history, the Ivy team in the Regional always finishes last, except for in 2004, when George Mason finished last. Ivy League Champions 2009: Dartmouth -- 4th Place, Chapel Hill Regional 2008: Columbia -- 4th place, Conway Regional 2007: Brown -- 4th place, Round Rock Regional 2006: Princeton -- 4th Place, Fayetteville Regional 2005: Harvard -- 4th Place, Fullerton Regional 2004: Princeton -- 3rd Place, Charlottesville Regional (George Mason finished 4th) 2003: Princeton -- 4th Place, Auburn Regional
Bottom of the first... Watkins singles to left-center. Nola up. Watkins tries to steal 2nd, and is thrown out by Brown's catcher, a third-year starter as a junior, and captain of the team. 1 out. Nola grounds out to 3B. Dean walks. Gibbs is hit by a pitch. Runners at 1st and 2nd. Hanover pops out to 1B for out #3.
Top of the 2nd... first Brown batter is walked, runner at 1st. Next batter: strike 1, strike 2, strike 3 swinging on a breaking pitch by Ross!! Next batter: foul, foul, foul, strike 3 swinging!!! Ross goes full count with the next batter... and then the batter grounds out to Hanover to end the inning.
