Arkansas will head south to take on LSU in a top 10 SEC showdown at Alex Box Stadium. The Razorbacks are coming off one of their best series of the season, sweeping No. 1 Texas in Fayetteville and outscoring the Longhorns 28-9 over three games. Arkansas and LSU were tied for second place in the SEC entering last weekend, but after a series loss to Texas A&M, the Tigers have slipped two games behind the Razorbacks and four behind Texas for the top spot in the conference.
Previewing LSU
The Tigers have the second-best team batting average in the SEC at .306 and rank third in on-base percentage at .419. LSU’s offense hasn’t leaned on the long ball, hitting 75 home runs as a team with just one player in double digits.
Jared Jones has led the LSU offense with a team-high 16 home runs, 60 RBI and 68 hits. Derek Curiel is one of the Tigers’ most consistent hitters, recording a team-high 39 walks while ranking second in both hits 66 and runs scored 51.
LSU’s pitching staff is among the best in the league, holding the third-best ERA in the SEC at 3.74 through 49 games. The Tigers have racked up 551 strikeouts while allowing just 340 hits and 195 walks. Opponents are batting .220 against LSU and have hit only 34 home runs.
Kade Anderson will start Game 1. He has pitched 70 2/3 innings with a 3.57 ERA, recording a team-high 114 strikeouts while allowing 57 hits and 19 walks. Anthony Eyanson will start Game 2. He has a 3.16 ERA in 68 1/3 innings with 105 strikeouts, 54 hits allowed and 26 walks. The Game 3 starter will be announced later.
Previewing Arkansas
Arkansas leads the SEC in team batting average at .316 and ranks third in home runs with 102. The Razorbacks also hold the conference’s highest on-base percentage at .427 and remain one of the most potent offenses in the country.
The lineup is stacked with power, featuring five players with double-digit home runs and seven with eight or more. Wehiwa Aloy leads the team with a .376 batting average, 17 home runs and 76 hits. His brother, Kuhio Aloy, has also impressed in his first season, batting .359 and leading the team with 65 RBI.
The Arkansas pitching staff stepped up in last weekend’s sweep of Texas, holding the Longhorns to just one run in the first two games. The Hogs have the fourth-best ERA in the SEC at 3.75, just behind LSU. Arkansas pitchers have tallied 508 strikeouts while allowing 344 hits and 138 walks. Opponents are batting just .224 and have hit 43 home runs against the Razorbacks.
Zach Root will start Game 1 after a career performance last week. He has a 3.95 ERA in 66 innings, with 92 strikeouts, 54 hits allowed and 24 walks. Gage Wood, who also delivered against Texas, will start Game 2. The right-hander has missed time due to injury but owns a 3.77 ERA in 14 1/3 innings with 28 strikeouts, 10 hits allowed and just two walks. The Game 3 starter will be announced later this weekend.
Broadcast Information
Game 1: May 9, 6:30 p.m. CDT (SEC Network+)
Game 2: May 10, 5:30 p.m. CDT (SEC Network)
Game 3: May 11, 3 p.m. CDT (SEC Network)
All three games will be played at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge.
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