FPN Series of the Week: No. 16 LSU vs. No. 12 Tennessee
There are so many great series on tap for this weekend that we had a hard time deciding but after much deliberation, this weekend’s Series of the Week features the nation’s hottest team, the Tennessee Volunteers.
Tennessee is fresh off a two-game sweep of Alabama (third game was canceled) and is riding an 18-game win streak into Baton Rogue. The Vols are 11-3 against ranked opponents this year and won 10 consecutive games against ranked teams.
Meanwhile, the LSU Tigers have lost five of their last seven including being a swept by Ole Miss last weekend. LSU has won six of the past nine meetings against Tennessee including an extra-innings win in last year’s SEC Tournament semifinal.
At the Plate:
This series features two of the best hitters in the country. LSU’s Bailey Landry leads the SEC and is ranked second in Division I with a .483 average. Tennessee’s Meghan Gregg is eighth in the nation with a .467.
Tennessee’s one-two punch of Gregg and Brooke Vines is the most productive pair in the SEC. The two rank first and second in RBI with 62 and 48. Gregg’s 62 also leads the country. Over the past 18 games, Vines has reached base in each one and recorded a RBI in 15 of those.
With Landry’s .518 on-base percentage at the top, Sahvanna Jaquish is more than likely to bring her in. Jaquish leads the Tigers with 43 RBI. Her 43 RBI ranks fifth in the SEC.
Another tough @SEC series awaits this weekend as the Vols travel to take on #16 @LSUsoftball. PREVIEW: https://t.co/eDwNqnVUvw
— Tennessee Softball (@Vol_Softball) April 19, 2017
In the Circle:
LSU has a seasoned, veteran staff in Carley Hoover, Allie Walljasper and Sydney Smith. All three have ERA’s under 2.00 (0.95, 1.11 and 1.51) and have thrown almost the same amount of innings (95.2, 88.1 and 83.2). Hoover has appeared in 19 games and allowed 44 hits, 25 runs, 13 earned runs and 47 walks. The walks have been her biggest issue this season but she makes up for it with 121 strikeouts. Walljasper has allowed 19 runs, 14 earned, in 17 appearances. Smith is more of a pitch to contact and let the defense work pitcher. She has 48 strikeouts in 16 appearances.
The Vols pitching is young and on fire. Sophomore Matty Moss and freshman Caylan Arnold have combined for 37 wins and 248 strikeouts. Moss has appeared in 32 games, started 17 and has a 20-1 record with a 1.28 ERA. Arnold has started 21 of 29 with a 17-4 record and 1.67 ERA. Opponents are hitting less than .200 against both pitchers.
Analysis & Prediction
LSU is coming off a brutal past couple of weeks and does not want to start the weekend off with another loss, especially at home. Look for the Tigers to take the first game of the series but the Vols will bounce back. The lineup is rolling from top to bottom and the pitchers are confident. Game 1 is set for 7 p.m. ET on Friday with Game 2 at 4 p.m. Saturday and Game 3 is at 2 p.m. Sunday. The first two games can be seen on SEC Network + and WatchESPN. The third will be on SEC Network.
Pick: Tennessee
