GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
The day after the Southeastern Conference made history with a national record 14 invitees to the men’s basketball NCAA Tournament, the LSU baseball team may have become the first team in any sport anywhere in the universe to lose a No. 1 ranking after winning 15 straight games.
Yes, the Tigers (20-1, 3-0 Southeastern Conference) fell from No. 1 to No. 2 in the D1Baseball poll on Monday despite winning their 15th straight game on Sunday, 10-5, over Missouri to sweep their opening SEC series for the first time since 2019.
But Missouri was not ranked and limped out of town at 8-11 and 0-3. So, since No. 2 Tennessee swept No. 6 Florida, 5-3, 10-0 (by the 10-run rule in seven innings) and 7-4 over the weekend, the Volunteers (20-0, 3-0 SEC) deservedly bumped the Tigers for the No. 1 spot. And Tennessee remained No. 1 in the Baseball America and USA Today polls.
The Volunteers also are No. 1 in the nation in D1Baseball’s RPI (Ratings Percentage Index) despite a No. 60 Strength of Schedule (SOS) ranking. LSU’s SOS is No. 290 as the Tigers have only two wins over teams with winning records – No. 15 Dallas Baptist (14-5) and Kansas State (12-7). LSU has five wins over teams with five or fewer wins – 5-13 North Alabama, 5-13 Omaha (and a loss to Omaha), 4-15 Sam Houston State, 4-14 North Dakota State and 1-17 Purdue-Fort Wayne.
LSU did have two better opponents on the schedule that got out of games last fall, LSU coach Jay Johnson has said numerous times. LSU’s SOS and RPI numbers will go up as it plays more SEC teams after starting with Missouri, which was predicted to finish last in the league.
“It’s unquestionably the best conference in the country,” Johnson said. “It’s always coming.”
The best of the SEC will be seeing LSU soon.
The Tigers, the 2023 national champions, will get their crack at defending national champion Tennessee, which leads the nation in home runs with 2.65 a game (53 overall), on April 25-27 in Baton Rouge. The Vols also lead the nation in slugging percentage at .662 and in ERA at 1.72. Tennessee is second in runs scored with 11.3 and in on base percentage at .473.
LSU is fourth nationally in batting average (.341), on base percentage (.465) and in runs scored (10.3).
NEW ORLEANS, THEN AT NO. 8 TEXAS
The Tigers host the University of New Orleans (11-7) at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, then are off to No. 8 Texas (17-1, 3-0 SEC) for a three-game series in beautiful Austin, beginning at 7 p.m. Friday on the SEC Network. The 6 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday games will be carried by SEC Network+.
The Longhorns under first-year coach Jim Schlossnagle, who left Texas A&M after getting the Aggies into the national championship game last season before losing to Tennessee, swept three at Mississippi State over the weekend, 8-7 on Friday and 5-3 and 4-1 on Sunday in a doubleheader of seven-inning games. Schlossnagle wanted the LSU job that Johnson got after the 2021 season, then left TCU for Texas A&M.
Schlossnagle was harshly criticized for leaving the Aggies in the lurch after three seasons and criticized by his athletic director, Trev Alberts. But Alberts acted like he conveniently forgot about how he left Nebraska for A&M just months months before Schlossnagle’s move – in very similar fashion to Schlossnagle.
Schlossnagle, a former Tulane assistant who took TCU to Omaha five times in seven years from 2010-17 and the Aggies twice in three years, already has Texas seemingly on its way.
“It’s going to be awesome,” Johnson said Monday night on the first of his weekly radio shows this season at TJ Ribs. “You all need to head out there. It’s going to be a great weekend for college baseball. Can’t wait. I love playing there. They’re good, obviously, just like we are. Can’t wait to sink our teeth into that, and whatever purple they allow us to have in the stadium, let’s fill it up. They have a very veteran offensive lineup. And pitching has kind of been their carrying tool so far.”
The Longhorns are No. 6 in the nation in ERA at 3.06.
“They’ve done a good job out of the bullpen,” Johnson said. “So, runs will be at a premium, I’m sure. It’s going to be great.”
GAVIN GUIDRY UPDATE
It does not look like LSU junior reliever Gavin Guidry will be available this week as he tries to recover from a lower back injury and has not pitched this season.
“It’s a day-to-day thing,” Johnson said Monday night. “It’s an odd deal. He can throw, but he’s not able to pitch yet. We’re doing everything we can to make sure he doesn’t hurt his body by coming back too soon. It’s not an arm thing. I don’t have a hard line update.”
On Sunday after the sweep of Missouri, Johnson said he is leaving it up to the medical staff.
“I’m just waiting for the green light,” he said. “He’s got to be good to go. We really need Gavin to be the best team we can be.”
DEREK CURIEL IS SEC CO-FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Left fielder Derek Curiel hit .571 (8-for-14) with a .647 on-base percentage with two doubles, a triple, four RBIs and six runs scored in four games last week for the Tigers and was named the SEC’s co-freshman of the week on Monday. In the Missouri series, Curiel hit .455 (5-for-11) with a .571 on-base percentage as he tripled with three RBIs and four runs scored.
Curiel leads the SEC in batting average (.451), hits (32) and walks (23) and is No. 2 in on-base percentage at .598. He is LSU’s only player to reach base in all 21 games.
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