Preview and Predictions: LSU Baseball vs. Dallas Baptist in Wednesday Night Battle

Jay Johnson and the Tigers hit the road to Arlington for a clash against Dallas Baptist, Top-25 battle in Texas.

Courtesy of LSU Tigers Baseball.

Jay Johnson and the LSU Tigers hit the road to the Lone Star State on Wednesday night for a Top-25 showdown against the Dallas Baptist Patriots.

Johnson and Co. are fresh off of a series victory over the Omaha Mavericks followed by a Monday night run-rule win over the Nicholls State Colonels.

Now, after starting the season with a 7-1 record, all eyes turn towards the biggest test of the year to this point with a matchup against Dallas Baptist in Arlington (Tex.).

The Full Preview: No. 2 LSU Tigers (7-1) vs. No. 17 Dallas Baptist Patriots (6-1)

Date/Time
• Wednesday, February 26 at 7 p.m. CT
Stadium
• Globe Life Field (40,300) in Arlington, Texas
Rankings
• LSU – No. 2 D1 Baseball; No. 2 Perfect Game; No. 3 Baseball America
• DBU – No. 17 Perfect Game, No. 18 Baseball America, No. 19 D1 Baseball
Radio
• LSU Sports Radio Network affiliates
• Live audio at www.LSUsports.net/live; Live stats at www.LSUstats.com
Where to Watch:
• The game will be streamed live on FloCollege Sports

The All-Time Record Between Both Programs:

Wednesday’s game marks the first meeting on the diamond between LSU and Dallas Baptist, which is a member of Conference USA.

LSU has a 54-23 all-time mark versus the current members of Conference USA, including 3-0 vs. Jacksonville State, 3-0 vs. Western Kentucky, 45-22 vs. Louisiana Tech, 0-1 vs. Middle Tennessee, 1-0 vs. Kennesaw State and 2-0 vs. Sam Houston.

LSU will meet Sam Houston at 4 p.m. CT Sunday in the Frisco (Texas) College Baseball Classic.

Pitching Matchup:

LSU – Jr. LH Conner Ware (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 3.0 IP, 1 BB, 2 SO)
DBU – Jr. RH Ryan Borberg (0-0, 3.00 ERA, 3.0 IP, 0 BB, 4 SO)

Jay Johnson's Thoughts:

“I always like to have a team like DBU on our schedule, because you can just book them for 45 wins every year, and that helps our RPI. They’re a team that’s really well-coached, and it’s a team that hopefully we will play in a super-regional type atmosphere, or in Omaha.

"We want to get tested that way – they have big arms and big bats, and they will present a huge challenge for us.”

The Current Betting Lines [FanDuel Sportsbook]:

Spread:
LSU -1.5 (-140)
Dallas Baptist: +1.5 (+108)

Moneyline:
LSU: -220
Dallas Baptist: +168

The Notes: LSU Tigers

• Junior first baseman Jared Jones is batting .444 (8-for-18) in the Tigers’ last five games with one double, one homer, nine RBI and five runs while recording a .522 on-base percentage … Jones was 3-for-5 in last Saturday’s 12-1 win over Omaha with a double, one run scored and five RBI, and he was 2-for-2 in Monday’s win over Nicholls with a homer, three RBI and two runs scored.

• Freshman leftfielder Derek Curiel is hitting .444 (8-for-18) in LSU’s last five games with one double, four BI and six runs … Curiel was 3-for-3 in LSU’s Feb. 18 win over Southern with three RBI and two runs scored … Curiel is hitting a team-high .414 (12-for-29) this season with one double, one homer, eight runs and seven RBI.

• Shortstop Steven Milam is batting .438 (7-for-16) in LSU’s last five games with one double, one triple, one homer, seven RBI and five runs … Milam recorded a career-high five RBI in Monday’s win Nicholls, as he was 2-for-3 at the plate with a three-run homer.

The Notes: Dallas Baptist Patriots

• Dallas Baptist is 6-1 this season with a pair of three-game sweeps over North Dakota State and SIU-Edwardsville, and a 15-5 loss to UT Rio Grande Valley on Feb. 18 at Globe Life Field.

• DBU is hitting .333 this season with 23 doubles, seven home runs and 12 steals in 18 attempts … the Patriots’ pitching staff has registered a 3.66 cumulative ERA and 86 strikeouts in 59 innings … DBU is led at the plate by C/OF Grant Jay, who is hitting .571 (12-for-21) with four doubles, three homers and 13 RBI … infielder Chayton Krauss is second on the club with nine RBI, and he has collected three doubles.

The Prediction: LSU 6, Dallas Baptist 4

Jay Johnson and the LSU Tigers saw an offensive explosion on Saturday in Game 3 against the Omaha Mavericks and carried their momentum into Monday night's win over the Nicholls State Colonels.

Jared Jones, Steven Milam and Co. remain scorching hot at the plate, and despite a challenging foe ahead, their consistency at the plate has the chance to make all the difference.

On the mound for LSU will be Conner Ware who will make his second start of the season for the Tigers.

Johnson and Co. have an opportunity to make a statement in the Lone Star State and cover the -1.5 spread on Wednesday night.

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