# 2018 LSU Tigers baseball team

The 2018 LSU Tigers baseball team represented Louisiana State University (LSU) during the 2018 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Tigers played their home games at Alex Box Stadium as a member of the Southeastern Conference. They were led by head coach Paul Mainieri, in his 12th season at LSU.

## Previous season

In 2017, the Tigers won the SEC's Western Division with a record of 52–20–0, 21–9–0 in conference play. They qualified for the 2017 Southeastern Conference baseball tournament and defeated Arkansas in the final, 4–2. They qualified for the 2017 NCAA Division I baseball tournament as the SEC champion, and were selected as the No. 4 overall national seed. The Tigers were selected as hosts of the Baton Rouge regional, which included Rice, Southeastern Louisiana, and Texas Southern. The Tigers swept through the Regional, defeating Texas Southern, 15–7, Southeastern 11–6, and Rice 5–0 advancing to the Super Regional where they hosted conference rival Mississippi State. After a 4–3 comeback victory in which they trailed 3–0 in the bottom of the eighth inning, LSU beat the Bulldogs 14–4 the following night to advance to their 18th World Series. The Tigers defeated Florida State in their opening game 5–4, but then fell to overall number one seed Oregon State 13–1 placing them on the brink of elimination. The Tigers once again beat Florida State 7–4 to earn the right to face Oregon State once again, needing to win twice. LSU advanced to the finals winning 3–1 then 6–1 eliminating the Beavers. In the championship, LSU faced conference rival Florida. The Tigers lost a close Game 1 4–3 then were defeated 6–1 the following night to finish national runners-up, while the Gators earned their first national championship.

## Personnel
### Roster

Reference:

### Coaching staff

| Name | Position | Seasons at LSU | Alma Mater |
| Paul Mainieri | Head coach | 12 | Florida International University (1980) |
| Alan Dunn | Associate head coach | 7 | University of Alabama at Birmingham (1991) |
| Nolan Cain | Assistant coach/recruiting coordinator | 5 | Louisiana State University (2009) |
| Micah Gibbs | Director of player development | 3 | Louisiana State University (2010) |
| Sean Ochinko | Volunteer Coach/Hitting Coach | 1 | Louisiana State University (2017) |
| Travis Roy | Strength and conditioning coordinator | 3 | Louisiana State University (2012) |
| Nate Fury | Strength and conditioning coordinator | 2 | Louisiana State University (2014) |
| Leon Landry | Undergraduate Assistant Coach | 1 | Louisiana State University (2010) |
| Jamie Tutko | Video coordinator | 2 | Saint Leo University (2011) |
Reference:

## Schedule

Legend :
| | LSU win |
| | LSU loss |
| Bold | LSU team member |
2018 LSU Tigers Game Log :
Regular season (33–23) :
February (5–4) :
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Stadium Site | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall Record | SEC Record |
| February 16 | Notre Dame | No. 10 | Alex Box Stadium Baton Rouge, LA | 7–6 | Bain (1–0) | Vierling (0–1) | None | 12,844 | 1–0 | – |
| February 17 | Notre Dame | No. 10 | Alex Box Stadium | 5–10 | Sheehan (1–0) | Hess (0–1) | Kmet (1) | 12,223 | 1–1 | – |
| February 18 | Notre Dame | No. 10 | Alex Box Stadium | 3–11 | Boyle (1–0) | Peterson (0–1) | Belcik (1) | 10,384 | 1–2 | – |
| February 21 | New Orleans | No. 15 | Alex Box Stadium | 14–6 | Hilliard (1–0) | Griffin (0–1) | None | 10,154 | 2–2 | – |
| February 23 | No. 19 Texas | No. 15 | Alex Box Stadium | 13–4 | Hess (1–1) | Kingham (1–1) | None | 11,102 | 3–2 | – |
| February 24 | No. 19 Texas | No. 15 | Alex Box Stadium | 10–5 | Beck (1–0) | Elder (1–1) | None | 12,038 | 4–2 | – |
| February 25 | No. 19 Texas | No. 15 | Alex Box Stadium | 1–11 | Henley (1–0) | Peterson (0–2) | None | 10,762 | 4–3 | – |
| February 27 | Grambling State | No. 14 | Alex Box Stadium | 10–3 | Hilliard (2–0) | Escano (0–1) | None | 10,262 | 5–3 | – |
| February 28 | at Southeastern LA | No. 14 | Pat Kenelly Diamond Hammond, LA | 4–5 | Koestler (2–0) | Peterson (0–3) | Tassin (2) | 3,101 | 5–4 | – |
March (13–7) :
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Stadium Site | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall Record | SEC Record |
| March 2 | Toledo | No. 14 | Alex Box Stadium | 8–1 | Hess (2–1) | Jacob (0–2) | None | 10,346 | 6–4 | – |
| March 3 | Sacred Heart | No. 14 | Alex Box Stadium | 7–0 | Gilbert (1–0) | Taubl (0–2) | None | 11,007 | 7–4 | – |
| March 4 | Southeastern LA | No. 14 | Alex Box Stadium | 4–2 | Hilliard (3–0) | Granier (1–1) | Bain (1) | 10,990 | 8–4 | – |
| March 6 | Southern | No. 13 | Alex Box Stadium | 8–2 | Sanders (1–0) | Snyder (1–2) | Peterson (1) | 9,924 | 9–4 | – |
| March 7 | at Louisiana | No. 13 | M. L. Tigue Moore Field Lafayette, LA | 3–4$^{10}$ | Stoelke (1–0) | Bain (0–1) | None | 5,499 | 9–5 | – |
| March 9 | Hawaii | No. 13 | Alex Box Stadium | 2–4 | Rees (2–0) | Hess (2–2) | Thomas (5) | 10,686 | 9–6 | – |
| March 10 | Hawaii | No. 13 | Alex Box Stadium | 5–1 | Gilbert (2–0) | DeMiero (1–1) | None | 10,866 | 10–6 | – |
| March 11 | Hawaii | No. 13 | Alex Box Stadium | 14–1 | Hilliard (4–0) | Pouelsen (2–1) | None | 10,334 | 11–6 | – |
| March 14 | South Alabama | No. 16 | Alex Box Stadium | 9–4 | Labas (1–0) | Yarborough (1–1) | None | 10,456 | 12–6 | – |
| March 16 | No. 24 Missouri | No. 16 | Alex Box Stadium | 4–2 | Hess (3–2) | Montes (3–1) | Bain (2) | 10,334 | 13–6 | 1–0 |
| March 17 | No. 24 Missouri | No. 16 | Alex Box Stadium | 6–12 | Plassmeyer (3–0) | Gilbert (2–1) | None | 10,747 | 13–7 | 1–1 |
| March 18 | No. 24 Missouri | No. 16 | Alex Box Stadium | 7–5 | Hilliard (5–0) | Toelken (2–2) | None | 10,141 | 14–7 | 2–1 |
| March 21 | Tulane | No. 15 | Alex Box Stadium | 10–4 | Labas (2–0) | Solesky (1–2) | None | 10,319 | 15–7 | – |
| March 23 | at No. 5 Vanderbilt | No. 15 | Hawkins Field Nashville, TN | 2–4 | Fellows (4–0) | Hess (3–3) | King (2) | 3,136 | 15–8 | 2–2 |
| March 24 | at No. 5 Vanderbilt | No. 15 | Hawkins Field | 6–2 | Gilbert (3–1) | Raby (2–3) | None | 3,211 | 16–8 | 3–2 |
| March 25 | at No. 5 Vanderbilt | No. 15 | Hawkins Field | 0–1$^7$ | Hickman (5–0) | Hilliard (4–1) | None | 3,399 | 16–9 | 3–3 |
| March 27 | vs.Louisiana | No. 19 | Shrine on Airline Metairie, LA | 1–3 | Harris (1–1) | Labas (2–1) | Stoelke (6) | 8,732 | 16–10 | – |
| March 29 | Mississippi State | No. 19 | Alex Box Stadium | 10–1 | Hess (4–3) | Pilkington (1–4) | None | 10,532 | 17–10 | 4–3 |
| March 30 | Mississippi State | No. 19 | Alex Box Stadium | 1–4 | Small (2–2) | Gilbert (3–2) | Gordon (2) | 11,132 | 17–11 | 4–4 |
| March 31 | Mississippi State | No. 19 | Alex Box Stadium | 4–0 | Hilliard (6–1) | Billingsley (2–2) | Bush (1) | 11,133 | 18–11 | 5–4 |
| The game was suspended during the eighth inning due to rain and continued at 10:00 a.m. on March 25 prior to the start of the game scheduled for that day. |||||||||||
April (8–8) :
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Stadium Site | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall Record | SEC Record |
| April 3 | Nicholls State | No. 21 | Alex Box Stadium | 10–1 | Labas (3–1) | Taylor (2–4) | None | 11,258 | 19–11 | – |
| April 5 | at Texas A&M | No. 21 | Olsen Field College Station, TX | 4–1 | Hess (5–3) | Kolek (3–4) | None | 4,818 | 20–11 | 6–4 |
| April 6 | at Texas A&M | No. 21 | Olsen Field | 2–9 | Doxakis (5–1) | Gilbert (3–3) | None | 5,761 | 20–12 | 6–5 |
| April 7 | at Texas A&M | No. 21 | Olsen Field | 1–3 | Kilkenny (7–0) | Hilliard (6–2) | None | 6,288 | 20–13 | 6–6 |
| April 10 | Louisiana Tech | No. 23 | Alex Box Stadium | 2–0 | Labas (4–1) | Leal (2–2) | Bain (3) | 10,647 | 21–13 | – |
| April 13 | Tennessee | No. 23 | Alex Box Stadium | 9–3 | Hess (6–3) | Crochet (2–5) | None | 10,848 | 22–13 | 7–6 |
| April 14 | Tennessee | No. 23 | Alex Box Stadium | 14–5 | Hilliard (7–2) | Stallings (4–3) | Gilbert (1) | 10,578 | 23–13 | 8–6 |
| April 15 | Tennessee | No. 23 | Alex Box Stadium | 9–7 | Petersen (1–0) | Linginfelter (2–4) | None | 10,451 | 24–13 | 9–6 |
| April 18 | at Tulane | No. 18 | Turchin Stadium New Orleans, LA | 9–10 | Johnson (2–2) | Beck (1–1) | None | 5,000 | 24–14 | – |
| April 20 | at South Carolina | No. 18 | Founders Park Columbia, SC | 0–11 | Chapman (3–0) | Hess (6–4) | None | 6,952 | 24–15 | 9–7 |
| April 21 | at South Carolina | No. 18 | Founders Park | 4–11 | Hill (4–4) | Hilliard (7–3) | None | 7,982 | 24–16 | 9–8 |
| April 22 | at South Carolina | No. 18 | Founders Park | 6–8 | Demurias (4–0) | Bain (1–2) | Bridges (2) | 7,141 | 24–17 | 9–9 |
| April 24 | Lamar | | Alex Box Stadium | 8–0 | Labas (1–1) | Campbell (1–7) | None | 10,027 | 25–17 | – |
| April 26 | at No. 8 Ole Miss | | Swayze Field Oxford, MS | 3–14 | Rolison (6–3) | Kodros (0–1) | None | 8,062 | 25–18 | 9–10 |
| April 27 | at No. 8 Ole Miss | | Swayze Field | 5–2 | Hilliard (8–3) | Feigl (7–3) | None | 11,861 | 26–18 | 10–10 |
| April 28 | at No. 8 Ole Miss | | Swayze Field | 8–9 | Ethridge (2–1) | Gilbert (3–4) | Caracci (8) | 12,152 | 26–19 | 10–11 |
May (7–4) :
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Stadium Site | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall Record | SEC Record |
| May 4 | No. 6 Arkansas | | Alex Box Stadium | 4–5 | Loseke (2–1) | Bush (0–1) | Reindl (5) | 10,776 | 26–20 | 10–12 |
| May 5 | No. 6 Arkansas | | Alex Box Stadium | 6–4 | Fontenot (1–0) | Murphy (5–4) | Peterson (2) | 10,948 | 27–20 | 11–12 |
| May 6 | No. 6 Arkansas | | Alex Box Stadium | 7–5 | Labas (6–1) | Campbell (3–5) | Beck (1) | 10,932 | 28–20 | 12–12 |
| May 9 | McNeese State | | Alex Box Stadium | 13–3$^7$ | Vietmeier (1–0) | Wesley (3–4) | None | 10,436 | 29–20 | – |
| May 11 | Alabama | | Alex Box Stadium | 7–5 | Kodros (1–1) | Medders (0–4) | Peterson (3) | 10,685 | 30–20 | 13–12 |
| May 12 | Alabama | | Alex Box Stadium | 1–6 | Walters (3–5) | Hilliard (8–4) | None | 11,153 | 30–21 | 13–13 |
| May 13 | Alabama | | Alex Box Stadium | 7–3 | Bush (1–1) | Rukes (1–3) | None | 10,758 | 31–21 | 14–13 |
| May 15 | Northwestern State | No. 28 | Alex Box Stadium | 9–5 | Beck (2–1) | Pigott (1–1) | Bain (4) | 10,872 | 32–21 | – |
| May 17 | at Auburn | No. 28 | Plainsman Park Auburn, AL | 4–11 | Tanner (5–4) | Hess (6–5) | Greenhill (5) | 2,988 | 32–22 | 14–14 |
| May 18 | at Auburn | No. 28 | Plainsman Park | 6–2 | Hilliard (9–4) | Mize (9–4) | Peterson (4) | 3,746 | 33–22 | 15–14 |
| May 19 | at Auburn | No. 28 | Plainsman Park | 5–14 | Mitchell (2–1) | Labas (6–2) | None | 3,568 | 33–23 | 15–15 |
Postseason (6–4) :
SEC Tournament :
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Stadium Site | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall record | SECT Record |
| May 22 | vs. (9) Mississippi State | (8) | Metropolitan Stadium Hoover, AL | 8–5 | Fontenot (2–0) | France (4–4) | Peterson (5) | 8,072 | 34–23 | 1–0 |
| May 23 | vs. No. 2 (1) Florida | (8) | Metropolitan Stadium | 3–4 | Mace (4–0) | Hilliard (9–5) | Byrne (13) | 6,710 | 34–24 | 1–1 |
| May 24 | vs. No. 14 (5) South Carolina | (8) | Metropolitan Stadium | 6–4$^{12}$ | Peterson (1–3) | Gilreath (0–1) | None | 7,197 | 35–24 | 2–1 |
| May 25 | vs. No. 2 (1) Florida | (8) | Metropolitan Stadium | 11–0$^7$ | Beck (3–1) | Leftwich (4–5) | None | 8,945 | 36–24 | 3–1 |
| May 26 | vs. No. 9 (4) Arkansas | (8) | Metropolitan Stadium | 2–1 | Hess (7–5) | Campbell (4–6) | Bush (2) | 10,381 | 37–24 | 4–1 |
| May 27 | vs. No. 7 (2) Ole Miss | (8) | Metropolitan Stadium | 1–9 | Rolison (9–4) | Gilbert (3–5) | None | 14,126 | 37–25 | 4–2 |
| The game was suspended during the sixth inning due to heavy fog and continued at 11:00 a.m. on May 26 prior to the start of the session scheduled for that day. |||||||||||
NCAA tournament: Corvallis Regional :
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Stadium Site | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall record | Regional Record |
| June 1 | vs. (3) San Diego State | (2) | Goss Stadium Corvallis, OR | 6–4 | Fontenot (3–0) | Erickson (5–4) | Peterson (6) | 3,589 | 38–25 | 1–0 |
| June 2 | at No. 1 (1) Oregon State | (2) | Goss Stadium | 1–14 | Heimlich (15–1) | Hess (7–6) | None | 4,009 | 38–26 | 1–1 |
| June 3 (1) | vs. (4) Northwestern State | (2) | Goss Stadium | 9–5 | Beck (4–1) | Vasquez (6–2) | None | 3,533 | 39–26 | 2–1 |
| June 3 (2) | at No. 1 (1) Oregon State | (2) | Goss Stadium | 0–12 | Abel (4–1) | Fontenot (3–1) | None | 3,915 | 39–27 | 2–2 |
All rankings from Collegiate Baseball.
Reference:

## Record vs. conference opponents

Last two do not qualify for conf. tourn. Blank are not scheduled. Blue are home games, otherwise away.
2018 SEC baseball recordsvte
Source: 2018 SEC baseball game results :
| Team | W–L | ALA | ARK | AUB | FLA | UGA | KEN | LSU | MSU | MIZZ | MISS | SCAR | TENN | TAMU | VAN | Team | Div | SR | SW |
| ALA | 8–22 | | 0–3 | 0–3 | . | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | . | 0–3 | 0–3 | . | ALA | W7 | 2–8 | 0–4 |
| ARK | 18–12 | 3–0 | | 3–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 0–3 | . | 1–2 | 2–1 | . | 3–0 | . | ARK | W2 | 5–5 | 4–1 |
| AUB | 15–15 | 3–0 | 0–3 | | 1–2 | . | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–3 | . | . | 2–1 | 3–0 | AUB | W3 | 5–5 | 2–2 |
| FLA | 20–10 | . | 2–1 | 2–1 | | 2–1 | 2–1 | . | 0–3 | 3–0 | . | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | FLA | E1 | 9–1 | 2–1 |
| UGA | 18–12 | 2–1 | 2–1 | . | 1–2 | | 1–2 | . | . | 3–0 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | UGA | E2 | 6–4 | 2–0 |
| KEN | 13–17 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | | . | 2–1 | 2–1 | . | 2–1 | 1–2 | . | 0–3 | KEN | E5 | 5–5 | 0–2 |
| LSU | 15–15 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | . | . | . | | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | LSU | W4 | 5–5 | 1–1 |
| MSU | 15–15 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 3–0 | . | 1–2 | 1–2 | | 1–2 | 2–1 | . | . | 1–2 | 0–3 | MSU | W5 | 4–6 | 2–1 |
| MIZZ | 12–18 | 1–2 | . | 2–1 | 0–3 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | | . | 1–2 | 2–1 | . | 2–1 | MIZZ | E6 | 4–6 | 0–2 |
| MISS | 18–12 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | . | 2–1 | . | 2–1 | 1–2 | . | | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | MISS | W1 | 7–3 | 1–0 |
| SCAR | 17–13 | . | 1–2 | . | 1–2 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 3–0 | . | 2–1 | 2–1 | | 3–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | SCAR | E3 | 6–4 | 2–1 |
| TENN | 12–18 | 3–0 | . | . | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–3 | . | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–3 | | 2–1 | 1–2 | TENN | E7 | 3–7 | 1–2 |
| TAMU | 13–17 | 3–0 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | . | 2–1 | 2–1 | . | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | | . | TAMU | W6 | 3–7 | 1–1 |
| VAN | 16–14 | . | . | 0–3 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | . | | VAN | E4 | 6–4 | 2–2 |
| Team | W–L | ALA | ARK | AUB | FLA | UGA | KEN | LSU | MSU | MIZZ | MISS | SCAR | TENN | TAMU | VAN | Team | Div | SR | SW |
Updated for entire regular season.

## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked RV = Received votes :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | Final |
| Coaches' | 9 | 9* | 9* | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 24 | 21 | RV | — | RV | RV | — | RV | | | |
| Baseball America | 17 | 22 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 21 | 17 | 19 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | |
| Collegiate Baseball^ | 10 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 19 | 21 | 23 | 18 | — | — | — | 28 | — | — | | | |
| NCBWA† | 11 | 21 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 22 | 19 | RV | RV | RV | RV | — | RV | | | |
^ Collegiate Baseball ranked 40 teams in their preseason poll, but only ranked 30 teams weekly during the season. † NCBWA ranks 35 teams in their preseason poll, but only ranks 30 teams weekly during the season. * A new poll was not released for this week, so for comparison purposes, the previous week's ranking is inserted in this week's slot.