LSU Tigers: Beau Didier
With media gathered at LSU's Alex Box Stadium Tuesday wondering who would get the nod on the mound for the Tigers in Friday's Baton Rouge regional opener against Louisiana-Monroe, the giveaway answer was down the right field line.
Freshman right-hander Aaron Nola was getting his bullpen work in with pitching coach Alan Dunn during a time when it's usually Friday night starter Kevin Gausman getting the work.
Indeed, it will be Nola (6-4, 3.93 ERA), and not staff ace Gausman, who will get the start when No. 7 LSU (43-16) opens the regional against No. 4 seed Louisiana-Monroe (31-28) at 7 p.m. CT on Friday. Nola, who pitched a pre-planned two innings in a Wednesday start against Mississippi State at the SEC tournament, should be fresh and ready to go, head coach Paul Mainieri said.
Freshman right-hander Aaron Nola was getting his bullpen work in with pitching coach Alan Dunn during a time when it's usually Friday night starter Kevin Gausman getting the work.
Indeed, it will be Nola (6-4, 3.93 ERA), and not staff ace Gausman, who will get the start when No. 7 LSU (43-16) opens the regional against No. 4 seed Louisiana-Monroe (31-28) at 7 p.m. CT on Friday. Nola, who pitched a pre-planned two innings in a Wednesday start against Mississippi State at the SEC tournament, should be fresh and ready to go, head coach Paul Mainieri said.
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Gary Laney
Gary Laney joined ESPN.com in 2012 after spending a year and a half as online sports editor of the Baton Rouge (La.) Advocate. Before that, he covered LSU sports for the Advocate. He has also been the sports editor at the Beaumont (Texas) Enterprise and covered McNeese State athletics for the Lake Charles (La.) American Press. Laney currently lives in Baton Rouge. Email him at glaneyespn@gmail.com