And The Valley Shook - WEEKEND GAMETHREAD: LSU @ ArkansasLSU Tigers Blog of the Week for 52,136 Weeks in a Row and Countinghttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46725/andthevalleyshook_fave.png2015-03-21T13:17:09-05:00http://www.andthevalleyshook.com/rss/stream/80244562015-03-21T13:17:09-05:002015-03-21T13:17:09-05:00GAMETHREAD: LSU @ Arkansas, GM3, 2pm, SECN+
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7F75iFFAT64lbckl-x17Kea5rDU=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47827657/large_andthevalleyshook.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p><b>LINEUPS</b></p>
<p><b>LSU</b></p>
<p>Sciambra DH <br>Laird RF<br>Bregman SS<br>Hale 3B<br>Scivicque C<br>Stevenson CF<br>Chinea 1B<br>Fraley LF<br>Foster 2B</p>
<p>Godfrey RHP</p>
<p><br><b>Arkansas</b></p>
<p>1B Eagan<br>LF Serrano<br>CF Benintendi<br>RF Spoon<br>2B Nomura<br>3B Wernes<br>DH Shaddy<br>SS Bernal<br>C Gosser</p>
<p>RHP Killian</p>
https://www.andthevalleyshook.com/2015/3/21/8270153/gamethread-lsu-arkansas-gm3-2pm-secnPodKATT2015-03-20T19:30:02-05:002015-03-20T19:30:02-05:00GAMETHREAD: LSU @ Arkansas, GM2, 8pm, SEC Net
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7F75iFFAT64lbckl-x17Kea5rDU=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47827657/large_andthevalleyshook.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p><b>LINEUPS</b></p>
<p><b>LSU</b></p>
<p>Sciambra DH <br>Laird RF<br>Bregman SS<br>Hale 3B<br>Scivicque C<br>Stevenson CF<br>Chinea 1B<br>Fraley LF<br>Foster 2B</p>
<p>Lange RHP</p>
<p><br><b>Arkansas</b></p>
<p>1B Eagan<br>LF Serrano<br>CF Benintendi<br>DH Spanberger<br>RF Spoon<br>2B Nomura<br>DH Bonfield<br>3B Wernes<br>C Gosser<br>SS Bernal</p>
<p>RHP Teagues</p>
https://www.andthevalleyshook.com/2015/3/20/8268063/gamethread-lsu-arkansas-gm2-8pm-sec-netPodKATT2015-03-19T17:43:21-05:002015-03-19T17:43:21-05:00GAMETHREAD: LSU @ Arkansas, GM1, 6pm, SECNet
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7F75iFFAT64lbckl-x17Kea5rDU=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47827657/large_andthevalleyshook.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p><b>LINEUPS</b></p>
<p><b>LSU</b></p>
<p>Fraley LF <br>Laird RF<br>Bregman SS<br>Hale 3B<br>Scivicque C<br>Stevenson CF<br>Chinea DH<br>Foster 2B<br>Zardon 1B</p>
<p>Poche LHP</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Arkansas</b></p>
<p>1B Eagan<br>LF Serrano<br>RF Spoon<br>DH Bonfield<br>2B Nomura<br>CF Benintendi<br>3B Wernes<br>SS Bernal<br>C Pennell</p>
<p>RHP Taccolini</p>
https://www.andthevalleyshook.com/2015/3/19/8260457/gamethread-lsu-arkansas-gm1-6pm-secnetPodKATT2015-03-19T13:28:12-05:002015-03-19T13:28:12-05:00Chalk Talk: Previewing ARK with Arkansas Fight
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/BwnIIJanSx-0fZoqZLG-lrLG6XQ=/0x60:1000x727/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/45942208/arkansasfight-full.14002.23835.0.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>It's time for LSU baseball to take this show on the road, and while hoops tries to keep it's season going in Pittsburgh, baseball is headed for the unfriendly confines of Baum Stadium. I talked with Ryan Higgins of <a target="_blank" href="http://www.arkansasfight.com/">Arkansas Fight</a> to learn what's keeping the struggling Hogs down.</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>PodKATT: Going into the season, many said one of Arkansas’s strength’s this year would be it’s pitching. While there certainly are some gems on the staff, the Hogs are listing a TBA for the Friday starter. Who is likely to start and has the staff as a whole live up to expectations?</b></span></p>
<p><span>Ryan Higgins: They spread out Killian and Taccolini because they don't have a third guy that they can trust. They know both those guys can eat innings, so they let the bullpen rest as much as possible. Then, they do Saturday by committee. If Zach Jackson doesn't have to pitch on Friday out of the pen, he could start Friday. Really, outside of the three guys I mentioned, it has been an absolute s@!$ show out of the pen. I've never seen a group of pitchers struggle to throw strikes like these guys have.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>PK: The Hogs are just a game over .500, with a shaky OOC resume and a heartbreaking sweep in the rain at Vandy last week. What do you think is the main cause for the rough start?</b></span></p>
<p><span>RH: It's pitching. These guys can't throw strikes. I'm not trying to be mean, or harsh, but it's true. Dave Van Horn said earlier this year that he has never been a part of something like this before. The Hogs walked 13 batters against Gonzaga a couple of weeks ago. Then, they plunked a couple of guys on top of that. It's sad because they have three really good pitchers, and then it drops off to guys who can't pitch in midweek games, let alone in the SEC.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>PK: The new ball has led to a marked improvement in BA and power numbers for LSU so far this year, but not outrageously so. Have you noticed the new ball making a difference for ARK and has it changed their plate approach in any noticeable way?</b></span></p>
<p><span>RH: There is definitely more pop to the ball. Home run numbers are definitely up. Arkansas also has better hitters than they've had in a while, but we can tell ball has improved the offense some. It doesn't seem like Arkansas is playing as much "small ball" as they use to, but I don't think that has much to do with the ball. It has to do with the pitchers giving up so many runs that they have to swing away.</span></p>
<p><b>PK: Looking up and down the ARK lineup, there are some familiar names who appear to have been there forever (is Joe Serrano EVER going to graduate?) Who’s providing the leadership on this team and who’s a new name LSU fans should look out for?</b></p>
<p><span>RH: Yeah it feels like Joe Serrano started college with me seven years ago, but I digress. Clark Eagan and Andrew Benintendi are the two constants that LSU fans probably remember from last season. Carson Shaddy is a newcomer that can really hit, but there is no where to put him defensively. They tired to let him catch early in the season and it was a small disaster. They've put him in the outfield a couple of games to get his bat in the lineup. Chad Spanberger is another newcomer that can do some damage with his bat. He is tied for third on the team with 12 RBIs.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>PK: Bottom 9, Two out, down 1, 1 on. Who do you want to come to the plate for Arkansas?</b></span></p>
<p><span>RH: Andrew Benintendi, probably. He is the best hitter on the team no doubt, but there have been other guys that have been clutch. Chad Spanberger had a walk-off hit against SEMO. Clark Eagan always seems to keep innings alive in clutch situations. I'd trust the majority of the lineup to make a clutch hit these days. No longer are their automatic outs in the Arkansas lineup *cough* Jake Wise *cough*. </span></p>
https://www.andthevalleyshook.com/2015/3/19/8258815/chalk-talk-previewing-arkansas-with-arkansas-fightPodKATT2015-03-19T11:04:14-05:002015-03-19T11:04:14-05:00Weekend Preview: #3 LSU @ Arkansas
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/WnXraV6W4YFClkcECge4jvZaFA0=/0x25:708x497/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/45941222/7306.0.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>Woooo PIG! </p> <h5>Arkansas Razorbacks - 10-9 (0-3 SEC)</h5>
<h5>RPI: 157<sup>th<br></sup>ISR: 125<sup>th<br></sup>Rank: N/A</h5>
<p>LSU travels to Fayettenam this weekend for a three game series against the Razorbacks of Arkansas. Arkansas has had a brutal start to their season, but they have played a lot of solid out of conference competiton. They lost to UCF and Maryland in a weekend tournament in Mobile, dropped two games to Gonzaga at home, and then were swept by Vanderbilt last weekend. They played really well in the Vanderbilt series, losing two of the three games by one run, but I doubt this was the start that the Hogs expected.</p>
<h3>The Bats</h3>
<h5>Bobby Wernes - 355/467/597<br>Rick Nomura - 343/395/507<br>Andrew Benintendi - 288/390/591</h5>
<p>One thing the Hogs have in spades is big hitters. The team is hitting 0.295 overall, which is fifth in the SEC. Their 18 home runs are good for fourth in the SEC. Four of their six everyday players have at least two home runs. One thing they don't do is play small ball. Arkansas has only 4 sac bunts on the season.</p>
<p>Andrew Benintendi is the big bat in the lineup, having smacked five home runs on the season. Wernes and Nomura are both middle of the lineup guys that give the Hogs real depth. Both have two homers on the season and have really good power. Wernes leads Arkansas in triples with four, and Nomura has five doubles.</p>
<h3>The Arms</h3>
<h5>Starters<br>Thurs - Dominic Taccolini (3-2) - 3.58 ERA, 27.2 IP, 0.228 OBA, 29/8 K/BB<br>Friday - Taco Bell Anderson<br>Saturday - Trey Killian (2-2) - 0.84 ERA, 10.2 IP, 0.121 OBA, 9/0 K/BB</h5>
<h5>Bullpen<br>Josh Alberius - 2.45 ERA, 11.0 IP, 0.244 OBA, 10/3 K/BB<br>Lance Phillips - 3.38 ERA, 10.2 IP, 0.286 OBA, 13/6 K/BB<br>Jackson Lowery - 4.40 ERA, 14.1 IP, 0.306 OBA, 6/6 K/BB</h5>
<p>Here is where Arkansas takes it on the chin a bit. Arkansas ranks last or in the bottom third of the SEC in almost every major pitching stat category. Arkansas is last in team ERA (4.43), tied for last in runs allowed (102), last in earned runs (82), and second to last in walks allowed (98). They've also hit the most batters in the SEC (28). Part of these stats is that Arkansas has played some really good teams (UCF, Maryland, Vandy), but that doesn't explain everything here. This just isn't a good pitching staff at the moment.</p>
<p>Arkansas has decent if unspectacular starters. Taccolini was slated to be the No. 3 starter at the beginning of the season, but he's moved into the Friday starting spot. He's got decent stuff, but won't match what we saw last weekend from Brady Bramlett. Taco Bell Anderson occupies the Friday spot, so LSU should be able to Live Mas on Friday. Trey Killian starts Saturday and will be getting his third start of the season and impressed in his last starts against Vandy. Killian went seven innings without giving up a hit against Vanderbilt.</p>
<h3>Keys to the Weekend</h3>
<p><b>Limit Big Innings:</b> Arkansas has plenty of firepower in their lineup, so the LSU starters need to hit their spots consistently and not give the Arkansas bats gifts at the plate. The middle of the Arkansas lineup is especially potent, so keep an eye out for them.</p>
<p><b>Be Patient: </b> Arkansas walks more batters than any team in the SEC. The bats need to be patient at the plate and really work the Arkansas starting pitchers. If they can chase their starters out early, the bats have the potential to really rough up the Arkansas bullpen.</p>
<p><b>Handle the Environment:</b> It's the first away series in the SEC, so I'm sure the Arkansas faithful will give the guys hell at the plate and in the field. Just handle the environment and play your game Tigers, and you should come out with a series victory.</p>
<h3>Horrid Prediction</h3>
<p>The Tiger bats are too much for the Arkansas pitching staff, and the Tigers take two of three from the Hogs.</p>
https://www.andthevalleyshook.com/2015/3/19/8257245/weekend-preview-3-lsu-arkansasdr.awesome504