Quoted from one of my favorite local personalities (usually spot on with LSU sports):
LSU head baseball coach Paul Mainieri will turn to senior RHP Jared Bradford this afternoon to keep the Tigers alive in the CWS. Mainieri is a big believer in Bradford who is usually at his best when the Tigers' backs are against the wall. Bradford is 10-4 on the season with a high 4.50 ERA. Bradford has pitched 86 innings and has allowed 104 hits and 20 bases on balls. He has issued 75 strike-outs, has allowed eight home runs and has hit eight batters. Opposing teams are hitting .300 against the senior RHP. Bradford is at his best when he has pinpoint control of his breaking pitches and is very good at getting batters to hit into double plays when he keeps the ball low and is able to get them to swing at pitches outside the strike zone. I believe that Paul Mainieri will be very happy to get five strong innings from Bradford. Rice will start senior RHP Chris Kelley (5-1, 3.28 ERA, 68.2 IP, 19 BB and 59 strikeouts). Kelley, like Bradford, has given up more hits than innings pitched during the season. Kelley has given up 87 hits in 69 innings and opposing teams are hitting .312 against the senior RHP. Kelley is not an overpowering pitcher but has been outstanding the last six weeks for the Owls.
I believe LSU will have more success against Kelley than they had against Alex White of North Carolina who might be the best pitcher LSU has faced this season. I look for LSU to be much more aggressive today and I believe the game will be a high scoring contest. Former LSU player J. P. Padron leads Rice with a .356 batting average.
