Preview: Struggling Hornets Face Tigers in Baton Rouge

BATON ROUGE, La. (Interstat) — The Sacramento State Hornets look to snap a five-game skid when they visit the eighth-ranked LSU Tigers on Saturday at Alex Box Stadium/Skip Bertman Field.

First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. CDT under cloudy skies with a game-time temperature near 78 degrees.

The Hornets (3-9) have been plagued by offensive woes, having been shut out in their last two contests, including a 2-0 loss at Fresno State on Tuesday and a 0-0 result in Friday’s series opener against LSU. Sacramento State has scored just nine total runs during its losing streak.

A bright spot has been reliever Chase Sorlie. The right-hander has not allowed a hit in his last 9.0 innings pitched over three appearances, including two perfect frames with two strikeouts in Tuesday’s loss.

The Tigers (11-3), who took Friday’s opener, boast one of the nation’s top offenses but are coming off a 7-2 midweek loss at Louisiana-Lafayette. LSU’s bullpen will rely on key arms like Ethan Plog, who has recorded four strikeouts over 2.1 scoreless innings in his last two outings.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 7-2 victory for LSU.

The series concludes Sunday. Sacramento State then returns home to host Massachusetts-Lowell on Tuesday. LSU hosts Creighton on Tuesday before opening Southeastern Conference play at Vanderbilt next weekend.