Hoosiers to lead off season against LSU

The IU baseball team is looking to improve on a mediocre 2007 campaign which saw the Hoosiers struggle to a 19-35 overall record.\nIU opens their season tonight against the LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge. The Tigers come into the weekend series featuring 10 returning players with starting experience and supported by 20 freshmen who make up the nation’s top recruiting class, according to Collegiate Baseball Magazine. \n“We put this series on the schedule because our preparation is for the Big Ten and playing in the postseason,” IU coach Tracy Smith said. “And I think it’s very important that we expose our kids to this type of environment, which arguably is one of the best college baseball environments in the country.”\nIU junior outfielder Andrew Means discussed how a tough road matchup against LSU will help the Hoosiers.\n“It helps us gauge exactly where we are, going south to face a good baseball team, a team that has obviously been able to practice outside,” Means said.\nSouthern teams like LSU have been traditionally able to start practicing before teams living in colder climates could. But the NCAA implemented a Feb. 1 universal start date for college teams to begin practicing to level the playing field. \nThe later start doesn’t affect the Hoosiers, as their first series is usually played around Feb. 1. In 2007, the team opened their season Feb. 23, but this weekend will mark the latest start to an LSU baseball season since 1985.\nSince Feb. 1, the Tigers have been practicing outdoors under the Louisiana sun. This could provide an advantage for LSU, as the Hoosiers have been playing pop flies off of the ceiling in the John Mellencamp Pavilion and have yet to practice outside. \nSophomore infielder Evan Crawford said he was ready to get outside and play, and it will be that yearning the team believes will nullify any advantage LSU gets from practicing outdoors.\n“People say we are probably at a disadvantage because we haven’t been outside yet, but I feel that’s going to play for us even more because we are anxious just to get outside and play,” he said. “There might be a little bit of adjusting that people have to make, but really you just let your instincts take over.”\nThe biggest change for IU this season will not be on the field. The 2007 campaign saw the Hoosiers field one of the youngest teams in the NCAA with 19 freshmen and six sophomores. This season, the Hoosiers return six starting-position players and nine of its 12 pitchers.\nThe biggest change, Smith said, will be the new level of experience these younger players will have. He said the growing pains from a year ago will pay off for his team this season.\n“They are new guys and I can’t wait to see them out there now, a year older, a year stronger, a year more experienced and a year more confident,” \nhe said.\nThe series will begin at 7 p.m. tonight and continue on Saturday and Sunday. Right-handed junior Tyler Tufts will get the first start for the Hoosiers. All IU’s baseball games will broadcast live and are available free of charge on iuhoosiers.com.