3/10/10 5:55 am CST

Good morning, Tiger Fans. The LSU football team returned to practice Tuesday, and, according to clips on TV and a first hand report, Tuesday's practice was very physical with one on one blocking. LSU wide receiver Terrance Tolliver who got into trouble over the weekend did not take part in the practice because of a broken hand he received during the tussle with the law.

After Tuesday’s practice, LSU senior wide receiver Terrence Toliver met with the media and issued the following statement regarding his involvement in the off-campus incident Saturday night:

“I just want to take this opportunity to apologize for the altercation I had on Saturday. I was an embarrassment to the team, to the coaching staff, to the players, to my family, and to me. That was totally out of my character. It won’t happen again. This is the first time I was ever involved in an altercation like this. I just want to tell the fans that I’m sorry and forgive me.”

After Toliver finished his statement, head coach Les Miles added the following:

“He’s a good student, does the right things, but he can make mistakes.” Miles said. “This behavior is not be tolerated. He will pay a tremendous price. He will practice with that hand and will sustain some running and it is a personal embarrassment. But, Terrence Toliver is a good person and we will get by this.”

In other LSU football news, I have been told that LSU wide receiver Russell Shepard is having an outstanding Spring running pass routes with tremendous foot speed. Shepard has a chance to be an outstanding player before leaving LSU. I have also been told that linebacker Kevin Minter (6'1", 245, RSF) and safety Craig Loston (6'2", 195, RSF) and Tahj Jones (6'2", 200, RSF) are coming on strong and have received high words of praises from defensive coordinator John Chavis.

In LSU baseball news, LSU defeated ULM last night 18-7. LSU took a 1-0 lead in the bottom half of the first inning on a single by leadoff hitter Trey Watkins, two stolen basses by Watkins and a fielder's choice ground out. LSU increased the lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the second inning on a leadoff single by Hanover, back to back triples from Leon Landry and Mikie Mahtook and a sacrifice fly from Wet Delatte. ULM threatened in the first two innings and broke the ice in the top of the third on back to back doubles to cut the lead to 4-1. LSU increased the lead to 5-1 in the bottom of the third as Nola led off the inning being hit by a pitch, Dean singled on a hit and run sending Nola to third, and Gibbs drove Nola home on a sacrifice fly to centerfield. LSU had a big fourth inning and increased the lead to 12-1 on a leadoff home run from Trey Watkins, a double from Hanover, a base on balls to Blake Dean, a home run by Micah Gibb, singles from Hanover and Landry, and a double from Mahtook. ULM's bats came to life in the top of the fifth inning to make the score 12-6 by scoring a combined five runs off of starting pitcher Michael Reed and Shane Riedie on four bases on balls and one double. LSU scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth to increase the lead to 15-6 on singles by Dean, Dozar, Dider and a double by Landry. LSU increased the lead to 16-6 in the bottom of the of sixth inning on a Blake Dean home run. ULM scored one run in the top of the seventh on a double and two singles to make the score 16-7. LSU answered with two runs in the bottom of the seventh and those were the last points scored on the night.

LSU's Ben Alsup pitched three and one-third innings, gave up one run on two hits, walked one, struck out two and was credited with the win. Forrest Garrett threw one inning in relief, walked one and recorded two strike outs.

LSU's next baseball game will be tomorrow night at 6 p.m. against Northwestern State at Sheveport's Fair Grounds Field.

In basketball news, Tasmin Mitchell was named to the All-SEC second team. Mitchell has been a role model in his four years at LSU and, in my opinion, should have been named to the first team.

3/9/10 5:15 am CST

Good morning, Tiger Fans. I hope all of you had a great Monday and have a great day today.

The hot topic at LSU at this time is the trouble with the law that LSU senior wide receiver Terrance Tolliver and freshman basketball player Dennis Harris were involved in over the weekend. Based on what little information is available, Tolliver was charged with disturbing the peace and resisting arrest outside a Tigerland bar. Harris was cited for interfering with a police officer.

I must have received 50 emails asking what I thought the punishment for Tolliver and Harris will be. My guess is that Les Miles will give Tolliver some extra work to do that will not be disclosed and will monitor him the rest of the Spring and Summer. Some of my readers believe Tolliver will sit out the first game of the season, but I doubt that will happen if this is Tolliver’s first run-in with the law, and to the best of my knowledge it is his first. As for Harris, I doubt he will receive more than a slap on the wrist.

In other LSU football news, the team did not practice Sunday or Monday and will return to practice today, Thursday and will scrimmage again on Saturday, March 13. LSU has practiced five times this Spring with 10 remaining days to practice. LSU did entertain two of Louisiana’s top prospects last Saturday at the scrimmage - Jermauria Rasco (DT, 6’4”, 260) from Evangel who is No. 3 on my List of Top Louisiana Prospects for the Class of 2011, and Mickey Johnson (DT, 6’1”, 307) from ST Paul of Covington. Johnson is No. 20 on my list but will be moved up several spots very soon. As a matter of fact, I thought I had moved Johnson up a couple of weeks ago. According to my information, it will come down to LSU, Texas and Oklahoma for Rasco, and LSU, Alabama and Florida for Johnson.

Saturday's practice was the fifth of 15 for the Tigers this spring. LSU did not practice Sunday and Monday before starting week two of the Spring workouts on Tuesday. LSU will practice three times next week - Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday - with Saturday's session scheduled for a scrimmage in Tiger Stadium.

In baseball news, LSU All-American pitcher Anthony Ranaudo’s return to practice has been set back one week because of discomfort in his throwing elbow that has been diagnosed as a stress reaction. Mainieri said Ranaudo tested the elbow Monday in Alex Box Stadium by throwing a baseball for the first time in two weeks.

“Although Anthony felt it was much improved, he was still experiencing some of the same symptoms when he threw the ball today,” Mainieri said. “Therefore, we’re going to wait another week before deciding when he will return. We were hopeful he could pitch this weekend against Kansas, but we’re not going to put him on the mound until he feels 100 percent. We’ll evaluate Anthony’s condition again at this time next week.”

LSU(11-0) will be playing ULM (5-4) tonight at Alex Box Stadium. Freshman (RHP) Michael Reed will get the start for the Tigers. LSU leads the all- time series against ULM 37- 8. LSU has won 17 straight home games dating back to last season. Tuesday’s game is the first of five contests this week for LSU, which travels to Shreveport, La. to face Northwestern State at 6 p.m. Wednesday. The Tigers play host to Kansas in a three-game weekend series beginning Friday in Alex Box Stadium.

LSU junior outfielder Leon Landry hit .538 (7-for-13) in the Tigers’ four victories last week with two triples, four RBI, five runs and a .588 on-base percentage. Landry became the 11th player in LSU history to hit two triples in a single game Sunday when he collected a pair of three-baggers versus Brown. Landry is batting .368 on the season with two doubles, two triples, 11 runs, 10 RBI and six stolen bases.

Junior catcher Micah Gibbs enjoyed another excellent weekend at the plate, batting .538 (7-for-13) in four games with one double, five RBI and three runs. Gibbs is the Tigers’ leading hitter this season, batting .436 (17-for-39) with three doubles, two homers, seven runs and 12 RBI.

Sophomore Tyler Hanover also had a very productive week, hitting .438 (7-for-16) in LSU’s four victories with one double, one homer, three RBI and five runs.

Sophomore right-hander Matty Ott earned his fifth save of the season Saturday versus Pepperdine, increasing his career total to 21. Ott is in second place on the all-time LSU saves list, trailing only Rick Greene, who had 29 saves for the Tigers from 1990-92.

Tuesday’s contest marks the first meeting between LSU and ULM since March 1, 2006, when the Tigers posted an 8-5 victory over the Warhawks in the original Alex Box Stadium.

LSU has won 10 straight games against ULM, and the Tigers lead the series between the schools, 37-8. The Warhawks’ last win over the Tigers came in 2001 in Baton Rouge, a 7-6, 11-inning decision.

In LSU softball news, the Lady Tigers have won 13 straight games with a 5-0 weekend at the Purple & Gold Challenge at Tiger Park. Three of LSU’s five victories came via the run rule as the Tigers outscored their opponents by an impressive 39-4 margin. The Tigers notched a .302 team batting average and were a perfect 18-for-18 in the stolen base department. LSU’s pitching staff compiled a 0.90 ERA and held opponents to a .168 hitting clip. Rachele Fico, Courtney Hollier, Rachel Mitchell, Kirsten Shortridge and Cody Trahan each garnered All-Tournament Team accolades with Mitchell taking home MVP honors. Mitchell and Hollier drove home a team-best seven RBIs, while being joined by seven other Tigers to produce multiple RBIs on the weekend. Mitchell ripped a three-run double to put the Campbell game to conclude pool away. Later that afternoon, Hollier provided the heroics with a walk-off homer in the eighth inning against Campbell to open bracket play. In the circle, Trahan and Fico picked up a pair of wins apiece and surrendered only a combined one run over 22.1 innings of work. Trahan has won all five of her decisions and paces the SEC with a 0.21 ERA, while Fico has won six straight decisions since opening weekend. Against Syracuse in Sunday’s championship game, Trahan started her 4.1 frames of flawless relief by getting out of bases loaded jam to keep the score at 2-2.

The Steve Clarkson Dream Maker Tour will be visiting New Orleans, Louisiana on March 20th to conduct its Nationwide Search for the Top Amateur Quarterbacks in the Country. The event will take place inside the historic Louisiana Superdome, home of the Super Bowl XLIV Champion New Orleans Saints. Labeled by ESPN.com as one of the “Can’t Miss Events of Summer,” the Dream Maker Tour presents an unequaled opportunity for exposure for both youth and prep quarterbacks. Tom Luginbill, National Recruiting Director for ESPN Scouts Inc., will be evaluating athletes and conducting observations for his ESPN.com player profiles. All contestants will also compete to have their Highlights broadcasted on ESPN360’s website as well as garner attention from some of the nation’s elite football programs.The top signal callers in Louisiana and throughout the Southeast will gather onto one playing field and compete side by side in our quarterback showcase. The showcase will enable each quarterback to demonstrate his arm strength, accuracy, pocket presence and speed.

3/8/10 5:55 am CST 

Good morning, Tiger Fans. The LSU baseball team improved its season record to 11-0 with a 9-2 win over the Brown Bears Sunday afternoon. Brown, from the Ivy League, took a 2-0 lead in the second inning and kept LSU off the scoreboard until the fourth inning when LSU scored one run to cut the lead to 2-1. Blake Dean led off the inning with a double and scored on a two-out triple by Leon Landry. LSU tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth on a ground ball out by Austin Nola that scored Beau Dider who led off the inning with a single.

LSU broke the game open in the sixth inning when Landry laced his second triple of the game, scoring Hanover, who singled one batter earlier, to give the Tigers their first lead of the game, 3-2. Landry became the first Tiger to hit two triples in a game since former LSU infielder DJ LeMahieu accomplished the feat on Feb. 22, 2009 against Villanova. The next batter, Mikie Mahtook, belted his second homer of the season, a two-run shot that extended the Tigers’ lead to 5-2. The Tigers increased their lead to 6-2 later in the inning when Nola singled to right, scoring catcher Grant Dozar from second. In the seventh inning, Dozar crushed a two-out double, scoring Hanover and Mahtook to make the score 8-2. Pinch hitter Johnny Dishon roped a double to right and scored on a sacrifice fly by Hanover in the eighth to give LSU a 9-2 lead. Landry’s three hits paced LSU offensively. The Baker, La., product also had two RBI and scored a run in Sunday’s contest. Second baseman Tyler Hanover finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored to supplement the Tigers’ offense.

Freshman left-hander Jordan Rittiner allowed only one earned run in six innings, and centerfielder Leon Landry went 3-for-4 with two triples. Rittiner (2-0) threw six innings, five of which were shutouts, and allowed only one earned run in his second start as a Tiger. Mitch Mormann, Paul Bertuccini and Matty Ott combined to shutout the Bears in the final three innings while allowing two hits.

LSU (11-0) will host UL-Monroe in a mid-week contest beginning Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in Alex Box Stadium. LSU will then travel to Shreveport to take on Northwestern State Wednesday at 6 p.m. before returning home to play host to Kansas in a three-game series beginning Friday at 7 p.m.

In LSU Spring football news, according to all reports the first week of practice was the most intense and physical of any LSU Spring practices in years. I have talked to a couple of very reliable sources who have told me that the offensive line is going to be very much improved. Joseph Barksdale has made the change from right to left tackle with flying colors and is expected to have a great senior season. I have also been told that Alex Hurst has been very impressive at right tackle and will likely be the starter and that Josh Dworaczyk will likely remain at left guard. Will Blackwell, Chris Faulk and Patrick Longeron will likely be the other starters in the OL.

On the defensive side of the ball, Jai Eugene and Craig Loston have been very impressive at safety. Defensive Ken Adam (6'4", 245) from Copiah–Lincoln Community College has been a very pleasant surprise and is expected to finish Spring practice at least number two on the depth chart at right defensive end. According to my information, outside of Kelvin Sheppard the linebacker position could use some help.

In softball news, the 16th ranked LSU softball team won the 2010 Purple and Gold Classic by going undefeated with wins over Syracuse, Campbell and South Florida. LSU is 18-4 on the season and very good. I still believe the Lady Tigers are a prime-time pitcher away from being on the same level as Alabama and Florida and some powerhouse teams on the West Coast.