LSU needs a good showing at Auburn over the next three days to help secure a spot in the NCAA Baseball Tournament. The latest projection from Baseball America has the Tigers as a three-seed in a regional hosted by Stetson. Zack Hess will start on the mound tonight for the Tigers. Hess says the team understands the urgency to play well at Auburn….
cut 17 (18) “…right now”

Baseball America has Louisiana Tech among the first four teams out of their bracket. The Bulldogs begin a series tonight in Ruston against Old Dominion, who has the worst record in Conference USA.

The Ragin Cajuns are also on the bubble and they begin a three-game series against in-state rival ULM. The Warhawks are trying to get the Sun Belt Tournament.

Former SEC and Conference USA Commissioner Mike Slive has passed away at the age of 77. He ran the Southeastern Conference from 2002 to 2015 and during that time revenues jumped from 96-million dollars to 456-million dollars. Slive helped establish the SEC Network and the college football play and the league expanded to 14 schools during his tenure.

The Pelicans Anthony Davis is a finalist for MVP and Defensive Player of the year awards. LeBron James and James Harden are the other finalists for MVP, while Davis’ competition for Defensive Player of the Year is Joel Embiid and Rudy Gobert. The awards will be given out June 25th.

In NFL news, the Saints have reportedly released special teams contributor and reserve linebacker Michael Mauti.

The Manning Passing Academy announced its first ever football clinic and camp for women and girls this summer. It will take place the weekend of June of 25th and 26th on the Nicholls campus. The Manning family says they want to provide women and girls with the same opportunity to learn the game as they’ve done for boys for the last 23 years.