16:45 LRN Sportscast January 29

LSU Baseball Coach Paul Mainieri plans on starting the 2018 season by using Zack Hess as a starting pitcher. The sophomore right-hander excelled out of the bullpen last season, but Mainieri believes the flame thrower is best suited to be a starter this year and not the team’s closer…
cut 19 (19) “…starting pitcher”
Mainieri has Hess as his Saturday night starter, while he plans on Caleb Gilbert being the Friday night pitcher. Todd Peterson could be the third starter in the weekend rotation.

Southeastern Lousiaina will reportedly introduce its new head football coach tomorrow. Football Scoop-dot-com reports it will be Frank Scelfo, who is a ULM grad and has previously been an offensive coordinator at Tulane and Louisiana Tech.

The Pelicans blew a 21-point first half lead and lost to the Los Angeles Clippers 112 to 103 in the team’s first game since the season-ending injury to DeMarcus Cousins. The loss dropped New Orleans into a sixth place tie with Portland in the Western Conference standings. New Orleans hosts Sacramento tomorrow night.

In college basketball, after getting thumped by Auburn 95-70 last Saturday, LSU faces another ranked opponent on Wednesday night. The Tigers visit 18th ranked Tennessee for a 5:30 tip.

The Ragin Cajuns are 19-3, but they are not getting any votes for the Top 25. UL Lafayette begins a three-game road trip on Saturday when they visit ULM.

In the Southland, UNO leads with an 8-2 record, a half-a-game better than Southeastern Louisiana and Nicholls State. The Privateers host Northwestern State on Wednesday and then Nicholls makes a trip to Lakefront Arena on Saturday.

Tonight Grambling is at Mississippi Valley State.