Jay Johnson and the LSU Tigers will return to Alex Box Stadium on Friday for an SEC clash against the Missouri Tigers to begin conference play. Johnson's No. 1 ranked squad will put a 12-game winning streak on the line against the Tigers with first pitch set for 4:30 p.

In a total slugfest effort, No. 7-seeded Mizzou escaped the No. 10-seed Mississippi State Bulldogs to open postseason play with an 85-73 win in the second round of the SEC Tournament.

LSU will send Chase Shores to the mound for the series finale on Sunday. He pitched 20 innings in his four starts, giving up seven runs on 22 hits. Five of those innings came last weekend against North Alabama when he allowed two runs and struck out four. The sophomore right-hander owns a 3.15 ERA.