This is the last of a series previewing each area of the 2016 LSU baseball team.

LSU certainly has the two building blocks for an excellent pitching staff – junior Jared Poche and sophomore Alex Lange.

A weekend starter since his freshman season, Poche has won 18 games – nine in both 2014 and 2015. Poche is on pace to match Lane Mestepey for the second most victories as a Tigers pitcher if he would stay in school for two more years.

Meanwhile, Lange has yet to lose his first game in college. Lange, a first-team All-American as a freshman, posted 12 victories last season with a 1.97 earned run average. He struck out 131 batters in 114 innings.

LSU coach Paul Mainieri is not sure the order in which he will use Poche and Lange when the Southeastern Conference schedule begins next month. For this weekend’s season-opening series against Cincinnati, Poche will start Friday (7 p.m. Central/SEC Network+) and Lange will start Saturday.

Regardless of the way in which Mainieri will line up these guys, he has the luxury of two No. 1 pitchers. With such an inexperienced everyday lineup, the Tigers will rely upon a veteran pitching staff for their success in 2016. Lange, a probable first-round 2017 draft pick, and Poche are great leaders.

“There is not anything different for me this year,” Lange said. “There is not any extra pressure on me because of our new lineup. The offense is going to come around. We have too many good baseball players. I am ready to see them play.”

Lange displayed tremendous poise as a freshman. He kept LSU alive with a victory against Fullerton State in an elimination game at the College World Series last June. Opposing batters hit just .212 against Lange a season ago. However, don’t think that Lange sees no room for improvement.

“I can have better fast ball command and better changeup command,” Lange said. “I can get ahead of the hitters more and limit my walks. I need to minimize the big innings. I was pitching in tough situations more often than I like last year.

“The 46 walks (in 2015) were quite a bit. If you walk guys with two outs or walk the leadoff guy, there is more chaos in the game. I have to minimize the walks and make the batters earn every base they get. You want to give up one run in an inning instead of three.”

Poche doesn’t have the natural talent of Lange, but he always exhibits the tenacity which enables him t be successful on the mound. Lange speaks glowingly of Poche’s toughness on the mound.

Some mock drafts have Poche being selected in the top ten rounds which would probably mean he would leave LSU. Pitching coach Alan Dunn has changed Poche’s repertoire on the mound.

“AD (Dunn) sat down with me early in the fall and he brought up the idea of me throwing a cutter,” Poche said. “That has worked pretty well. I have three different ways to throw the cutter and I am feeling more comfortable. I am just sticking with the game plan, taking it pitch by pitch.”

Poche’s first SEC start came two seasons ago on the road against eventual national champion Vanderbilt. Poche had on-the-job training in that first year. Now, he understands what it takes to win in the SEC.

“Time does fly,” Poche said. “I am still only 21 years old. It’s been a fun ride and a fun journey. I’m more relaxed out there now. It’s just baseball. I don’t think about it as pressure. In the SEC, you can’t take anybody lightly. Any team is capable of beating us. You have to bring your ‘A’ game.”

The No. 3 spot in the LSU rotation was ever-changing throughout the 2015 season. Mainieri wants that position solidified for this spring. In addition, Mainieri has the desire to have a No. 4 starter determined for this year. Of course, accomplishing those goals is easier said than done.

Injuries have affected the competition for this responsibility. Austin Bain missed fall practice after undergoing shoulder surgery for a bone spur in his shoulder. Bain is projected to be the starting pitcher at Lamar next Wednesday.

Junior college transfer Riley Smith was quite impressive during fall drills. However, a sore arm has limited his mound work the past couple of weeks. It is hoped that Smith can make a relief appearance either Sunday against Cincinnati or next week at Lamar.

As a result of these two pitchers’ health situations, John Valek will start the third game of the Cincinnati series. Valek transferred from Akron after it gave up baseball last year. A senior lefthander, Valek will get the first chance to stake a claim to be the No. 3 starter.

The Tigers bullpen is loaded with experience. LSU returns eight relievers who made at least 18 appearances in 2015, including three pitchers who registered saves – Jesse Stallings (12), Hunter Newman (four) and Parker Bugg (three).

Mainieri and Dunn have yet to assign bullpen roles. The first couple of weeks of non-conference play will be used to determine these assignments.

“No one guy has been designated as the closer,” Mainieri said. “Not one guy will pitch the ninth inning in all three games this weekend. All of them have to earn their roles early in the season. When someone shows he deserves to be the guy to get the last outs of the game, we’ll put him out there.”

Obviously, the top three candidates to pitch the last third of the games are the three proven relievers – Stallings, Newman and Bugg. Mainieri is also considering Smith, if he is not a starter, and freshman Caleb Gilbert.

“Jesse Stallings has to get his offspeed pitches over,” Mainieri said. “That was his problem last year. Hunter Newman is Hunter Newman. He is pretty crafty. Parker Bugg had been struggling during the fall and at the start of preseason practice, but he really been good his last couple of outings.”

PITCHERS

No. Name Hgt. Wgt. Class Hometown

12 Hunter Devall 5-8 180 Sr. Clinton

16 Jared Poche 6-1 210 Jr. Lutcher

18 Austin Bain 6-1 195 So. Geismar

21 Doug Norman 6-3 190 So. Fort Mill (S.C.)

27 John Valek 6-0 175 Sr. Parkland (Fla.)

29 *Nick Bush 6-1 190 Fr. Leesburg (Ga.)

30 Collin Strall 5-10 175 Jr. Suwanee (Ga.)

32 Alden Cartwright 6-0 180 Jr. Baton Rouge

33 Cole McKay 6-5 230 Fr. Spring Branch (Tex.)

35 Alex Lange 6-3 200 So. Lee’s Summit (Mo.)

37 Jesse Stallings 6-2 200 So. Colfax

41 Caleb Gilbert 6-2 175 Fr. Hoover (Ala.)

44 Riley Smith 6-2 190 Jr. Lufkin (Tex.)

45 Russell Reynolds 6-2 195 Jr. Baton Rouge

46 Parker Bugg 6-6 220 Jr. San Diego (Cal.)

55 Hunter Newman 6-3 190 Jr. Bloomingdale (Ga.)

67 Jake Latz 6-2 195 Fr. Lemont (Ill.)

*Out for season with injury