Tulane recruiting coordinator Eddie Smith has been hired as LSU's new volunteer and hitting coach, according to d1baseball co-managing editor Kendall Rogers.

Rogers reported Sunday that Smith, who has been at Tulane for the last two seasons, is replacing Sean Ochinko, who is no longer with the staff.

The Tigers hit just .273 in 2019, their lowest batting average since LSU head coach Paul Mainieri’s first season as coach in 2007. While LSU’s home runs increased from 48 last season to 64 this year, Tigers’ batters went from 408 strikeouts a year ago to 485 in 2019.

“It was our approach at the plate, the ability to handle off-speed pitches,” Mainieri said at his season-ending press conference. “Curveballs and change-ups seem to have given us a lot of trouble. On the approach, we need with two strikes to be able to hit to the opposite field more instead of swinging for the fences.”

Smith spent two years playing at Notre Dame under Mainieri where he helped the Fighting Irish to two Big East Conference Championships and NCAA Tournament appearances, including a No. 8 national ranking as a senior in 2006.

The Olympia, Wash., native spent four years before coming to New Orleans as head coach at Lower Columbia College in Longview, Wash. Smith has also coached at Virginia, Notre Dame and Santa Clara.