BATON ROUGE, La. -- The LSU Tigers are trying to return to the College World Series, and in their path stands Baylor and the Bears' David Murphy, a smooth-swinging lefty with a .420 batting average.

Murphy started all 65 games for Baylor this season, set a Big 12 Conference record for hits with 118 and led the conference with his batting average. He went 5-for-10 in the Bears' win in the NCAA regional last weekend in Hattiesburg, Miss.

"The thing that's most telling about David is just his consistency day in and day out,'' Baylor coach Steve Smith said.

LSU (43-19-1) and Baylor (44-21) were set to begin their best-of-three-game series Friday night in Baton Rouge. The winner will advance to the eight-team College World Series.

The Tigers' top offensive threat is Aaron Hill, who leads the team with a .368 average, 63 runs scored, 27 doubles and 62 RBIs.

LSU coach Smoke Laval said right-hander Nate Bumstead (11-2, 3.92 ERA) will start Friday's game. Right-hander Bo Pettit (9-2, 5.38 ERA) will start Saturday's game and Justin Meier (7-3, 2.61) will start if a Sunday game is necessary, Laval said.

Right-hander Steven White (8-4, 4.31) will start Friday's game for Baylor and right-hander Sean Walker (8-5, 4.79) will start Saturday. Coach Steve Smith said he hasn't decided who to start if a Sunday game is necessary.

Baylor's top reliever, Zane Carlson, is expected to miss this weekend's games after slamming his pitching hand in a car door. Carlson, the school's career and single-season saves leader, earned a win and two saves in the Hattiesburg series.

LSU has won the teams' last four meetings. The Tigers knocked the Bears out of the 1993 NCAA tournament with a 13-6 win in Baton Rouge, then won the national title. LSU swept Baylor in a three-game series in Baton Rouge in 1997.