re: Any news on Hilliard?

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Freshman right-hander Ma’Khail Hilliard declared himself ready to start on Sunday after playing catch on flat ground during practice Tuesday.

His coach didn’t shoot down the possibility, but he certainly didn’t exude that level of certainty projected by his young starting pitcher. “I can’t answer that question,” Mainieri said. “I just don’t know. What did he say? I hope so.”

Hilliard threw Tuesday for the first time since his SEC Tournament start against Florida last Wednesday.

Since then he’d been bothered by soreness, which he described as a pinching sensation in the back of his shoulder, prompting LSU to give him a few days off to rest.

His flat ground session had “mixed results,” according to Mainieri. The plan now is for Hilliard to throw a bullpen session in Corvallis on either Thursday or Friday, at which time a determination can be made on if and when he’d be able to take the ball.

It’s worth noting that Hilliard has pitched 76 innings so far this season, which he said is “way more” than he’d thrown in any previous year of his baseball career.

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