LSU Cruises to Doubleheader Sweep, Aims for Series Sweep over South Carolina

David Billiot Jr • May 3, 2026

LSU - 7, South Carolina - 3



Saturday Night Recap

 


Two pull off a sweep in baseball, you must win the first two games. A sweep is what the Tigers need this weekend and they did exactly what they needed to do to reach that goal after defeating the Gamecocks twice on Saturday. The game 2 win marked the first time all season that LSU won the first two games of an SEC series. It’s only the second time that they’ve done that all year, having not set themselves up for a true sweep since opening weekend against Milwaukee.

 

As it did in game 1, Tiger pitching dominated. For the second consecutive game, they only used two pitchers to get through the entire game. That’s just four pitchers for 18 innings of baseball on Saturday. Marcos Paz recorded his first career win and now sits with a 1-2 record, but that record does not reflect the rapid improvement by the freshman right-hander. It’s been a slow build up since reaching the 18-month post-Tommy John milestone that coincided with the beginning of the season, but we’re finally seeing why there was so much hype around his name. He is simply phenomenal and star in the making. Deven Sheerin followed with the typical brilliance that we see from the big redshirt-sophomore. Saturday was his second longest outing of the season, as he recorded team-leading 4th save of the season.

 

The offense continued it’s upwards trend. Jay Johnson said that they would fix the problems and although it took way longer than anticipated, he’s done just that. The bats have been red-hot and for the second weekend in a row, have provided plenty of run support for the pitching staff. So far in this series, it’s been enough. LSU banged out 13 hits in game 2, totaling 21 on the day. Four Tigers recorded multiple hits, something that hasn’t occurred very often in 2026. The most promising aspect of these performances is that it’s largely being driven by the underclassmen. While postseason hopes still do slightly exist this season, the promise for the future is as bright as can be.

 

 

Pitching

 


Marcos Paz had an interesting 1st inning, to say the least. Although he gave up a solo homerun to the second batter of the game, he struck out the side and looked untouchable outside of that one pitch. It was a quick 1-2-3 2nd inning, including one strikeout. After his 5th strikeout to start the 3rd, he gave up a walk to 9-hole hitter Luke Yuhasz, but Cade Arrambide gunned him out at 2nd base trying to steal. A flyout would retire the side in order and Paz was through 3 innings of work with only 1 run allowed. It was another solid inning in the 4th, including another strikeout, then pitching around a 1-out walk. Through 4 innings, he was sitting at 60 pitches and working efficiently through the Gamecock lineup. After a strikeout and groundout to start the 5th, he walked his third batter of the game, but bounced right back with strikeout #8. After setting his career-high with 5.0 innings pitched, Paz’s night was done. He gave Jay Johnson and his team everything they needed and more, putting the LSU pitching staff in fantastic position to get through the second half of the series.

  • Final line: 5.0 IP / 1 hit / 1 run / 8 K / 3 BB / 79 pitches (47 strikes, 59%)

 

Deven Sheerin took over to start the 6th and breezed through his first inning of work. After a flyout and groundout, he dotted a fastball across the corner of the plate to strike out Talmadge LeCroy looking. After walking the leadoff hitter in the 7th, the big right-hander recorded three straight outs to prevent any damage. Sheerin recorded two quick outs to start the 8th, but ran in to some damage after an infield single and he hit a batter. He was able to induce a flyout to William Patrick to escape, though. Back to close things out in the 9th, a pop out in foul territory to Jack Ruckert put the first out on the board. Two pitches later, Sheerin forced another high pop up on the infield, but Seth Dardar missed it and the runner made it all the way to 2nd base. As it often does in baseball, the ball finds the guy that’s struggling and that’s exactly what happened as a slow-roller was chopped to 3rd base, but Dardar was unable to gather it to make a throw and just like that, the Gamecocks had something going. That was followed with an RBI single to cut the lead to 7-2 and put runners on 1st and 3rd. A passed ball brought in another run and the score was 7-3. After a groundout to Milam, Sheerin drew a another pop up to the infield, but this time it went to the safest glove on the field. Steven Milam hauled it in and the Tigers closed out the victory.

  • Final line: 4.0 IP / 3 hits / 2 runs / 3 K / 1 BB / 58 pitches (37 strikes, 64%)

 

 

Hitting

 

 

Omar Serna stayed hot with another 3-hit performance on Saturday night. He doubled in game 1 of the doubleheader and did so, again, tonight. He also drove in a run and finished 3-4.

 

Speaking of hot, Cade Arrambide is part of the trio that has been on fire the past two weekends with Serna and Mason Braun. The sophomore blasted his 14th homerun of the season, which was his team-leading 9th in SEC play. He scored 3 runs and finished 3-5.

 

Seth Dardar returned to the lineup for the first time since game 2 at Ole Miss three weeks ago when he was trying to play on a bad ankle. He got the start at 3rd base and although he had a few miscues in the field in the 9th inning, his bat showed up just as it has throughout conference play. Coming in to this weekend hitting .286 in SEC contests, Dardar raised that average with a 2-4 night. He drove in an RBI and also doubled.

 

Tanner Reaves delivered his second multi-hit game in the past three games for LSU. He started in left field in game 2 and finished 2-3 with a double of his own on a beautifully executed hit-and-run. The senior also scored and drew a walk.

 

The final piece of the aforementioned trio that have been crushing the ball, Mason Braun found himself on base a couple more times. He also blasted his 3rd homerun of the season, which was his 1st in an SEC game. The freshman continues to thrive in the leadoff position, getting on base in 6 of his 9 at bats across the doubleheader on Saturday. In game 2, he finished 1-3 with 3 RBI and also drew a walk.

 

 

Up Next

 

 

LSU and South Carolina will return tomorrow for game 3 to finish up their series. First pitch is for 2:00 pm central. With the two wins today, the Tigers passed the Gamecocks in the SEC standings and now hold a 8-15 record, while South Carolina falls to 7-16. LSU is looking for their first SEC sweep of the season, with this series being the first that they’ve won both games 1 and 2 here in 2026. Both teams have TBA listed for starting pitchers, but the Tigers have plenty of top arms available, a few that have starting experience this year like Zac Cowan and Gavin Guidry. Alex Valentin is expected to start for South Carolina, a junior left-handed pitcher who went viral last year while at Texas State due to his aggressive pitching attitude.

 

 

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Why Peyton "Pop" Houston Could Play a Major Role in LSU's Pursuit of Easton RoyalWhy Peyton "Pop" Houston Could Play a Major Role in LSU's Pursuit of Easton Royal

By Auston Taylor • July 8, 2026
 LSU has made it clear that five-star wide receiver Easton Royal remains one of its top priorities in the 2027 recruiting class. Although Royal is currently committed to Texas, LSU has continued to recruit him aggressively. Based on recent recruiting events and public reporting, one factor that could strengthen the Tigers' position is the presence of quarterback commit Peyton "Pop" Houston. While no outcome is guaranteed in recruiting, Houston's relationship with Royal has become one of the more intriguing storylines surrounding LSU's 2027 class. According to recruiting coverage from The Opening and reports from And The Valley Shook, Houston and Royal showcased noticeable chemistry while competing together on the national stage. Houston also drew attention by winning the event's longest throw competition with a reported 67-yard throw, further reinforcing why many evaluators consider him one of the premier quarterback prospects in the 2027 class. In my view, Houston has the potential to become much more than another highly rated offensive commitment. Elite quarterbacks often become magnets for other top recruits, and early signs suggest Houston could have that kind of influence on LSU's 2027 recruiting class. Why Houston Matters in Royal's Recruitment Quarterback and wide receiver relationships have become one of the most influential factors in modern recruiting. Elite receivers aren't simply choosing a school—they're choosing an offense, a coaching staff, and perhaps most importantly, the quarterback who will help maximize their abilities. If Royal ultimately views Houston as LSU's quarterback of the future, it gives the Tigers another compelling selling point. Rather than asking Royal to imagine what the offense could become, LSU can point to chemistry that has already been displayed during national recruiting events. That doesn't guarantee a commitment flip, but it does provide LSU with something tangible that few recruiting pitches can offer: an established connection between two elite prospects. LSU's History Shows Why This Matters LSU's greatest offensive seasons have consistently featured elite quarterbacks throwing to elite receivers. During the Tigers' historic 2019 National Championship season, Joe Burrow captured the Heisman Trophy while throwing to arguably the greatest receiving corps in college football history—Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, and Terrace Marshall Jr. That offense rewrote NCAA record books and remains the standard for modern college football offenses. A few years later, history repeated itself. Jayden Daniels won the 2023 Heisman Trophy while benefiting from one of the nation's most explosive receiving duos in Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. Daniels' remarkable development was certainly his own, but LSU's elite receiving talent allowed the offense to reach another level. The lesson is clear: great quarterbacks elevate receivers, but elite receivers also help quarterbacks reach championship-level production. That history gives LSU a compelling message for recruits considering Baton Rouge. Peyton "Pop" Houston's Development Houston's rise as one of Louisiana's premier quarterback prospects is backed by more than recruiting rankings. Evaluators consistently praise his arm strength, touch, ability to extend plays outside the pocket, and willingness to attack defenses vertically. His continued development at Evangel Christian Academy has made him one of the foundation pieces of LSU's 2027 recruiting class. The Bigger Picture If LSU eventually pairs Peyton Houston with Easton Royal, it would represent much more than another recruiting victory. It would signal that LSU landed a quarterback capable of attracting elite talent around him while adding a receiver willing to build alongside that vision. Programs that consistently compete for championships often see recruiting momentum build this way. Elite quarterbacks attract receivers. Elite receivers attract additional offensive talent. Once that cycle begins, recruiting classes can quickly become special. None of this guarantees that Easton Royal will flip his commitment. Texas remains in a strong position, and recruiting decisions can change for countless reasons. However, Houston's emergence gives LSU something every elite program hopes to have: a quarterback capable of becoming the centerpiece of an entire recruiting class. LSU has already witnessed what happens when championship-caliber quarterbacks are paired with elite receivers. Joe Burrow won the Heisman Trophy. Jayden Daniels won the Heisman Trophy. If Peyton "Pop" Houston eventually helps bring Easton Royal to Baton Rouge, it could become one of the defining recruiting stories of LSU's 2027 class—and perhaps the first step toward building another explosive Tiger offense.

Tight End Room Outlook: Revamped and Ready To Roll

By Kaden Arkeder • July 4, 2026
The tight end room has some fresh blood and they look poised to be more impactful heading into next season. With the new arrivals of Noah Fant and third round draft pick Oscar Delp the offense will have the ability to play more in multiple tight end sets to create mismatches for the defense. Multiple tight end sets should allow the Saints to improve the run game and conversely the play action game. Playing in tight end heavy sets was something they were unable to do more of last year due to injuries and lack of talent at the tight end position. Mainstay and the only returning starting caliber player is Juwan Johnson. Johnson had a good year last year as one of the few reliable targets in the passing game aside from Chris Olave. Johnson is looking to build on a solid year where he had 77 receptions for 889 receiving yards with 3 touchdowns. He was a security blanket when Rattler was starting and had quite a few big plays when Shough took over as the starting quarterback. With Shough coming into the season as the presumed starter I expect their connection to be even better next season. Someone hoping to have a better connection with a new QB is Noah Fant. Fant was a first round pick back in 2019 with the Broncos but has never quite lived up to his draft status. Fant will be playing on his third team in three years as he seeks to be a quality rotational piece in the offense and find stability for his career here in New Orleans. Fant should be utilized more in the passing game than in the running game but should be able to hold his own when called upon to do his part on run downs. Fant has been on a statistical decline since his time with Denver as his best receiving season came in at 68/670/4 back in 2021. Although his stats have been declining Fant still has plenty to offer with his athleticism and should produce more given a better opportunity. After Fant in the depth chart should be Oscar Delp who could be the x-factor of the tight end room after being selected in the third round of the draft this year. Delp brings a versatile option to the offense as he can lineup in various spots and handle the rigors of blocking in the run game. Delp’s calling card in college was his elite athleticism which jumps off the screen when you watch his tape. He has the ability to turn a five yard catch into an explosive play with how quickly he can get to top speed. Delp is an adequate, willing blocker where like most new tight ends in the league has room to improve in the blocking area of his game. With his versatility and athleticism I believe Delp will play a pivotal role in the offense this upcoming season. With Delp presumed to round out the depth chart at tight end the remaining tight ends will be competing for spots on the practice squad or spots on another team. This group includes Cody Hardy, Treyton Welch, Moliki Matavao, and Zaire Mitchell-Paden. We’ve seen Welch and Matavao from last season fill in admirably after some injuries but are best served as bench options at this point in time in their development. This group of roster hopefuls should hopefully provide some good competition from one another as we progress through training camp and preseason here shortly. Overall this group has a lot more promise heading into this season as it did last year. By getting younger and more athletic the tight ends will play a more prominent role in Kellen Moore’s offense. Whether it’s Juwan building on last season or Fant having a bounce back year or Delp proving to be revelation, the team is going to have plenty of options to choose from to attack the defense. Exactly what this team needed after not having enough last season.
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