LSU - 15, Sacramento State - 4
David Billiot Jr • March 7, 2026
Friday Night Recap
LSU needed a bounce back game to kick this weekend off and, boy, did they get it. Following a fairly pedestrian 6 game stretch where they went 3-3 with losses to McNeese, Northeastern, and then ULL on Wednesday, the Tigers had been looking nothing like the team we watched start the year 8-0. Even the three wins over Dartmouth and Northeastern over last weekend did not look pretty on the offensive side. Well, everything went right tonight. Casan Evans was marvelous from first pitch. He started his outing with five perfect innings and looked flat out dominant along the way. It was easily his best start of the season and arguably the best start of his career. Only his start against Tennessee in 2025, which was his first career start, can possibly compare. It wasn't just Evans that went to work, though. Not only did LSU's bats show up for the first time in two weeks, they showed up for their best night of the season. The 15 runs scored on Friday night equal half of what they scored in the previous six games. Speaking of the number six, that's how many homeruns the Tigers hit. Six of them in only 6 innings at the plate. It was a monumental return for Jay Johnson's offense.
Casan Evans got off to a hot start with a two strikout 1st inning. His final pitch was a 99 mph heater that he blew past Sacramento State's 3-hole hitter. His 2nd and 3rd innings were just as good, as he struck out 2 more in each inning. After "only" striking out one in the 4th, Evans returned in the 5th and struck out another two to bring his total to 9 through his first 5 innings. It was the leadoff hitter in the 6th that finally broke up the perfect game, as his ground ball through the right side just barely missed Jack Ruckert's glove. Sacramento St would get to Evans for another single and then a 2 run double and that would be where Jay Johnson would call it a night for his sophomore ace. Despite only 72 pitches, Evans had a lot of long waits inbetween the first four innings with his offense going crazy. Simply put, he was phenomenal. Jay Johnson could not have asked for a better final tune up prior to traveling to Nashville next weekend for the start of SEC play.
Final line: 5.2 IP / 3 hits / 2 runs / 9 Ks / 0 BBs / 72 pitches (52 strikes, 72%)
Zion Theophilus came in to finish off the 6th once Evans exited the game and did exactly what he needed to. He only needed 4 pitches to get a strikeout and leave a Hornet stranded on 2nd base.
Final line: .1 IP / 0 hits / 0 runs / 1 K / 0 BB
Marcos Paz entered for the 7th to finish off the game and was up and down. After starting off with a strikeout, he issued back to back walks. He'd record the second out of the inning on a flyout, but then gave up 2 run double to the right center gap. Despite the trouble, Paz was able to lock in and strikeout the final hitter to close out the game.
Final line: 1.0 IP / 1 hit / 2 runs / 2 Ks / 2 BBs
Hitting
Jake Brown continued his torrid start to the season, blasting THREE home runs to bring his season total to 8. All were beautiful, but the first was an opposite field shot to the Left Field Landing at 104 mph off of the bat. Somehow, his second was even more impressive. At 108 mph off of the bat, Brown hit the ball off of the batter's eye in center field at 425 feet. Just when you thought it was going to be his third two homer game of the season, he stepped to the plate for his third at bat in the first three innings and deposited yet another ball over the fence in right center. Brown added a single to his final stat line, which read 4-5 with 6 RBI and 4 runs scored.
Derek Curiel followed up his 3-3 night in Lafayette with another stellar performance. In his first three at bats, he went: double, 2 run homerun, double. In his fourth at bat of the night, he was finally recorded out for the first time since Monday night against Northeastern. His homerun went 421 feet and came off of the bat at 108 mph. Curiel finished 3-4 with 3 RBI and 3 runs scored.
Cade Arrambide also joined the homerun fun, blasting his fourth homerun of the season in the 4th inning. It was the longest of the night, flying out at 432 feet to dead center field. That was his first since hitting one in back to back games in Jacksonville two weeks ago. Arrambide was also hit by a pitch and finished 1-3 with the RBI on his solo bomb and scoring 2 runs.
Speaking of joining the homerun fun, Steven Milam finally got his first of the year. The junior launched a towering 404 foot blast in to the Diamond Deck and took his time leaving the batter's box, soaking up that "finally" moment. Monster finished 2-3 with the 2 RBI and 2 runs scored.
Zach Yorke did not leave the yard like multiple other guys, but he did put the barrel on the ball a few times. The big 1st baseman finished 2-4 with a couple of frozen ropes that surely have him mixed in to the top exit velocities on the night.
Like Yorke, Seth Dardar can hit the ball out of the park on any night, but tonight would settle for a 2 run double in the 1st inning that helped push LSU's lead to 4-0 and show that the offense was here to get back on track. He also smacked a ball in to the left center gap that was chased down, but was another very hard hit ball. He finished 1-3 with 2 RBI.
Up Next
LSU and Sacramento St will return to action tomorrow night. First pitch has been moved up to 2 pm central due to possible rain later in the evening. It was originally scheduled to start for 6 pm. Cooper Moore will make his fourth start of the season, coming in with a 3-0 record and three dominant performances. He went 7.2 innings and struck out 10 just a week ago.
A quick share helps us a lot!
This Facebook widget is no longer supported.
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.
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.