Five takeaways from LSU baseball's sweep of South Carolina

LSU baseball swept South Carolina, finally ending a nine-game conference losing streak. LSU now holds a 9-15 conference record as the Tigers fight for NCAA Tournament consideration.

South Carolina offered a brief reprieve from a brutal conference schedule, but the road gets tough again this weekend with LSU set to travel to Georgia for a three-game series with the SEC-leading Bulldogs. But before we turn our attention to UGA, let's recap the weekend that was in Baton Rouge.

Again, South Carolina is by no means a quality team. The Gamecocks fired head coach Paul Mainieri earlier this season and have ranked near the bottom of the SEC all year. Still, LSU showed some encouraging signs in this series. We've seen LSU give games away vs. lesser teams this year, but LSU took care of business and did what it was supposed to do.

Here are five takeaways from LSU baseball's sweep of South Carolina.

LSU's starting pitching was dominant

LSU's starting rotation was shorthanded with Cooper Moore out for the year and Casan Evans missing his second straight start, but the LSU arms delivered. In Game 1, William Schmidt threw six innings and allowed one run while striking out seven. In Game 2, true freshman Marcos Paz went five innings, striking out eight and allowing one run.

On Sunday, it was Zac Cowan's turn. The veteran pitcher struck out seven across six innings, only allowing two hits without surrendering a run. Cowan's ERA in conference play is down to 2.55 with a 0.81 WHIP. With LSU's schedule getting tougher again, LSU needs Cowan to deliver a similar performance vs. Georgia.

The emergence of Paz is worth noting, too. The talent is evident, and he has a chance to be a key part of LSU's rotation in 2027.

Cade Arrambide continues to rake

LSU catcher and designated hitter Cade Arrambide continues to be the Tigers' most consistent bat at the plate. Arrambide totaled five hits across the three games, notching an RBI in every game and driving in five runs on the weekend.

Arrambide's 1.231 OPS leads all SEC hitters in conference play. The sophomore had a brief midseason lull, but awoke with a four-run homer game at Tennessee in April. His .365 average ranks No. 3.

This is more than just a small sample size now. Arrambide has put it all together. He's hitting for power and contact, giving LSU quality at-bats, and driving in runs.

The Omar Serna breakout is for real

Apr 28, 2026; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Louisiana State Tigers catcher Omar Serna Jr. (25) bats against the Southeastern Louisiana Lions at Alex Box Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Omar Serna's three-homer weekend at Mississippi State was no fluke. The freshman catcher had another solid weekend, and it looks like he's here to stay.

With a .345 average and 1.031 OPS, Serna is one of the top freshmen in the SEC. Not many true freshmen can handle catching duties while also having the pressure of being a top-of-the-order bat, but Serna is acquitting himself just fine. Serna had three hits in LSU's Game 2 win over South Carolina and capped the series off with a home run in Game 3.

If LSU is going to make a run at the tournament, it requires Serna to remain red hot.

LSU's bullpen took care of business

Given the double-header on Saturday and LSU's starting pitching questions on Sunday, LSU needed its bullpen to deliver. If the Tigers struggled in Game 1 and Jay Johnson had to cycle through pitchers, it would have left LSU in a bad spot in games two and three.

But Johnson only had to use one pitcher in relief of Schmidt on Saturday afternoon, with Grant Fontenot notching a three-inning save. Fontenot struck out four without issuing a walk.

On Saturday night, Deven Sheerin got the job done, pitching four innings to secure the win. And on Sunday, LSU held the shutout after Cowan left the game. This was the most consistent version of LSU pitching we've seen all year.

Where do LSU's NCAA Tournament hopes stand now?

LSU's sweep of South Carolina put the Tigers back in the conversation, but LSU would still be on the outside looking in if the NCAA Tournament field was selected today. LSU now ranks No. 55 nationally in RPI, per Warren Nolan. That's approaching the range for bubble teams, though its not there yet.

The good news is that LSU has a few chances to improve that number. A road series vs. Georgia is a prime chance for LSU to climb the RPI rankings. If LSU can take the series in Athens, the Tigers resume will be comparable to other bubble teams.

But if LSU gets swept, the Tigers' chances will once again fade. With six SEC games left, LSU should aim to win four.

LSU needs to beat Tulane in the midweek. LSU already has five quad four losses and the Tigers can't afford any more.

This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Five takeaways from LSU baseball's sweep of South Carolina