Tigers Sweep South Carolina to Stay Alive

Just like in game one, LSU only needed one bullpen arm to finish off South Carolina, this time it was Devin Sheerin who ended the game. Sheerin pitched the final four innings, earning his fourth save of 2026, and while he wasn’t as lights out as Fontenot, he got the final 12 outs and preserved the LSU bullpen.

Sunday: LSU 7, South Carolina 0

Having only used four total pitchers to get through two games, LSU turned to Zac Cowan to start Sunday’s game and Cowan had his best outing of the season: six innings, two hits, one walk, and seven strikeouts.

“Zac is a special player, one of my favorite players that I’ve ever coached in my entire career,” Johnson said. “He’s just a winner; it was an important game today, the team needed him to give everything he had, and he did. He really came through and really simplified the game for us.”

LSU got on the board when, once again, Omar Serna launched a two-run home run in the third inning. Serna drove in a third run off of a fielder’s choice in the sixth inning to put LSU up 6-0.

Arrambide had another three-hit day, going 3-4 with an RBI, while William Patrick and Jack Ruckert were productive in the 8-9 spot of the lineup with three combined hits, and three runs scored; Ruckert also had an RBI single in the seventh inning.

LSU sweeping one of the two teams with a worse SEC record than them probably isn’t going to wow the NCAA Tournament committee. At the very least, the Tigers will have to win both of their final two series (@ Georgia, vs. Florida), and they’ll probably have to make some noise in Hoover, too.

As we sit here today, it’s more likely than not LSU will miss the tournament, but don’t tell Jay Johnson that. In fact, he’s got the right attitude after this weekend.

“These were the best games our team has played this season,” Johnson said after Saturday’s doubleheader. “And I’m really proud of our players for playing a really clean brand of baseball with solid fundamentals. We were very team-oriented and reached the standard which we want to operate.”

When it comes to LSU baseball, we’re not used to looking ahead to next season in the first few days of May. But in looking at this core of freshmen and sophomores that were massive this weekend, it’s hard not to think LSU will be right back to contention next season.

• Mason Braun: 2-8, one home run, three RBI, four runs, six walks/one strikeout
• Omar Serna: 5-12, two doubles, one home run, four RBI, five runs, one walk/one strikeout, one HBP
• William Patrick: 4-11, four runs, one walk/three strikeouts
• Jack Ruckert: 2-10, one RBI, one run, one walk/zero strikeouts

That’s four freshmen starting, and four freshmen all producing at various levels. Obviously Patrick and Ruckert haven’t had nearly as many at bats as Braun and Serna, but their playing time will only increase as the season draws to a close. There’s also, of course, at least two more starts for Marcos Paz to make. All of that to say: you are starting to see what is hopefully the nucleus of the next great LSU team.