Who will win Texas A&M vs LSU baseball series? 3 things to know and a prediction

LSU ranks seventh in the SEC, batting .285, and fifth in hits (358). It is fourth in home runs (63). Last season, LSU finished the season with 103 home runs and 671 hits, which ranked sixth and second in the conference, respectively.

Only three players are hitting better than .300, and just three are tallying 40 or more hits this season.

Tigers' pitching has been an issue

LSU enters the weekend 14th in the SEC with a 4.84 ERA and is 15th in runs allowed (207). It has strong strikeout numbers, sitting atop the conference with 453, but its walk numbers are high as well, sitting 13th in the SEC with 173 allowed. The Tigers are also last in the conference in wild pitches (53) and 14th in hit-by-pitches (52).

Last year, the Tigers struck out a conference-leading 760 batters.

The group is led by a pair of sophomores, with right-hander Casan Evans leading the way. He is 2-1 in nine starts, with a 4.91 ERA and a team-leading 68 strikeouts. William Schmidt has also made nine starts, posting a 4-3 record, and ranks second in innings pitched with 44⅔.

LSU expected to defend its title in 2026

Heading into the season, LSU had title-defending aspirations. It's the fifth season under head coach Jay Johnson, who has led the team to four College World Series appearances and two titles.

In the preseason polls, the Tigers led the way with nine first-place votes and were projected to finish first in the SEC. They had five players named to the preseason All-SEC team, including Curiel, Evans and right-handed pitcher Zac Cowan, all listed as first-team selections.

Texas A&M baseball vs LSU series prediction

Texas A&M 2-1. The Aggies are surging up the rankings and are squarely in the discussion for a regional host spot. However, winning on the road in the SEC is never easy. LSU is still a team that has talent, even if they haven't put it all together this season. But right now, A&M is the better team and playing more consistent ball.

Reach Texas A&M beat reporter Tony Catalina via email at Anthony.Catalina@statesman.com