By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports
STARKVILLE, Miss. – It seems as if the baseball gods are evening the score with defending national champion LSU.
A year after the Tigers dodged major injuries and seemingly made just about every clutch play when needed, fifth-year head coach Jay Johnson can’t buy a break lately.
When pitcher Casan Evans experienced arm discomfort during pregame warmups and was scratched from the starting lineup less than an hour before Friday’s SEC series opener at No. 11 Mississippi State, it started a chaotic chain reaction in the pitching rotation that haunted LSU all weekend.
The Tigers produced 24 runs – eight in each game, but LSU’s relievers blew leads of 7-3 in Game 1, 7-2 in Game 2 and 8-5 in Game 3. It led to State wins of 10-8 in 11 innings, 9-8, and 13-8 for a series sweep.
After being swept at Ole Miss two weeks ago and at home by Texas A&M last week, the 2026 Tigers (24-21 overall, 6-15 SEC) became the first team in school history to get swept in three consecutive SEC series. LSU’s nine-game league losing streak is also the longest ever for a program that owns eight national championships, including two (2023, 2025) in the previous four seasons.
“When you have to ask guys to do more than maybe they should,” Johnson said of his relievers, “you get in trouble.”
When Evans couldn’t start in game one – “If he can pitch, I think it’s a different series,” Johnson said – key reliever and occasional third-game starter Gavin Guidry took his place.
Because the Tigers were trying desperately to hold for a Game 1 win that went to 11 innings before a two-out, two-run game-winning homer by A&M catcher Kevin Milewski, Johnson used arguably his top three relievers, including Zac Cowan.
“We had to shuffle the deck,” Johnson said. “The separation between the two teams was their bullpen.”
Ten State relievers allowed seven earned runs in 18.2 innings (3.46 ERA). Thirteen LSU relievers gave up 20 earned runs in 19 innings (9.47 ERA).
Tigers’ relievers issued more walks (17) than strikeouts (16), had four wild pitches, and allowed seven extra-base hits.
LSU scored 22 of its 24 runs in the first six innings. But the rest of the way, the Bulldogs (34-10, 10-8 SEC) outscored the Tigers 14-2.
After LSU lost starting right fielder Jake Brown (broken hamate bone) and starting pitcher Cooper Moore (Olecranon fracture in right elbow) for the season earlier in the week, starting left fielder Chris Stanfield and starting infielder John Pearson sustained hamstring injuries during the series.
Still, the Tigers battled valiantly despite starting four true freshman position players in all three games.
Two of the newbies — catcher-designated hitter Omar Serna Jr. and first baseman-right fielder Mason Braun – were outstanding.
Serna Jr. hit .571 (8 for 14), including two doubles, three homers (one in each game), six RBI, and six runs.
Braun batted .538 (7 for 13) with a triple, two RBI, and four runs.
“They are two of our best hitters right now,” Johnson said. “That is a positive, a silver lining, and I like the make-up of the people that they are and what they are going to mean to our program going forward. We can build off of the experience they’re gaining now.”
The Tigers, who have lost five of their seven SEC series, play two of their last three league series at home, starting with South Carolina (22-23, 5-13 SEC) on Friday in Alex Box Stadium.
Here’s an LSU-Mississippi State series recap:
GAME 1: MISSISSIPPI STATE 10, LSU 8 (11 innings) – Bulldogs’ catcher Kevin Milewski hit a walk-off two-run homer to win Friday’s opener. LSU led 7-3 in the fourth inning, but State eventually tied the game with two runs in the sixth without recording a base hit. MSU capitalized on an error, three walks, a hit batter, and a wild pitch.
LSU regained the lead in the top of the ninth on freshman right fielder William Patrick’s two-out RBI single. The Bulldogs tied the game at 8-8 in the bottom of the ninth on a two-out run-scoring single by shortstop Ryder Goodson.
GAME 2: MISSISSIPPI STATE 9, LSU 8 – MSU battled back from a 7-2 deficit for the Saturday night win by scoring seven runs in the final two innings. The Bulldogs scored five runs in the seventh, highlighted by right fielder Jacob Parker’s game-tying grand slam.
MSU took a 9-7 lead in the eighth when designated hitter Noah Sullivan lined an RBI single, and another run scored later in the inning when LSU committed an infield error.
GAME 3: MISSISSIPPI STATE 13, LSU 8 – Third baseman Ace Reese homered and collected four RBI to lead the Bulldogs and complete the series sweep Sunday afternoon. LSU freshmen Mason Braun and Omar Serna Jr. combined for six hits, three RBI, and four runs scored.
MSU took a 9-8 lead with four runs in the sixth inning as the Bulldogs capitalized on an LSU error, and Reese’s RBI double highlighted the rally.
Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com