LSU Baseball Faces Early Adversity Before SEC Play

Tigers drop 5 of last 9 games, struggling to find offensive consistency

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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The LSU baseball team has hit a rough patch, losing 5 of their last 9 games despite an 8-0 start to the season. Head coach Jay Johnson is searching for answers as the Tigers' bats have been inconsistent, failing to sustain offensive production. LSU dropped a weekend series to Sacramento State and also lost to Louisiana Lafayette, falling to 12-5 on the year. The Tigers are now ranked #13 in the D1 Baseball Rankings as they prepare to open SEC play this Friday at Vanderbilt.

Why it matters

LSU has high expectations this season, but the early struggles raise questions about the team's identity and ability to compete in the tough SEC. The Tigers' offensive woes are a concern, especially with upcoming games against ranked conference foes Oklahoma and Kentucky. How LSU responds to this adversity will be crucial as they look to get back on track before SEC play begins.

The details

In Sunday's 6-1 loss to Sacramento State, LSU's bats were inconsistent, with "good at-bats" followed by "bad at-bats" and "bad results" according to head coach Jay Johnson. The Tigers have failed to sustain offensive production, an issue Johnson says the team must work to fix. Despite the recent struggles, the talent is still there on the mound and at the plate for LSU, and Johnson is confident he can guide the team through this early adversity based on his past experience.

  • On Sunday, LSU (12-5) lost to Sacramento State 6-1, losing the weekend series.
  • Earlier in the week, LSU also lost 7-2 to Louisiana Lafayette.
  • LSU opens SEC play this Friday at Vanderbilt.

The players

Jay Johnson

The head coach of the LSU baseball team, who is searching for answers to get the Tigers' offense back on track.

Jake Brown

LSU junior right fielder who tied the school single-game record with 3 home runs in a win over Sacramento State on Friday.

Casan Evans

Sophomore right-handed pitcher who had a dominant 5.2 inning outing with 9 strikeouts in the win over Sacramento State.

Derek Curiel

Sophomore center fielder who batted .467 (7-for-15) with 2 doubles, 1 homer, 3 RBIs and 3 runs scored in LSU's 4 games last week.

Ethan Plog

Sophomore left-handed pitcher who delivered 4.1 scoreless relief innings with 4 strikeouts last week, lowering his season ERA to 1.50.

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What they’re saying

“We need to score more runs. It is nothing different than we talked about going into the weekend. Tonight's summary is this: you get a good at-bat, then a bad at-bat, then a good at-bat with a bad result — you hit the ball hard at somebody. It is not going to produce runs. That is what happened offensively tonight. Guys are trying to create something, but we could not sustain anything.”

— Jay Johnson, Head Coach (on3.com)

“Work. It is the only way through it. Luckily, I have coached through adversity. I coached two programs where one did not have one player that had ever played in the NCAA tournament, and we went to Omaha. Nevada was a 23- or 24-win team when I took over. Not one player had ever been to Omaha when we came here. You work your way through these things.”

— Jay Johnson, Head Coach (on3.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.