LSU Baseball Faces Vanderbilt in SEC Showdown

Defending national champion LSU Tigers travel to Nashville to take on the Commodores in key conference series

Mar. 12, 2026 at 10:33pm

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Jay Johnson and the defending national champion LSU Tigers will head to Nashville this weekend to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores in a key SEC baseball series. The Tigers are looking to get back on track after a sluggish stretch last week, while Vanderbilt will provide a tough test as the teams open conference play.

Why it matters

This early-season SEC series between two top programs will be an important barometer for both teams as they look to position themselves for the postseason. LSU is the defending national champion, while Vanderbilt is always a force to be reckoned with in the SEC.

The details

LSU will send sophomore right-hander Casan Evans to the mound on Friday, followed by junior right-hander Cooper Moore on Saturday and sophomore right-hander William Schmidt on Sunday. Vanderbilt's starters will be junior right-hander Connor Fennell, freshman right-hander Wyatt Nadeau, and sophomore right-hander Nate Taylor.

  • The series begins on Friday, March 13 at 6 p.m. CT.
  • Game 2 is on Saturday, March 14 at 7 p.m. CT.
  • The series finale is on Sunday, March 15 at 3 p.m. CT.

The players

Jay Johnson

The head coach of the defending national champion LSU Tigers baseball team.

Casan Evans

The sophomore right-handed pitcher who will start on the mound for LSU on Friday.

Connor Fennell

The junior right-handed pitcher who will start on the mound for Vanderbilt on Friday.

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What they’re saying

“We're excited to travel to Nashville, get the lay of the land, and go compete against an athletic, fundamentally sound Vanderbilt team.”

— Jay Johnson, Head Coach, LSU Tigers

“I'm excited to get into SEC play and compete with our team; I like where our rotation is at right now, and if we continue to get strong performances from the bullpen, we feel good about how those pieces can come together.”

— Jay Johnson, Head Coach, LSU Tigers

What’s next

The winner of this series will gain an early advantage in the SEC standings as the conference season gets underway.

The takeaway

This matchup between the defending national champion LSU Tigers and the always-tough Vanderbilt Commodores will be a crucial early-season test for both teams as they look to position themselves for the postseason.