HBCU Baseball History: Bethune-Cookman Upsets Reigning National Champion LSU, 10-7

BATON ROUGE, La. — Bethune-Cookman visited Alex Box Stadium and handed the defending national champions a stunning defeat, making program history.

The Wildcats defeated LSU, 10-7, on Tuesday night, earning their first win over the Tigers and first over a nationally ranked opponent since 2017.

Bethune-Cookman (23-10, 10-2 SWAC) beat No. 24-ranked LSU in front of the Tigers’ home crowd of 10,847 fans.

LSU's "Intimidator" scoreboard commemorates six championship banners. Jay Johnson's staff won No. 7 in Omaha in June 2023, routing Florida 18-4 in a decisive Game 3 to cap a dominant run in college baseball.

On Tuesday night, Bethune-Cookman set the standard for HBCU baseball this season.

UPSET ALERT 🚨@bcudiamondcats take care of business on the road to get defeat No. 24 LSU 10-7 after a 5 run 7th inning!#SWACBSB | #BuildingChampionsForLife pic.twitter.com/JYszfvlc5f
— Southwestern Athletic Conference (@theswac) April 8, 2026

A Program-Defining Moment

The Wildcats were 0-3 against LSU all-time, facing an elite SEC program and one of college baseball's most intimidating environments.

When the final out finally landed in a Wildcat glove, and the scoreboard blinked 10-7, none of that intimidating history mattered—Bethune-Cookman exploded with joy as disbelief swept through the stadium.

Bethune-Cookman unleashed a spirited, fearless performance: 12 hits, iron-willed discipline at the plate, daring pitching, and a seventh inning that electrified their dugout and shook the stadium. The Wildcats outdueled the champions with raw heart in the Bayou.

That is not to be taken lightly in college baseball.

BETHUNE-COOKMAN TAKES DOWN LSU IN BATON ROUGE 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/es0HtbzrZB
— 11Point7 College Baseball (@11point7) April 8, 2026

The Blow That Broke the Tigers

LSU held a 6-5 lead heading into the seventh inning. The Tigers had weathered a seesaw game and appeared to be pulling away after Jake Brown's solo home run to right field put them on top an inning earlier.

The pivotal seventh inning began when Darryl Lee tripled to left field, and Andrey Martinez singled him home, tying the game. When LSU called for relief pitching, the bullpen faltered: Michael Rodriguez and Maikol Lucena were both hit by pitches, loading the bases and setting up the game’s key sequence.

With the bases loaded, Erick Almonte drew a walk to bring in Martinez for a 7-6 Wildcat lead. Christopher Watson followed with another bases-loaded walk, increasing the lead to 8-6. Then Jorge Rodriguez’s grounder resulted in a fielding error by Seth Dardar, letting in two unearned runs and pushing the score to 10-6—an explosive momentum shift in Bethune-Cookman's favor.

Five agonizing runs came on only two hits, with multiple walks and a key error. LSU sent five desperate pitchers to the mound, searching for answers.

In the bottom of the seventh, LSU loaded the bases with no outs, sparking hope in the stands. Bethune-Cookman reliever Jean Carlos Zambrano extinguished the rally: he struck out Milam, Brown, and Pearson in succession, neutralizing LSU’s comeback threat and solidifying the Wildcats' control of the game.

"It's a tough loss tonight, there's no getting around that," Johnson said. "We had a really tough seventh inning; the difference in the game was our inability to control the strike zone on both sides of the ball in that seventh inning."

What This Win Means for HBCU Baseball

Bethune-Cookman won the 2025 SWAC Baseball Tournament, defeating Florida A&M 11-9 at Rickwood Field in Birmingham. The HBCU baseball team’s win in Baton Rouge was remarkable.

HBCU baseball programs operate on smaller budgets and with limited recruiting footprints. They receive far less national attention than programs like LSU. The Tigers play in the SEC, with resources and facilities that keep them at the top of college baseball every year.

Bethune-Cookman refused to yield. They overcame—a testament to their spirit, grit, and undying belief.

The Wildcats won with timely hitting, a relentless bullpen, and sharp focus. Almonte drove in key RBIs. Lee had a triple and a double. Watson added two RBIs. Zambrano, who hadn’t allowed an earned run all season, entered with bases loaded and no outs. He faced LSU’s best hitters and threw three scoreless innings to earn the save.

This win belongs to every Wildcat who sweated through late-night practices, who believed when the odds seemed impossible. At 23-10 overall and 10-2 in SWAC play, Tuesday night was a thunderous declaration: the Wildcats are here, and they are formidable.

The Numbers That Tell the Story

Bethune-Cookman outhit LSU 12-11. They committed three errors to the Tigers’ two, yet won by three runs. The difference was execution under pressure. LSU stranded 15 baserunners and managed only seven runs on 11 hits. Bethune-Cookman stranded eight and took advantage of key moments.

Andris Barroso earned the win and improved to 2-3 after a clean sixth inning. Zambrano recorded the program’s signature save: three innings, one unearned run, three strikeouts, and a bases-loaded escape. That effort will not be forgotten in Daytona Beach.

For LSU, Santiago Garcia took the loss to drop to 1-1. The Tigers are now 22-12 overall and 6-6 in SEC play. They next travel to Oxford to face Ole Miss.

For Bethune-Cookman, the road back to Daytona Beach will feel very different.

FAQs ABOUT BETHUNE-COOKMAN'S WIN OVER LSU

Why is the Bethune-Cookman win over LSU historically significant?

Bethune-Cookman is an HBCU competing in the SWAC. Defeating LSU -- the 2023 national champions, winners of seven total national titles and ranked No. 24 nationally -- at Alex Box Stadium represents one of the most significant wins in program history. It was also Bethune-Cookman's first-ever victory against LSU, improving the Wildcats to 1-3 all-time in the series.

When did LSU win its most recent national championship?

LSU won its seventh national championship in June 2023, defeating Florida 18-4 in a decisive Game 3 of the College World Series in Omaha.

What was the final score of the Bethune-Cookman vs. LSU game on April 7, 2026?

Bethune-Cookman defeated No. 24 LSU 10-7 at Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

How did Bethune-Cookman break the game open?

The Wildcats scored five runs in the top of the seventh inning -- on two hits, two bases-loaded walks, and a fielding error -- to turn a 6-5 deficit into a 10-6 lead they never surrendered.

Who recorded the save for Bethune-Cookman?

Jean Carlos Zambrano earned his first save of the season. He entered with the bases loaded and nobody out in the bottom of the seventh, struck out the side, and finished with three innings of one-run relief.

What was Bethune-Cookman's record after the win?

The victory improved Bethune-Cookman to 23-10 overall and 10-2 in SWAC play.

What conference does Bethune-Cookman play in?

Bethune-Cookman competes in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).