The LSU Baseball Update: Jay Johnson's Program Rounding Corner After Kentucky Win

Jay Johnson and the LSU Tigers captured the program's first SEC series victory of the 2026 season this past weekend after a strong offensive performance against the Kentucky Wildcats.

In what became a must-win series for the purple and gold, LSU's bats came alive across the final two games with Seth Dardar leading the way at Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field.

The Tigers collected 16 hits, including three homers and three doubles during Game 3 on Sunday afternoon.

Second baseman Seth Dardar was for 3-for-5 on the day with a three-run homer, a double and four RBI, and third baseman John Pearson blasted a grand slam for his fourth homer of the season.

“That’s two of the last three Sundays in the SEC we’ve scored at least 16 runs,” Johnson said. “Our offense is going to give us a great chance against anybody.”

Now, LSU is continuing to round the corner as SEC play heats up with a weekend series at Tennessee looming.

The LSU Baseball Update: Post-Kentucky Series

Overall Record: 19-10 SEC: 4-5

Last Week’s Results (3-1)

March 24 (Tue.) – LOUISIANA TECH (W, 15-5 – 8 innings)

March 27 (Fri.) – KENTUCKY (L, 4-7)

March 28 (Sat.) – KENTUCKY (W, 7-0)

March 29 (Sun.) – KENTUCKY (W, 17-10)

This Week’s Schedule

March 31 (Tue.) – SOUTHERN, 6:30 p.m. CT (SEC Network +)

April 3 (Fri.) – at Tennessee, 4:30 p.m. CT (SEC Network)

April 4 (Sat.) – at Tennessee, 5 p.m. CT (ESPN2)

April 5 (Sun.) – at Tennessee, 12 p.m. CT (SEC Network)

Tigers Update

Second baseman Seth Dardar led LSU to an SEC series victory over No. 19 Kentucky last weekend, batting .600 (6-for-10) with four doubles, one homer, five RBI, four runs, three walks and a .692 on-base percentage … Dardar's three-run homer in the sixth inning of Sunday's game versus Kentucky erased a 10-8 deficit and gave LSU a lead it would not relinquish as the Tigers clinched the series win … Dardar also contributed an RBI double in Sunday's series-deciding victory … Dardar on Friday night versus Kentucky tied the LSU single-game record for doubles with three, and he added one RBI in the contest. He walked three times and scored twice in the Tigers' Game 2 win over the Wildcats on Saturday.

Freshman designated hitter/outfielder Mason Braun helped lead LSU to a series victory over No. 19 Kentucky, hitting .429 (3-for-7) in three games with one double, one homer, four RBI, one run, two walks and a .556 on-base percentage .. he blasted a three-run homer and an RBI double in Saturday's win over Kentucky … Braun ripped the run-scoring double in the second inning on Saturday to increase LSU's lead to 2-0, and he widened the margin to 5-0 in the fourth with a three-run dinger.

LSU hit .341 (47-for-138) as a team in its four games last week with 12 doubles, six homers and 43 runs scored … centerfielder Derek Curiel hit .444 (8-for-18) in four games with two doubles, one homer, seven RBI and four runs … first baseman Zach Yorke batted .385 (5-for-13) with two homers, five RBI, seven runs, five walks and a .526 on-base percentage.

Leftfielder Chris Stanfield batted .455 (5-for-11) in the Kentucky series with one double, one RBI, three runs, two walks and a .538 on-base percentage … he was 4-for-5 at the plate in Sunday’s win with one double, one RBI, two runs and one walk as the Tigers’ lead-off hitter.

Right-hander Zac Cowan delivered a dominant relief effort on Saturday in LSU’s 7-0 win over Kentucky … he earned the save by pitching the final 3.2 innings, allowing no runs on one hit with one walk and seven strikeouts … in his three SEC relief appearances this season versus Vanderbilt, Oklahoma and Kentucky, Cowan has worked a combined 8.1 scoreless innings with two hits, one walk, 13 strikeouts and an .074 opponent batting average.

Right-handers William Schmidt and Zac Cowan combined to blank Kentucky, 7-0, on Saturday, marking LSU’s first shutout in an SEC game since April 3, 2025, when the Tigers posted a 2-0 victory at Oklahoma … Schmidt earned his first career SEC win over Saturday, limiting the Wildcats to six hits in 5.1 scoreless innings with two walks and three strikeouts.

LSU trailed Kentucky, 7-0, entering the bottom of the third inning on Sunday before rallying for a 17-10 victory over the Wildcats … the comeback win marked LSU’s largest since May 24, 2024, when the Tigers overcame an 8-0 deficit in an SEC Tournament game against South Carolina to record a 12-11 victory.

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