LSU Cruises to Doubleheader Sweep, Aims for Series Sweep over South Carolina

David Billiot Jr • May 3, 2026

LSU - 7, South Carolina - 3



Saturday Night Recap

 


Two pull off a sweep in baseball, you must win the first two games. A sweep is what the Tigers need this weekend and they did exactly what they needed to do to reach that goal after defeating the Gamecocks twice on Saturday. The game 2 win marked the first time all season that LSU won the first two games of an SEC series. It’s only the second time that they’ve done that all year, having not set themselves up for a true sweep since opening weekend against Milwaukee.

 

As it did in game 1, Tiger pitching dominated. For the second consecutive game, they only used two pitchers to get through the entire game. That’s just four pitchers for 18 innings of baseball on Saturday. Marcos Paz recorded his first career win and now sits with a 1-2 record, but that record does not reflect the rapid improvement by the freshman right-hander. It’s been a slow build up since reaching the 18-month post-Tommy John milestone that coincided with the beginning of the season, but we’re finally seeing why there was so much hype around his name. He is simply phenomenal and star in the making. Deven Sheerin followed with the typical brilliance that we see from the big redshirt-sophomore. Saturday was his second longest outing of the season, as he recorded team-leading 4th save of the season.

 

The offense continued it’s upwards trend. Jay Johnson said that they would fix the problems and although it took way longer than anticipated, he’s done just that. The bats have been red-hot and for the second weekend in a row, have provided plenty of run support for the pitching staff. So far in this series, it’s been enough. LSU banged out 13 hits in game 2, totaling 21 on the day. Four Tigers recorded multiple hits, something that hasn’t occurred very often in 2026. The most promising aspect of these performances is that it’s largely being driven by the underclassmen. While postseason hopes still do slightly exist this season, the promise for the future is as bright as can be.

 

 

Pitching

 


Marcos Paz had an interesting 1st inning, to say the least. Although he gave up a solo homerun to the second batter of the game, he struck out the side and looked untouchable outside of that one pitch. It was a quick 1-2-3 2nd inning, including one strikeout. After his 5th strikeout to start the 3rd, he gave up a walk to 9-hole hitter Luke Yuhasz, but Cade Arrambide gunned him out at 2nd base trying to steal. A flyout would retire the side in order and Paz was through 3 innings of work with only 1 run allowed. It was another solid inning in the 4th, including another strikeout, then pitching around a 1-out walk. Through 4 innings, he was sitting at 60 pitches and working efficiently through the Gamecock lineup. After a strikeout and groundout to start the 5th, he walked his third batter of the game, but bounced right back with strikeout #8. After setting his career-high with 5.0 innings pitched, Paz’s night was done. He gave Jay Johnson and his team everything they needed and more, putting the LSU pitching staff in fantastic position to get through the second half of the series.

  • Final line: 5.0 IP / 1 hit / 1 run / 8 K / 3 BB / 79 pitches (47 strikes, 59%)

 

Deven Sheerin took over to start the 6th and breezed through his first inning of work. After a flyout and groundout, he dotted a fastball across the corner of the plate to strike out Talmadge LeCroy looking. After walking the leadoff hitter in the 7th, the big right-hander recorded three straight outs to prevent any damage. Sheerin recorded two quick outs to start the 8th, but ran in to some damage after an infield single and he hit a batter. He was able to induce a flyout to William Patrick to escape, though. Back to close things out in the 9th, a pop out in foul territory to Jack Ruckert put the first out on the board. Two pitches later, Sheerin forced another high pop up on the infield, but Seth Dardar missed it and the runner made it all the way to 2nd base. As it often does in baseball, the ball finds the guy that’s struggling and that’s exactly what happened as a slow-roller was chopped to 3rd base, but Dardar was unable to gather it to make a throw and just like that, the Gamecocks had something going. That was followed with an RBI single to cut the lead to 7-2 and put runners on 1st and 3rd. A passed ball brought in another run and the score was 7-3. After a groundout to Milam, Sheerin drew a another pop up to the infield, but this time it went to the safest glove on the field. Steven Milam hauled it in and the Tigers closed out the victory.

  • Final line: 4.0 IP / 3 hits / 2 runs / 3 K / 1 BB / 58 pitches (37 strikes, 64%)

 

 

Hitting

 

 

Omar Serna stayed hot with another 3-hit performance on Saturday night. He doubled in game 1 of the doubleheader and did so, again, tonight. He also drove in a run and finished 3-4.

 

Speaking of hot, Cade Arrambide is part of the trio that has been on fire the past two weekends with Serna and Mason Braun. The sophomore blasted his 14th homerun of the season, which was his team-leading 9th in SEC play. He scored 3 runs and finished 3-5.

 

Seth Dardar returned to the lineup for the first time since game 2 at Ole Miss three weeks ago when he was trying to play on a bad ankle. He got the start at 3rd base and although he had a few miscues in the field in the 9th inning, his bat showed up just as it has throughout conference play. Coming in to this weekend hitting .286 in SEC contests, Dardar raised that average with a 2-4 night. He drove in an RBI and also doubled.

 

Tanner Reaves delivered his second multi-hit game in the past three games for LSU. He started in left field in game 2 and finished 2-3 with a double of his own on a beautifully executed hit-and-run. The senior also scored and drew a walk.

 

The final piece of the aforementioned trio that have been crushing the ball, Mason Braun found himself on base a couple more times. He also blasted his 3rd homerun of the season, which was his 1st in an SEC game. The freshman continues to thrive in the leadoff position, getting on base in 6 of his 9 at bats across the doubleheader on Saturday. In game 2, he finished 1-3 with 3 RBI and also drew a walk.

 

 

Up Next

 

 

LSU and South Carolina will return tomorrow for game 3 to finish up their series. First pitch is for 2:00 pm central. With the two wins today, the Tigers passed the Gamecocks in the SEC standings and now hold a 8-15 record, while South Carolina falls to 7-16. LSU is looking for their first SEC sweep of the season, with this series being the first that they’ve won both games 1 and 2 here in 2026. Both teams have TBA listed for starting pitchers, but the Tigers have plenty of top arms available, a few that have starting experience this year like Zac Cowan and Gavin Guidry. Alex Valentin is expected to start for South Carolina, a junior left-handed pitcher who went viral last year while at Texas State due to his aggressive pitching attitude.

 

 

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Saints All-22 Recap Week 1

By Kaden Arkeder • September 17, 2026
I watched the coaches film of the Lions game and felt some mixed emotions after going through all of the plays. First and foremost, the offensive line has to play much better than what they showed against the Lions given the investment the Saints have made through either draft capital or contractually. The right side in particular was a big reason why the offense struggled to get off to a good start against the Lions as they could neither open lanes in the running game or give Tyler Shough consistent time to throw. Cesar Ruiz was entering the year needing to have a bounce back campaign after how his 2025 season went and his performance against the Lions was not a good start to accomplishing his goal. Taliese Fuaga has been a mixed bag thus far in his young career which is not abnormal for young offensive tackles. Tali had a promising rookie season but followed it up with an up and down sophomore season where he dealt with multiple injuries over the course of the season. He is someone the Saints will have to make a decision on regarding picking up his fifth year option after the season and someone who the Saints need to play well in order to accomplish their goals this season. But I have to give the offense credit because the last 20 or so minutes of the game was fun to watch. Shough was in rhythm from then on and made big time throw after big time throw getting multiple receivers involved. Although as I was watching the game live I could not help but notice it took way too long to get Juwan Johnson on the board. Juwan has had a track record of performances like this before and you would like to see better consistent production from him rather than the all or nothing types of games he has had in the past. I will be curious to see if he gets involved in the passing game much sooner against the Ravens this week which could very well help the offense get off to a better start. Moving on to who I thought was the player of the game, Chris Olave. Olave took a little while to get going in conjunction with the offense but he ultimately did exactly what I thought he would do against Detroit, dominate. Olave took advantage of the Lion’s defensive backs all game long and with their starting safeties being injured Olave beat Detroit down the field for long gains multiple times. If Olave has enough games like this one against the Lions he could very well be in the offensive player of the year conversation when it is all said and done. The only obstacles I could see is his health and if his number of targets drops when Jordyn Tyson returns from his injury. Moving on to the defense, as a whole I thought the defense did a great job against the Lions. Holding them to seven points in the first half was great and even though the scoreboard showed they gave up thirty one points, fourteen of those came from short fields because of turnovers on offense. There was a lot of encouraging play across the defense, Jonas Sanker looked great in the star role and made some impact plays, whether they counted or not. On that note the duel between Chase Young and Penei Sewell did not disappoint as both had their moments throughout the game, with the biggest being Young’s strip sack that was not meant to be according to the officials. All I will say is even after the explanation there is just no way the officials called either Young’s play or all the other strip sacks across the league this weekend correct. Moving on, I would have liked to see Chase Young get more snaps on the opposite edge in what would have been a more favorable matchup for him against the Lions rookie offensive tackle. But not only for the matchup but also just to give the offense a different look so they do not just expect him in the same spot all game long. Speaking of aligning in different spots I thought Brandon Staley did a great job of moving Kaden Elliss around who then to his credit was able to take advantage and have a good game. However, an area of concern did rear its ugly head in this game which did not come as a surprise. The defensive line did not do a nearly good enough job stopping the run against the Lions. The Saints used a rotation of players along the defensive line throughout the game to try and keep players fresh which is a philosophy I believe in but with some older veterans in the mix I believe it would be in the Saints best interest moving forward to limit their snaps in favor of players like Vernon Broughton and Christen Miller. Vernon and Christen’s development would help raise the ceiling of the defense and improve the long term outlook on the defensive side of the ball. I expect the Saints to use more resources to shore up the defensive line when we get to the offseason but in the meantime the Saints will have to figure out how to get the best out of who they have on the roster. Overall I am concerned about the slow starts, the Saints and Kellen Moore have had enough of them now to where it is starting to look like a legitimate issue moving forward. If the Saints are to improve their chances against the best teams in the league they will have to be more productive early on in those games. I believe the slow starts can be fixed by Kellen Moore and the offense but I am not so sure the Saints have the answer to playing the run better on defense currently. But with those concerns I saw plenty of positives like Jonas Sanker settling in nicely to the Star role, Kaden Elliss being a versatile piece for the defense, Chase Young having a great battle with Penei Sewell, Shough and Olave connecting time after time on key plays. There is plenty for the Saints to improve on but after watching the tape they appear to be starting from a much better spot this season than in season’s past.

College Football Player Buzz

By Kaden Arkeder • September 16, 2026
We’re a couple weeks into the college football season and here are some players I have been keeping an eye on as well as some buzz I have been hearing but have not yet watched. The list will have both draft eligible players and non draft eligible players who have been making a name for themselves thus far in the season. Malachi Toney - WR - Miami Malachi Toney burst onto the scene as a freshman last year with a 109 reception, 1,211 yard, 10 TD campaign and he has continued his dominance into his sophomore season. He is currently third in receiving yards in the country with 330 yards. Toney has been a human highlight reel with his route running, shaking defenders with ease leading to massive separation from those trying to cover him. He’s been a fun watch and if you are not watching Miami games you will most likely see a highlight of his going viral on social media as you are scrolling through your feed. Jadan Baugh - RB - Florida Jaden Baugh is a grown man when he runs the ball and should not be as graceful as he is given his 6 '1 225 pound frame. Baugh has gotten off to an absurd start to the season by rushing for 296 yards on just 28 carries resulting in a yards per carry over ten as well as finding the end zone five times. Baugh has been popping up on my feed with long runs featuring great cut backs and jump cuts to weave through defenders. Baugh was on my list for top running back prospects entering the season and has backed it up thus far. Kamario Taylor - QB - Mississippi State Kamario Taylor is a sophomore who has been seeing increasing buzz with each week. Taylor has been creating some intriguing highlights due to some of the best, new arm strength being shown at the QB position in college. The velocity he can throw with is at an elite level which forces evaluators to pay attention. But his arm strength is not the only trait to be excited about, Taylor has a 6’4 230 pound frame paired with a good ability to run the ball as well. He is someone to keep an eye on as Taylor has all the physical tools to succeed long term. Princewill Umanmielin - Edge - LSU Princewill is a senior, the younger brother of Panthers edge rusher Princely Umanmielen, and looks to be the next member of the family tree heading towards a career in the NFL. Princewill has the build of a long, lean, relentless edge rusher who can win his matchup in a variety of ways including speed around the corner, a spin move, the arm over, etc. He is currently leading college football in sacks with five on the season. Leading the country in sacks while playing in the SEC is quite an accomplishment and we’ll see if he can keep his pace as LSU enters conference play against Ole Miss this weekend. Kingston Lopa - DB - Cal Cal has been quietly producing some NFL caliber defensive backs the past couple of years such as Nohl Williams, and Hezekiah Masses. Sophomore Kingston Lopa is quickly making a case to be the next in line. Lopa’s physical attributes for the position is an outlier as he is listed at 6’5 210 pounds. But he is not just a physical presence on the field, he is showing he has the ball skills and a knack for finding the ball. Kopa currently leads college football in interceptions with four on the year already. A defensive back with the size and ball skills he possesses will be a no brainer for evaluators as someone to keep an eye on. Lamont Lester Jr. - Edge - Colorado Lamont is listed 6’2 230 pounds so he is on the smaller side for an NFL edge rusher but he is showing some good athleticism, motor, and active hands in the early parts of the season. He picked up three sacks against Georgia Tech and won with speed around an offensive tackle, finishing a pressure his teammate created, then with active hands to shoot inside for his last sack. With his skillset Lester will be someone worth keeping an eye on throughout the season as someone who could potentially make an impact at the next level. Drew Mestemaker - QB - Oklahoma State Drew has been on my radar since last season as he was part of the PFF darling trio at North Texas last season. Mestemaker has good size for the position being listed at 6’3 215 pounds. He got off to a rough start against Tulsa in week one but turned it around in week two by pulling off what many see as the upset of the week by beating the sixth ranked Oregon Ducks. Drew was able to outduel another big QB prospect in Dante Moore by making some big time throws throughout the game and orchestrating scoring drive after scoring drive against a talented Oregon defense. While there is a chance he comes out for the draft this season he is presumed to be more in the 2028 conversation. Regardless of his draft status, Drew and Oklahoma State could be a fun team to follow this season.
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