- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 471,435
- Reaction score
- 45
LSU baseball only has three more SEC weekends on the schedule before the postseason rolls around. The Tigers have a big one this week -- travelling to College Station to face the Texas A&M Aggies.
LSU and Texas A&M both have something to prove.
The Tigers are looking to make their case for a National Seed and the privilege of hosting a Super Regional. Texas A&M wants to remain in the field of 64, avoiding the bubble.
LSU is riding high after a series win vs. Tennessee and an emphatic midweek victory. On the other side, Texas A&M needs a bounce-back after getting swept by rival Texas. All of the Aggies' losses to the Longhorns were one-run games. That surely left a sour taste in A&M's mouth, especially since it killed the momentum Texas A&M owned entering that series.
A&M looks to start another run this weekend while LSU hopes to continue its recent run of success. Here's what you need to know before first pitch.
Don't let Texas A&M being on the wrong end of a sweep last weekend take away from what the Aggies did in April. The first few SEC series were brutal, but an April 5 double-header vs. Tennessee gave A&M a shot of life.
Texas A&M scored a combined 26 runs to win both games of the doubleheader and claim the series in the process. It was A&M's first conference series win of the year. A week after that, A&M swept South Carolina. Next, the Aggies took two of three from No. 2 Arkansas. All of a sudden, Texas A&M was back on track.
The momentum was stunted by Texas, but as we enter May, A&M is back in the postseason picture.
LSU has been dominant at home, but the Tigers have struggled on the road. LSU is just 5-5 on the road in 2025.
LSU dropped two of three at Texas and was swept at Arkansas. LSU's offense becomes a different group away from the comfort of Alex Box Stadium. LSU will have to figure something out in College Station.
Jay Johnson will hope to see the version of LSU that swept Oklahoma in Norman, not the one that Auburn swept.
A&M's lineup has figured some things out, but the Aggies are reliant on home runs. Only three teams have homered more than Texas A&M in conference play, but in the same span, A&M is hitting .253. You don't know what you're going to get with this lineup. It's the same group that was shut out by Tennessee in game one of a series before scoring 17 runs in game three.
The Aggies will swing for the fences, and they're usually good at it. The key for LSU is limiting traffic on the basepaths. If A&M is turning a walk and a single into three-run homers, LSU is in trouble. If it's just the occasional solo homer, the LSU pitching staff will be fine.
LSU ace Kade Anderson got back on track last week, throwing 7.1 innings of two-run baseball vs. Tennessee. That was refreshing for LSU after Anderson allowed a combined 11 runs in his previous two starts.
Anderson has allowed five or more runs in three SEC starts this season, but he's also looked like the best pitcher in the country at times. LSU needs the latter on Friday.
Another dominant outing from Anderson takes the pressure off LSU for the rest of the series. A&M is a lineup that strikes out -- which should play to Anderson's strengths.
LSU tried something new last Sunday. Johnson started true freshman Casan Evans in game three as LSU looked for an answer to its No. 3 spot in the rotation.
Evans delivered. He pitched six innings, allowing just two runs vs. one of the best lineups in the country. Evans, who had been a dominant releiver until last week, owns a 1.09 ERA in 2025. He's struck out 47 in just 33 innings.
Not having Evans out of the bullpen will hurt, but if he's going to pitch like that, LSU needs the rising star in a starting role. We'll see if the freshman can follow it up.
LSU's offense was inconsistent in April.
LSU only scored eight runs in a three-game series vs. Auburn. Oklahoma held LSU to three runs or fewer twice. There was also the midweek loss to Northwestern State, where LSU plated just three.
At the same time, LSU managed to score double-digit runs at least once vs. Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Alabama.
What will we see from the Tigers this week?
LSU will hit for average and put the ball in play, but can LSU find the power to take advantage of traffic on the basepaths? LSU needs slugger Jared Jones to stay hot. Jones came through last week with a walk-off home run vs. Tennessee on Friday night.
Here's a look at how the Tigers and Aggies have fared in conference play.
Here's a look at how each pitching staff has fared in conference play.
Texas lost on Thursday night, meaning LSU has a chance to pick up a game in the conference standings with a win on Friday.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: LSU baseball vs. Texas A&M preview: Everything Tiger fans need to know
Continue reading...
LSU and Texas A&M both have something to prove.
The Tigers are looking to make their case for a National Seed and the privilege of hosting a Super Regional. Texas A&M wants to remain in the field of 64, avoiding the bubble.
LSU is riding high after a series win vs. Tennessee and an emphatic midweek victory. On the other side, Texas A&M needs a bounce-back after getting swept by rival Texas. All of the Aggies' losses to the Longhorns were one-run games. That surely left a sour taste in A&M's mouth, especially since it killed the momentum Texas A&M owned entering that series.
A&M looks to start another run this weekend while LSU hopes to continue its recent run of success. Here's what you need to know before first pitch.
Texas A&M is back in contention after a rough start
Don't let Texas A&M being on the wrong end of a sweep last weekend take away from what the Aggies did in April. The first few SEC series were brutal, but an April 5 double-header vs. Tennessee gave A&M a shot of life.
Texas A&M scored a combined 26 runs to win both games of the doubleheader and claim the series in the process. It was A&M's first conference series win of the year. A week after that, A&M swept South Carolina. Next, the Aggies took two of three from No. 2 Arkansas. All of a sudden, Texas A&M was back on track.
The momentum was stunted by Texas, but as we enter May, A&M is back in the postseason picture.
Can LSU move past road struggles?
LSU has been dominant at home, but the Tigers have struggled on the road. LSU is just 5-5 on the road in 2025.
LSU dropped two of three at Texas and was swept at Arkansas. LSU's offense becomes a different group away from the comfort of Alex Box Stadium. LSU will have to figure something out in College Station.
Jay Johnson will hope to see the version of LSU that swept Oklahoma in Norman, not the one that Auburn swept.
Texas A&M is reliant on the long ball
A&M's lineup has figured some things out, but the Aggies are reliant on home runs. Only three teams have homered more than Texas A&M in conference play, but in the same span, A&M is hitting .253. You don't know what you're going to get with this lineup. It's the same group that was shut out by Tennessee in game one of a series before scoring 17 runs in game three.
The Aggies will swing for the fences, and they're usually good at it. The key for LSU is limiting traffic on the basepaths. If A&M is turning a walk and a single into three-run homers, LSU is in trouble. If it's just the occasional solo homer, the LSU pitching staff will be fine.
What version of Kade Anderson does LSU get on Friday?
LSU ace Kade Anderson got back on track last week, throwing 7.1 innings of two-run baseball vs. Tennessee. That was refreshing for LSU after Anderson allowed a combined 11 runs in his previous two starts.
Anderson has allowed five or more runs in three SEC starts this season, but he's also looked like the best pitcher in the country at times. LSU needs the latter on Friday.
Another dominant outing from Anderson takes the pressure off LSU for the rest of the series. A&M is a lineup that strikes out -- which should play to Anderson's strengths.
How does LSU's Casan Evans fare in start two?
LSU tried something new last Sunday. Johnson started true freshman Casan Evans in game three as LSU looked for an answer to its No. 3 spot in the rotation.
Evans delivered. He pitched six innings, allowing just two runs vs. one of the best lineups in the country. Evans, who had been a dominant releiver until last week, owns a 1.09 ERA in 2025. He's struck out 47 in just 33 innings.
Not having Evans out of the bullpen will hurt, but if he's going to pitch like that, LSU needs the rising star in a starting role. We'll see if the freshman can follow it up.
LSU needs the lineup to stay hot
LSU's offense was inconsistent in April.
LSU only scored eight runs in a three-game series vs. Auburn. Oklahoma held LSU to three runs or fewer twice. There was also the midweek loss to Northwestern State, where LSU plated just three.
At the same time, LSU managed to score double-digit runs at least once vs. Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Alabama.
What will we see from the Tigers this week?
LSU will hit for average and put the ball in play, but can LSU find the power to take advantage of traffic on the basepaths? LSU needs slugger Jared Jones to stay hot. Jones came through last week with a walk-off home run vs. Tennessee on Friday night.
How LSU baseball's lineup compares to Texas A&M
Here's a look at how the Tigers and Aggies have fared in conference play.
| Stat | LSU | Texas A&M |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 21 | 21 |
| Batting Average (AVG) | .274 | .253 |
| Runs Scored (R) | 136 | 135 |
| Home Runs (HR) | 29 | 36 |
| Slugging % (SLG%) | .471 | .463 |
| On-Base % (OB%) | .981 | .980 |
| Walks (BB) | 84 | 100 |
| Strikeouts (K) | 174 | 214 |
| Stolen Bases (SB-ATT) | 17-0 | 17-0 |
| Fielding % (FLD%) | .983 | .972 |
| Errors (E) | 12 | 20 |
How LSU baseball's pitching staff compares to Texas A&M
Here's a look at how each pitching staff has fared in conference play.
| Pitching Stat | LSU | Texas A&M |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 21 | 21 |
| ERA | 4.23 | 5.83 |
| Record (W-L) | 14 - 7 | 8 - 13 |
| Saves (SV) | 8 | 1 |
| Innings Pitched (IP) | 183 | 176 |
| Earned Runs (ER) | 86 | 114 |
| Strikeouts (SO) | 231 | 172 |
| Walks (BB) | 94 | 52 |
| Opponent Batting Avg (B/AVG) | .247 | .278 |
| Home Runs Allowed (HR) | 20 | 34 |
| Wild Pitches (WP) | 16 | 3 |
| Hit Batters (HBP) | 17 | 24 |
SEC baseball standings
Texas lost on Thursday night, meaning LSU has a chance to pick up a game in the conference standings with a win on Friday.
| Team | Conf | Conf % | Overall | Overall % | Streak |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 19-3 | .864 | 38-6 | .864 | L1 |
| Arkansas | 15-7 | .682 | 38-9 | .809 | W1 |
| LSU | 14-7 | .667 | 37-9 | .804 | W2 |
| Tennessee | 13-8 | .619 | 36-9 | .800 | W1 |
| Alabama | 12-9 | .571 | 35-10 | .778 | W5 |
| Georgia | 12-9 | .571 | 36-11 | .766 | W3 |
| Ole Miss | 12-9 | .571 | 32-13 | .711 | W1 |
| Vanderbilt | 12-9 | .571 | 32-13 | .711 | W2 |
| Auburn | 11-10 | .524 | 31-14 | .689 | W2 |
| Oklahoma | 11-10 | .524 | 30-13 | .698 | L2 |
| Kentucky | 10-11 | .476 | 25-17 | .595 | L1 |
| Florida | 8-13 | .381 | 30-16 | .652 | W1 |
| Texas A&M | 8-13 | .381 | 25-19 | .568 | W1 |
| Mississippi State | 7-14 | .333 | 26-19 | .578 | W1 |
| South Carolina | 5-16 | .238 | 26-20 | .565 | W1 |
| Missouri | 0-21 | .000 | 13-31 | .295 | L8 |
Complete weekend schedule for LSU baseball's series vs. Texas A&M
| Date | Matchup | Location | Time (CT) | TV Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, May 2 | LSU at Texas A&M | Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park, Bryan-College Station, TX | 6:00 PM | SEC Network+ |
| Saturday, May 3 | LSU at Texas A&M | Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park, Bryan-College Station, TX | 2:00 PM | SEC Network+ |
| Sunday, May 4 | LSU at Texas A&M | Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park, Bryan-College Station, TX | 1:00 PM | SEC Network+ |
Where LSU baseball sits in the polls
| Poll | LSU Ranking |
|---|---|
| Baseball America | #2 |
| D1Baseball | #2 |
| Perfect Game | #2 |
| Coaches Poll | #2 |
| NCBWA | #4 |
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: LSU baseball vs. Texas A&M preview: Everything Tiger fans need to know
Continue reading...
