LSU baseball was swept by Tennessee in an away series, falling to 22-15 overall, 3-12 in the SEC. The Tigers have now been swept twice and have yet to win an SEC series.
The sweep ultimately resulted from flaws that have plagued LSU throughout SEC play, despite the continued success of players like Tommy White and Luke Holman.
Facing the No. 1 SEC team in batting average, an ability to put runs up was pivotal. LSU scored just eight all weekend. The inability to maximize on scoring opportunities, increasingly common errors and six home runs allowed on the weekend were defining variables, as they have been all season.
Gage Jump started Friday’s 6-3 loss, throwing four innings and allowing five runs off five hits. His first two runs surrendered came from a home run in the first. After two singles in the third, Jump walked two in a row, with the second walk scoring a run. 
Sam Dutton came in for Jump in the fifth with two runners on. A misthrow by Josh Pearson on an attempted double play scored one. A wild pitch by Dutton and poor throw by Brady Neal then scored another. The Volunteers last run came from a home run just two batters later.
A Jump walk, a Pearson misthrow and a double error by Dutton and Neal gave Tennessee three of its runs.
When at bat, the story of the game was missed opportunities. LSU was 1-for-4 with runners on third with less than two outs. Ten runners were left on base by batters throughout the game. Mac Bingham and Ashton Larson were the main culprits of this.
In the first, with White on second and just one out, Larson hit into a double play. With bases loaded and two outs in the third, Bingham struck out. With bases loaded and one out in the eighth, Ethan Frey struck out.
Hayden Travinski flew out soon after. In the ninth, with bases loaded and one out, Larson struck out. Shortly after, a Bingham strikeout ended the game with runners on second and third.
Two of LSU’s three runs came from White singles, and the other from a wild pitch. White finished 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a double.
In Saturday’s 3-1 loss, Holman threw a no hitter through his first five innings. Volunteer top hitters, Blake Burke and Christian Moore went a combined 8-for-17 with three home runs all weekend against other LSU pitchers. They were 1-for-5 against Holman.
“Everything was working for Luke tonight,” head coach Jay Johnson said after Game 2. “He’s the best player on our team, and he pitched like it again tonight.”
In tandem with Griffin Herring, the Volunteers had just five hits all night. However, LSU hitting did not take advantage of this.
As Travinski was about to load the bases with a single in the first, White overran third base for the third out—a missed chance at a strong start.
A well-placed bunt by Steven Milam and an overthrow to first scored the Tigers their first run in the second. This would set up two runners in scoring position with no outs. Alex Milazzo struck out, Jared Jones struck out and Tommy White grounded out to end the inning.
With runners on first and second, and just one out in the third, Michael Braswell hit into a double play, ending the inning.
Runners reached second base in the fourth and fifth, but no runs were scored in either inning. LSU finished Game 2 on a disappointing 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position. 
Nate Ackenhausen got the start in Sunday’s 8-4 loss, a position that remains in flux. Ackenhausen had a solid outing, allowing two hits in four innings, amounting to two runs off a home run.
A sixth inning home run off Aiden Moffett put Tennessee up 3-2.
Coming in for Cam Johnson in the seventh with two men on, Gavin Guidry gave up a three-run homer, extending the Volunteers lead to four.
Their last runs came in the eighth, on a double off Micah Bucknam that was misread by Braswell, Bingham and Paxton Kling.
With eight all game, LSU had five innings without a single hit. Runs came from a Milam RBI, a Travinski home run and a White two-run home run.
Lacking offense was especially apparent in the third game of the series, where LSU pitching remained insecure. 
Highlight performances include the solid five hitless innings from Holman. White went 6-for-13 with four RBIs, a home run and a double. Travinski was 5-for-12 with a home run.
Despite missed opportunities on Friday, Ashton Larson went 4-for-11 with two doubles all weekend. Larson has shown that he is deserving of hitting third in the lineup.
On Friday, he showed off his arm in a double play from foul territory in right field to a tag at the plate. The clutch throw ended the inning with bases loaded.
With uncertainty around pitching, LSU’s bats and field play need to be in a higher gear. That has not been the case. As is becoming pattern, hitting underwhelms in key scenarios, and avoidable mistakes cost runs.
But what makes LSU most frustrating and prone to losing is also what gives them hope. The Tigers are just a hit away from winning so many games, and a prevented error or walk from winning a few more.
While it is apparent that the current flaws remain, the coaching of Jay Johnson and the talent of players on the roster are capable of stepping up in the right places to produce significant wins. This may be in the form of a third starter stepping up and delivering, or key hitters like Neal or Kling finding their stride.
But we’re halfway through April—attainable as change may be, it needs to be urgent.