Defensive greatness and a two-run bomb in the third inning brought LSU baseball to its first SEC sweep of the season after a 7-0 victory over South Carolina on Sunday.
On the best day of the year for baseball at Alex Box Stadium, the first two innings were quick and scoreless, but the third inning featured an Omar Serna Jr. two-run blast to the left field landing, and the top of the fourth was filled with three defensive gems to keep the scoreless bid.
The Tigers would tally runs in three groups of deuces for the six-run total, all of which came in the third, fifth and sixth innings. In the seventh, they would add another run.
“It’s great to sweep a series, and take a look at the names that aren’t on the roster, it’s a pretty good accomplishment for this group,” head coach Jay Johnson said postgame. “I’m really proud of them for that, and it started on the mound.”
None of it would’ve been possible without Zac Cowan on the mound, shoving like he’s been a Sunday starter all season. This game against the Gamecocks was only his fourth start of the season, and he would become his second win of the season.
In the contest, he pitched six innings, throwing 82 pitches for seven strikeouts and only a single walk. He would throw 73% strikes in what would become his longest outing of the season to date. His previous outing was his second longest, and it would be four innings against Southeastern.
“I feel like I was just able to get ahead of hitters,” Cowan said. “When I was behind stuff on strikes and just kind of pitched into my strengths.”
He got hot late in the 2025 season and was crucial to the title chase. He’s started peaking at the right time for the Tigers, and there’s never been an LSU team that has needed it more.
Entering the weekend, the purple and gold needed to win seven of its last nine. With injuries eating up the entire roster, it was looking harder and harder to achieve. However, Tigers’ pitching stepped up big time versus the Gamecocks as two relief pitchers started and made their longest outings of the season to secure the sweep.
The last time LSU missed the postseason was 2011, and with the buzz surrounding the talent on this team, it would be the biggest let-down of the Johnson era at LSU.
Santiago Garcia came in to relieve Cowan after a leadoff error by Seth Dardar in the seventh inning. Garcia would walk his first batter, but then sit down three Gamecocks in a row to close the inning.
This game and series were exactly what LSU needed to showcase what a postseason run could look like.
Nonetheless, the Bayou Bengals have been determined to turn over a new leaf late in the season. The sweep is secured, and the Tigers will try to continue their four-game win streak as they take on Tulane on Tuesday. First pitch will be at 6:30 p.m. in Alex Box Stadium.
