(Photo Credit: Michael Bacigalupi)
By Hunt Palmer
Josh Pearson learned he would be in Saturday’s lineup via text message on Friday night.
That news shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise. Pearson has started in right field most games against left-handed starters. The surprise was that he was in the leadoff spot. He hadn’t hit atop the lineup all season.
“Every day I kind of show up to the field as if I would be in the lineup at some part of the lineup,” Pearson said. “And I mean showing up today, Coach texted me last night and told me I’d be in it. I came today and got ready to go. And saw my name was in the lead-off spot, and I knew I had a job to do and had to get the job done.”
He did.
Pearson collected a pair of hits including a towering grand slam to right field that gave LSU a 16-5 lead and erased any remaining hope in the West Virginia dugout for game one of the Super Regional.
Veteran Josh Pearson gets his barrel to this FB up in the zone and lifts a Grand Slam out to RF to extend LSU’s lead to a commanding 16-5. pic.twitter.com/h8r1cDLiAN
— Peter Flaherty III (@PeterGFlaherty) June 7, 2025
The senior has made a habit of producing huge swings in the postseason over the last four years. His postseason batting average is 10 points higher than his career average, and the power tends to show up when the games matter most.
Pearson’s slam on Saturday was his sixth career postseason dinger in 25 NCAA Tournament games. He’s only homered 14 times in the other 141 in his career. He’s driven in 23 runs in those 25 postseason games.
He was an All-Regional selection in 2022 (Hattiesburg), 2023 (Baton Rouge) and 2024 (Chapel Hill). He homered three times during LSU’s 2023 title run including one in game three of the national final against Florida.
Asked Saturday about the only player to join him in the dugout for every game as head coach at LSU, Jay Johnson talked about the person, not the player.
“Character, makeup, toughness, raised right, best parents in the world,” Johnson said. “It will be odd not having him here because it’s my only guy. The four years together, like that’s it. And he’s really dialed into the right things, much like Kade (Anderson), much like Derek (Curiel). The three guys that — every time I come up here, I find them talking about who they are as people as much as players. He’s at the forefront of that. He’s always ready when we call his name…He’s the best. He’s just the best.”
Pearson had the opportunity to turn professional after last season. He chose to return to LSU for one final season. His younger brother, John, is on this team. The duo hasn’t played together since high school, five years ago.
In his last season, he’s been a part time starter, only making the lineup 38 of 62 games.
He hasn’t flinched, only done what he’s been asked to do. That has clearly made an impression on freshman phenom Derek Curiel.
“Josh has been a leader on this team since day one, since I’ve gotten here,” Curiel said. “He kind of taught me the ropes. And I look up to him a lot. Two years ago, last year, watching him on TV, I wanted to be his teammate. I wanted to be his friend. He’s been like a brother to me. I’m so happy to see him succeed.”
Now Pearson, Curiel and the Tigers stand one win away from Omaha where Pearson’s leaping catch of a Wyatt Langford line drive against Florida helped lift LSU to its seventh national title.
Josh Pearson saves the game by making a great catch on Wyatt Langford’s rocket
Top of the 11th here we come 🔥 pic.twitter.com/QLdkwfPe1c
— 11Point7 College Baseball (@11point7) June 25, 2023
Should LSU win on Sunday, Pearson will walk off the Alex Box Stadium field in uniform for the final time.
If recent trends hold, Pearson won’t be in the lineup against the right-handed West Virginia starting pitcher, Jack Kartsonas.
But, he’ll be ready.
“These have been the most fun four years of my life,” Pearson said. “I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I’m going to miss the Box. I’m going to playing in The Box, but we still have one game tomorrow. Going to make the most of it for sure.”
