Around the Horn: LSU sweeps Milwaukee in record fashion

By Hunt Palmer

Three of the 56 games are in the rearview, and the Tigers are off to a 3-0 start.

Milwaukee pushed LSU on Friday and Saturday before the Tigers pummeled their visitors from the north on Sunday. Friday’s 10-run rule wasn’t indicative of how that game unfolded. Milwaukee led 5-4 after six innings. On Saturday, the go ahead run came to the plate in the ninth.

Because of that, LSU had to play and pitch in some tight quarters. The response was positive.

A five-game week awaits as the Tigers host Kent State and Nicholls before the trip to Jacksonville next weekend.

STRIKEOUT STAFF

LSU set a program record for strikeouts in a series with 49. The staff compiled 17 in both games one and game two and came back Sunday with 15 more.

Obviously Milwaukee was an overmatched opponent, but Nate Yeskie’s staff has led the country in strikeouts back-to-back seasons while turning over the weekend rotation in both years.

This is a trend.

What I like even better is that the bullpen struck out 22 with only three walks. Santiago Garcia walked one on Sunday, and Marcos Paz walked a pair later in the game. Not only does LSU have elite stuff coming out of the bullpen, the Tigers threw strikes, too.

SOPHOMORE STARTERS

Casan Evans and William Schmidt missed a lot of bats in their starts, but neither really found a groove.

Evans never had a clean inning and hit his 75-pitch limit with one out in the fourth. He gave up six hits, two walks and hit a batter. Milwaukee took some impressive off of Evans in the fourth. They continued to spray the ball to the opposite field.

Schmidt struck out nine in four innings. That’s the kind of stuff he has. He also lost his command in the third, and the walk and hit batter he issued both came around to score. He went to eight three-ball counts in four innings which is why his pitch count climbed to 91 that quickly.

Neither Evans nor Schmidt was bad in their first start, but there were bumps along the way. The development of those two pitchers is the most important facet of the team moving forward. They’ll both need to be better in SEC play.

MASTERFUL MOORE

Cooper Moore, on the other hand, was brilliant. He completely controlled the Milwaukee hitters all afternoon on Saturday for six innings of one-run baseball.

Heck of a debut for LSU righty Cooper Moore. Final line for the Kansas transfer:

6 IP
4 H
1 ER
0 BB
11 K 🔥pic.twitter.com/9X6TSfwjSH

— The College Baseball Show (@CollegeBSBShow) February 14, 2026

The veteran right-hander worked ahead of 18 of the 24 hitters he faced and never got to a three-ball count. His changeup was electrifying for the entire start, and he used his 93-94 mph fastball well to complement it.

At this point, Moore has easily been the most consistent starter for LSU dating back to the fall.

There is one small concern. Moore’s pant leg was spattered with blood from his right hand. He had a bandage on one of his fingers postgame and said it was just “a little cut”. I’ll take his word for it, but a blister would be a concern. We’ll see what he looks like in Jacksonville.

SECOND BASE SHUFFLE

LSU started three different second basemen over the weekend. Brayden Simpson started the opener. Seth Dadar started game two, and Trent Caraway got the nod with John Pearson at third on Sunday.

Welcome to Baton Rouge Seth Dardar pic.twitter.com/MZuSAJ4OWx

— College Baseball Insiders (@Theinsiders) February 13, 2026

Dardar obviously had a huge weekend with a pair of homers and six runs driven in. He was pinch hit for on Saturday against a lefty reliever. Jack Ruckert went in to play defense in the ninth at second base.

The coaching staff is still assessing how they want to handle the position, but I think it’s safe to assume a platoon is going to be around for awhile. Tanner Reaves got three at bats. So did Simpson. Dardar got 10.

FONTENOT FLAMES

Grant Fontenot was called into duty when the ninth inning got hairy for the Tigers on Saturday.

Milwaukee struck for two runs and had two on in a two-run game with two outs when Jay Johnson went to Fontenot. The senior right hander fired a pair of 98 mph fastballs to escape the threat. It feels like Fontenot may be a closer on this team. It’s too early to call that based on one situation, but Fontenot had a great fall and preseason. His velocity has ticked up.