The defending NCAA champions opened up the season with a victory.
No. 2 LSU overcame a three-run deficit to defeat Milwaukee 15-5 at Alex Box Stadium in the season opener on Friday afternoon. The game was ended in the eighth inning due to the 10-run rule.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Casan Evans struck out Milwaukee’s Dylan O’Connell to start the game, but then struggled with accuracy, particularly with his breaking ball.
Evans, who would throw 24 pitches in the first, would walk the next batter and then two batters later give up a single through the right side to Charlie Marion. He got out of the jam by striking out Joey Spence.
LSU’s Derek Curiel got a one-out single in the bottom frame, but the Tigers were unable to bring him home.
Evans gave up a leadoff single to Bradyn Horn but would promptly strike out the next three hitters. LSU would then take its first lead in the bottom of the second as Grand Canyon transfer Zach Yorke hit a home run into the right-field bleachers in his first at-bat as a Tiger.
Cade Arrambide would get on with a single and then advanced to second on a wild pitch, but was left stranded.
Evans would again put on the leadoff hitter, this time walking O’Connell, but got out of it by ending the inning with back-to-back strikeouts.
Chris Stanfield drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the third and advanced to second on a balk, and then to third on a wild pitch. He would score on a groundout by Steven Milam to give LSU a 2-0 lead.
Evans got himself into trouble again and was unable to get out of it in the fourth inning.
He hit the leadoff hitter, then gave up back-to-back singles to Horn and Tate Schmidt to load the bases. Christian Holmes hit a single into right field to plate one run, and then a double by Tristan Ellis brought home two more. A groundout by O’Connell brought home another run, and Tiger skipper Jay Johnson would pull Evans for Cooper Williams.
In 3 and 1/3 innings, Evans gave up four earned runs to six hits, struck out seven, walked two, and threw 75 pitches.
Milwaukee increased its lead with Marion leading off the fifth with a solo home run off of Williams.
LSU had appeared to cut into that lead in the bottom of the fifth. Jake Brown hit a two-out double down the right field line. Yorke then came up and blasted a pitch over the foul pole in right field. The home crowd erupted in cheers, believing it was a two-run home run, but it was ruled a foul ball. Even after a lengthy review, the call was upheld. Yorke then swung away to strike out.
The Tigers threatened in the sixth inning as Arrambide hit a leadoff double and then advanced to third on a groundout by Mason Braun. Seth Dardar came in to pinch hit for Simpson and hit a two-run home run to trim the lead to a single run.
Williams put the leadoff hitter on in the top of the sixth and was pulled for former Barbe High star Gavin Guidry, who missed all of the 2025 season due to a back injury. He came in and got the next three hitters to strike out swinging.
Milam led off the seventh with a double to left and then scored on a double by Brown. Yorke was then hit by a pitch that put runners on first and second with no outs. Arrambide then stepped into the batter’s box and blasted the ball into the left field bleachers for a three-run blast.
LSU added another two runs on a throwing error to lead 10-5. The Tigers would tack on six more runs in the eighth to activate the 10-run rule and seal the victory.
BIG NUMBER: 90
With an infield single in the first inning, Derek Curiel not only recorded his first hit of the season, but it was his 90th hit in his LSU career.
PLAYERS OF THE GAME: CADE ARRAMBIDE & GAVIN GUIDRY
The Tiger catcher had a monster night at the plate as he went 3-for-4 with three RBI, three runs scored, one home run, and one walk. Guidry, meanwhile, pitched well in the first game since June of 2024. The former Barbe High star threw two innings, giving up no runs on one hit, while striking out five to earn the victory in relief.
UP NEXT: LSU (1-0) will return to action on Saturday when it hosts Milwaukee (0-1) at Alex Box Stadium. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.