LSU Baseball Could Be Without 2 Starting Position Players This Weekend At Ole Miss

By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor

LSU will be limping into a Southeastern Conference series at Ole Miss against the highest ranked Ratings Percentage Index team and best pitching staff on its schedule so far.

And the Tigers (22-12, 6-6 SEC) could be without two starting position players and a backup infielder against the No. 10 RPI Rebels (23-11, 5-7 SEC) on Friday (6:30 p.m., SEC Network+). The series continues at 4 p.m. Saturday and 1:30 p.m. Sunday on SEC Network+.

“It’s just different,” Jay Johnson said, borrowing Lane Kiffin’s hashtag, but not in a good way, after BeFuddling loss to 212 RPI Bethune-Cookman Tuesday.https://t.co/qyoFBTNvNF

— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) April 8, 2026

In LSU’s 10-7 loss to Bethune-Cookman on Tuesday, starting senior left fielder Chris Stanfield (.273, 2 HRs, 7 RBIs) aggravated his hand injury that caused him to miss 15 games early in the season. And transfer senior starting second baseman Seth Dardar (.284, 5 HRs, 25 RBIs) injured his ankle sliding into second base in that game. Both did not leave the game immediately but left later for pinch-hitters.

“Neither of them broke anything, so that’s a real positive,” LSU coach Jay Johnson said on Wednesday. “What they can do, I don’t know yet. Neither has anything structurally wrong, but that doesn’t mean they’re going to play, because they got beat up pretty good.”

Senior transfer backup infielder Brayden Simpson (.280, 5 RBIs) is also questionable with a thumb injury that has kept him out since the Kentucky game on March 29.

“Yeah, it’s a tough loss tonight. Like, there’s no getting around that.”
-Jay Johnson. https://t.co/O25FBPdRRh

— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) April 8, 2026

“He took batting practice on Tuesday,” Johnson said. “We’re looking at treatment options to accelerate it. What can he tolerate?”

Meanwhile, freshman catcher Omar Serna Jr. is expected to play this weekend at Ole Miss after a collision at home plate in the win over Tennessee on Sunday that knocked him out briefly. Medical examinations revealed no concussion, but he did sit out the Bethune-Cookman game on Tuesday.

LSU may need every available bat this weekend as Ole Miss is fifth in the SEC in earned run average at 3.70 to LSU’s 13th at 4.58. Junior left-hander Hunter Elliott (3-1, 3.79 ERA) is the Rebels’ ace and has 60 strikeouts in 40 and a third innings with 26 walks. Sophomore right-hander Cade Townsend (2-1, 1.82 ERA) is the No. 2 starter and has struck out 46 with six walks in 29 and two-thirds innings.

“This is the best pitching staff we will have faced,” Johnson said. “No question about it.”

LSU is sixth in the SEC in hitting at .288 to Ole Miss’ 15th of 16 teams at .256.

Meanwhile, LSU will again be without No. 2 starting pitcher Cooper Moore (3-3, 3.38 ERA, 39 strikeouts, 7 walks, 32 innings), a junior transfer right-hander from Kansas who will miss third consecutive start with a bruised right forearm. He could possibly return next weekend when the Tigers host No. 18 RPI Texas A&M (25-7, 7-5 SEC).

“He has started his throwing program, and he will not pitch this weekend,” Johnson said. “My hope is that he’ll be available in some capacity next weekend.”