LSU Baseball: Tigers Lose Slugfest At No. 5 Georgia, 11-8, After Leading 6-2 And 7-3

By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor

LSU was beating Georgia at its own game, but in the end Georgia was much better at that.

After the Tigers took a 2-0 lead in the first, 6-2 in the third and 7-3 in the fourth, the No. 5 Bulldogs eventually overwhelmed LSU for an 11-8 victory in the first game of a Southeastern Conference series Friday night in Athens, Georgia.

LSU (29-22, 9-16 SEC) and SEC-leading Georgia (39-11, 19-6) play again Saturday at 6 p.m. on the SEC Network as the Tigers will be playing for their NCAA Tournament lives.

“We’ve taken the bullets (9 straight SEC Ls). Been dragged through the (Mississippi) mud. Had our head stepped on. There’s literally nothing to be afraid of.” … Jay Johnson.
-Except maybe Georgia.https://t.co/QtQrokRydE

— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) May 7, 2026

Tre Phelps’ two-out, three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning of LSU reliever Gavin Guidry put the game away for Georgia at 11-8. The Bulldogs, who came in leading the nation in home runs with 131, hit four home runs to LSU’s three.

LSU took a 2-0 lead in the first inning off Georgia ace Joey Volchko with a two-out, two-run single by Steven Milam. But Daniel Jackson homered to center field off LSU starter William Schmidt to get the Bulldogs within 2-1 in the home first. And then Schmidt lost it, hitting back-to-back batters, then walking back-to-back batters for a 2-2 tie.

Omar Serna Jr. put the Tigers right back up at 3-2 in the third with a solo home run before Cade Arrambide later followed with a two-run home run before John Pearson hit a solo shot for a 6-2 advantage.

LSU chased Volchko in the fourth as he gave up seven earned runs on seven hits and three walks. Derek Curiel gave LSU its biggest lead at 7-2 in the inning with a sacrifice fly.

LSU is the #1 team in the country until the 4th inning😂

— Dudy Noble Field (@DudyNobleField) May 9, 2026

But LSU’s pitching couldn’t keep the Tigers in the game as they lost in much the same fashion they were swept at Mississippi State last month, 10-8 in 11 innings, 9-8 and 13-8.

Schmidt left after only four innings, allowing four earned runs on four hits with five walks, two hit batsmen and a wild pitch. Reliever Deven Sheerin gave up another four earned runs on four hits with a walk and a wild pitch in two and a third innings to take the loss and fall to 3-2.

Gavin Guidry couldn’t stop the bleeding either as he gave up two earned runs on three hits in an inning and two-thirds with a walk.

Georgia reliever Justin Byrd held LSU to one run on zero hits through three innings for the win, improving to 3-2.

LSU totaled nine hits, but scored only two runs after the third inning. The Bulldogs scored 11 runs on 11 hits.