Unfinished Business: LSU Looks to Complete the Job in Hoover After 2024 Heartbreak

HOOVER, Ala. — A year ago, the LSU Tigers were one swing away from capturing an SEC Tournament title that would have capped off one of the most improbable runs in recent program history. As an 11-seed, they ripped off four straight wins, including stunners over South Carolina and Kentucky, before falling just short in a 4–3 loss to Tennessee in the championship game.

The memory of that game—tense, emotional, and ultimately bitter—still lingers.

“I think winning this is just a respect for our league,” LSU head coach Jay Johnson said earlier this week. “I mean if you can do that, then obviously, you're capable of winning the tournament that matters most (NCAA), and we played here well last year, but I want that win.”

The 2025 Tigers arrive in Hoover with a different energy and résumé. Unlike last year, LSU is not limping into the tournament—they’re rolling.

LSU found its rhythm in SEC play after a strong start in February that included a few sweeps. An end-of-season series win against Arkansas sparked a turnaround and a real momentum builder going into this weekend, and the Tigers have since won four of the last six conference series. They finished the regular season 19–11 in SEC play and 42–13 overall, securing a top three seed in the tournament.

This team has found a balance between veteran leadership and youthful emergence. Senior outfielder Josh Pearson, who had the game-tying RBI single in last year’s SEC title game, is having a career year, slashing .308 with six home runs and 28 RBIs. Sophomore third baseman Michael Braswell has stepped up defensively and at the plate, providing consistency in the middle of the lineup and hitting a stride in his swing since the Tennessee series.

And then there’s freshman phenom Derek Curiel, whose raw power and poise have made him a key part of the lineup in his first season. Curiel is hitting .344 with six home runs and 45 RBIs and has drawn praise from coaches around the league for his calm approach at the plate.

Last season, LSU’s bullpen collapsed under the weight of Tennessee’s powerful lineup in the title game, surrendering a 1-0 lead with a three-run homer in the third and another run in the fifth. The 2025 team hopes to avoid that fate with a deeper, more reliable pitching staff.

Junior right-hander Kade Anderson has taken over ace duties, boasting a 3.47 ERA with 133 strikeouts in 83 innings. He’s complemented by Anthony Eyanson, who has emerged as a dependable No. 2 starter, and a bullpen anchored by Casan Evans and Zac Cowan, who have an ERA under 2.50 in SEC play.

“Pitching wins in Hoover,” Johnson said. “And we feel a lot better about our staff this year. We’ve got guys who want the ball in big moments.”

The 2024 SEC title game is still a topic in the locker room less as a haunting memory and more as motivation.

In that game, LSU got a monster home run from Jared Jones, and a late rally brought them within one. But a pair of strikeouts with the tying run on base ended the dream. Tennessee lifted the trophy, and LSU went home with only what-ifs.

This week isn’t just about revenge or redemption but seeding. With LSU hovering near the edge of a regional host spot in most projections, every win in Hoover counts.

D1Baseball currently has LSU as a No. 5 seed in the Baton Rouge Regional. A deep run in the SEC Tournament could push them into a comfortable top eight spot for Omaha, which would be a significant advantage given the noise they had to make last year, even to make it to a postseason.

LSU opens SEC Tournament play against the Texas Aggies on Friday, May 23. The Tigers are looking to shake off the ghosts of last year and write a new story that ends with the Tigers celebrating on the mound, not walking off in silence.

And if they do? The rest of the country will be reminded that anything is possible when LSU catches fire in May.