Brown ‘leads’ LSU to season-opening sweep of Milwaukee

Published 9:58 pm Sunday, February 15, 2026

By Scooter Hobbs

American Press

LSU coach Jay Johnson says Jake Brown is the leader of the Tigers’ baseball team.

“No question about that,” Johnson said.

Sulphur’s contribution to the defending national champions certainly lived up to the tag over the opening weekend, capped by Sunday’s game when he hit two home runs, including his first career grand slam, and went 3-for-4 with six RBIs.

“I’m very thankful that he is a Tiger,” Johnson said. “I think he’s got a chance to be one of the best players in the country this year.”

When that team leader has as many followers as Brown had Sunday, you end up with a 21-7 football score victory over outmanned Milwaukee and the second mercy-rule win of the three-game opening series.

Backup infielder Trent Caraway had five RBIs while preseason All-American outfielder Derek Curiel went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and freshman Seth Dardar had a 3-run pinch-hit home run.

The Tigers had 17 hits and all 21 runs were driven in.

The sweep started Friday when after a slow start, the Tigers scored six runs in both the sixth and seven innings for a 15-5 wn in eight innings. LSU won Saturday 5-3 on Saturday.

Highly touted righthander William Schmidt (1-0), coming off of an up-and-down freshman season, got the win Sunday while also getting nine of the Tigers’ 15 strikeouts in four innings.

He was one of four pitchers who combined for 15 strike outs, giving the LSU staff 49 Ks for the weekend, the most by the Tiger pitching in a three-game series since 1992.

Schmidt gave up three runs on three hits in his four innings. He walked three, a recurring problem for him last season.

“I think there were some really good steps for him in this game,” Johnson said. “I’m looking for signs that indicate he’s going to play baseball for a very long time and I saw signs of that today. William is developing tremendously.”

The Tigers had 25 players get in the game.

“I think we have a lot of versatility with this team, a lot of keyhole matchups,” Johnson said. “And I think today was a good indication of what and how we could do what we want to do.

“It was a good day today, the best day of the year so far. It was good to get a bunch of guys in the game.”

The Tigers (4-0) will be in action Monday at 6 p.m. against Kent State, which beat Southeastern Louisiana (2-0) two straight over the weekend.