Florida baseball ended the 2026 regular season with a sweep of LSU, taking Game 1, 11-8, Game 2, 11-1, and Game 3, 15-11. With the sweep, the Gators (37-18, 18-12 SEC) extended their program-record winning streak against LSU to five games dating back to 2024 — all of which took place in Baton Rouge.
Gator Country provides five takeaways from the series sweep.
Florida’s power is coming around
The Gators put together a terrific weekend at the plate, scoring 11-plus runs in each contest and totaling 37 runs in the series, including a season-high 15 against SEC competition in Game 3. Florida also set a season high with 18 hits in Game 3 en route to 34 hits on the weekend.
The Tigers didn’t have much to play for this weekend, and it showed on the mound. LSU issued 30 free passes over the three games, and Florida took full advantage by blasting 10 home runs in the series.
Ethan Surowiec and Cade Kurland each homered twice, while Hayden Yost launched three home runs in Game 3, becoming the first Gator to record a three-homer game since Bobby Boser vs. Stetson on April 15, 2025.
Brendan Lawson, Landon Stripling, and Cash Strayer also homered during the series. Lawson’s home run was tracked at 496 feet, and while college baseball does not officially track home run distances, it is believed to be the longest homer hit during the 2026 season.
It feels like the power is starting to come around for the Gators. Having Caden McDonald and Cash Strayer in the lineup is certainly helping, but Brendan Lawson appears to have broken out of his slump, Cade Kurland has found a groove, and we’re seeing flashes of the power Ethan Surowiec displayed over the summer.
Liam Peterson dominates Tigers
As much as I believe LSU mailed it in on the pitching side in an effort to go all hands on deck for the SEC Tournament, the Tigers are still a talented offensive team that ranks in the top half of the SEC in nearly every major offensive category.
That wasn’t a factor for Liam Peterson, who tossed a seven-inning complete game in Florida’s run-rule victory in Game 2, allowing just one run on three hits and one walk while striking out 11 batters.
Peterson was in total control from the first pitch, with the only LSU run coming on a solo home run from shortstop Steven Milam, a projected early-round pick in the upcoming MLB Draft. After the homer, Peterson retired 10 of his final 11 batters to close out his outing.
The Tigers didn’t have a single runner reach scoring position off Peterson.
The hard-throwing right-hander is starting to provide Florida with more length, which is a promising sign with Florida’s postseason beginning on Wednesday. Across his last two starts, Peterson has gone at least seven innings for a combined 14.2 innings pitched and has walked just two batters in that span.
It’s been an up-and-down season for Peterson, but the Gators will need his recent consistency to continue if they want to reach Omaha for the third time in four years.
Florida will host a regional, in conversation for top eight national seed
The Gators eliminated any concern about not hosting an NCAA Regional with the series win, but the sweep puts them firmly in the conversation for a top-eight national seed. Florida finished fifth in the SEC, but they have the same number of conference wins as Texas A&M and Alabama, who finished third and fourth, respectively.
Florida’s RPI sits at No. 10, while its strength of schedule ranks second nationally. Other teams in the top-eight bubble include Florida State, Texas A&M, Southern California, Nebraska, Southern Miss, and Alabama.
Assuming Auburn is locked into a top-eight national seed based on its No. 3 RPI, there are two remaining spots for arguably seven deserving teams.
Florida has a chance to improve its resume with a deep run in the SEC Tournament. The Gators earned a bye and will take on the winner of Vanderbilt vs. Kentucky in the second round on Wednesday, May 20.