After starting the season winning five games in six days at Alex Box Stadium, the top-ranked LSU baseball team hits the road for the first time this season as they compete in the “Live Like Lou Jax Classic.”
LSU will play Indiana on Friday at 2 PM in Jacksonville, Florida. The Tigers will face Notre Dame at 11 AM Central time on Saturday, and will finish the weekend by facing UCF on Sunday at 2 PM.
The games will be played at VyStar Ballpark in Jacksonville, Florida, which is the home of the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins.
“We’re happy to be here in Jacksonville, it’s a beautiful ballpark,” said coach Jay Johnson. “I think there’s an advantage to getting out of town and playing on the road, because there aren’t so many things going on outside of baseball, and that’s a positive. If you’re going to have a successful year, you’re going to have to be successful away from home, so this is a good opportunity for us against some very good teams this weekend. It’s an opportunity to learn more about our team and try to put our players in a position to win.”
Peak Events manages this baseball tournament. In recent years, LSU has played in other events produced by Peak Events. Last year, the Tigers were in Frisco, Texas, and in 2023 they played in Round Rock, Texas.
The Tigers are committed to playing in several more Peak Events baseball tournaments in future years.
Johnson is excited to play in Jacksonville. He said they are making the state of Florida more of a priority when it comes to recruiting high school players. He also likes the competition, playing three teams that he hopes will end up in the NCAA Tournament.
Johnson also likes the weather; it was cold for this tournament in Jacksonville last year. But at least for Friday and Saturday, the high temperatures will be in the mid-80s. Cooler temperatures and windy conditions are expected on Sunday.
Casan Evans will start for LSU on Friday against Indiana. Evans allowed four runs in 3.1 innings in his first start of the season.
Cooper Moore will start on Saturday for the Tigers. Moore was outstanding last weekend as he allowed one run in six innings and struck out 11.
Here’s a scouting report on the three teams LSU will face this weekend.
Friday 2 PM Indiana Hoosiers
2025 : 32-21 overall. 16-14 in the Big Ten
2026 : 1-3. Indiana was swept by 10th ranked North Carolina to start the season. The lone win was against Bradley. Picked to finish 5th in the Big 10.
Two players to watch: 1B Jake Hanley was the 2025 Big Ten Freshman of the year. He hit .333 with 14 home runs last season. Catcher Hogan Denny has two home runs in four games and is another talented sophomore. He’s 4-for-11 at the plate with 5 runs scored.
Indiana is starting left-hander Tony Neubeck against LSU. He pitched four shutout innings in his first start. Neubeck is a transfer from Missouri.
Notre Dame Saturday 11 AM
2025: 32-21, 14-16 in the ACC (11th place). Won 16 of its final 20, but missed out on a regional bid.
2026: 2-1 Won its opening series at Florida Atlantic. Pitched to finish 12th in the ACC.
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Two players to watch: Catcher Mark Quatrani was a first-team All-Ivy League player for Cornell last season. This year, he’s 5-for-9 at the plate with one run scored. Bino Watters was an ACC All-Freshman team selection last season. He’s 6-for-16 at the plate with a home run to start this season.
Freshman left-hander Cade Crowell is expected to start against LSU. He threw three shutout innings in his first start.
Central Florida Sunday 2 PM
2025: 29-26 overall. 9-21 in the Big 12 (13th place)
2026:3-1. Started the season by sweeping Siena. Lost to Miami 8-7 in 13 innings on Tuesday. Picked to finish 10th in the Big 12.
Right fielder Andrew Williamson was the lone Knight named to the Big 12 All-Preseason team. He hit .352 with 13 home runs and 53 RBIs. He’s 6-for-15 at the plate with one home run and 6 RBIs.
Center fielder DeAmez Ross. He led UCF with a .359 batting average. He’s off to a great start this season, 8-for-17 with one home run and 5 RBIs.