This article is part of our College Baseball Picks series.
College Baseball Picks Today: Saturday, April 12
Friday was a surprise. Big advantage for Vandy facing Oklahoma without their ace Kyson Witherspoon, and they still lost convincingly. It happens. Bound for a little bounce back Saturday, I'm locking on a team that is looking to bounce back themselves.
LSU vs Clemson Odds
LSU Tigers (-155)
Auburn Tigers (+125)
Total: 12.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
I talked about this series on my podcast, Breaking Bet, on Friday. And it was a tough decision for me to go against LSU with the way they have been playing, especially their smoking-hot Friday ace, Kade Anderson, fresh off a complete game 14-strikeout shutout at Oklahoma last week. The reason for the decision was simple. Auburn is light years better at home than on the road (16-5 at home; 3-5 on the road). Not to mention, the former LSU pitcher Samuel Dutton has blossomed as the Auburn ace in 2025.
Got to hand it to Auburn as they came out and pounced on LSU. Auburn's lack of pitching depth basically paints them into a corner every week, where if they lose a Dutton start, there's little chance they can win a series. LSU on the other hand has enough arms to go down the street and around the block, giving them an advantage to come back this weekend.
The purple and gold will be rolling with Anthony Eyanson, another pivotal transfer they scooped in the portal. After two years at UC San Diego, the righty has given LSU another reliable stud to trot out every week. His 3.38 ERA and .219 OBA has been scintillating this year, though his 1.83 SIERA has suggested he's been even better. A big strikeout guy (66 K in 42.2 innings), Eyanson has been dialed in these last couple weeks, pitching 10.2 scoreless innings with 20 strikeouts against Mississippi State and Oklahoma.
The Auburn offense is no joke, which is one of the main reasons I've played them a lot this year. Batting .306 with 46 homers and 43 steals (53 attempts), it's a lineup that has a strong blend of power, speed, and hit. The potential first catcher off the board this year, Ike Irish, has been raking as usual, batting .352 with a 1.101 OPS and seven home runs. And there's many more capable guys behind him. As long as Eyanson can keep the free passes to a minimum and locate well, he should be able to have success in this matchup -- at least enough to give LSU a shot.
The big matchup advantage here comes in the form of a supposed once-upon-a-time stud in Cade Fisher throwing for Auburn. His fresh start by transferring hasn't exactly gone as planned, as evinced by his 4.43 ERA and 17 walks in 20.2 innings. The LSU lineup is disgusting, highlighted by Jared "Bear" Jones (.380 avg/1.164 OPS/11 HR) and standout freshman Derek Curiel (.375 avg/1.096 OPS). It's a team littered with talent, which is why they were one of my big three for the preseason CWS winner. I expect this offense to jump on Fisher and company.
LSU has only lost consecutive games once this season (at Texas), and while it is possible, I would be banking on a rebound game as much more likely for Saturday. It's a good price on the board, and going in favor of a big pitching advantage sounds like a must for me.
- Pick: LSU ML -155 (at Bet365 Sportsbook)
