Why key hit vs South Carolina baseball was 'more than satisfying' for LSU's Michael Braswell

HOOVER, Ala. — This time a year ago, Michael Braswell III could be found in a South Carolina baseball uniform. On Thursday night, he could be found on first base, celebrating a ninth-inning hit that dealt the Gamecocks a final gut-punch in a heartbreaking SEC tournament loss to LSU at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium.

Braswell hooked a two-out, two-strike breaking ball past Talmadge LeCroy and down the third-base line, scoring Jake Brown — the decisive run in an 11-10 LSU victory. South Carolina (35-22) blew leads of four runs and three runs on its way to the loser's bracket, where it will play Kentucky in an elimination game on Friday (4 p.m., SEC Network.)

"I couldn't find a moment where I've been happier in the sport of baseball, honestly," Braswell said after the game. "I have respect for the South Carolina program, but I'm an LSU Tiger. There's been a lot of social media stuff going on in recent days, and to get that hit really kind of just gave me satisfaction."

Later, he added: "It's more than satisfying."

A native of Mableton, Georgia, Braswell spent two seasons at South Carolina, where he appeared in 105 games. He hit .284 and was an SEC All-Freshman Team selection in 2022, but his numbers dropped off in 2023.

When he entered the transfer portal that offseason, LSU coach Jay Johnson "liked him as a player," and he has helped energize the Tigers' late-season run from the leadoff spot. On base three times against the Gamecocks Thursday, Braswell is hitting .301 this season.

"He's playing his best baseball right now," Johnson said.

Though he acknowledged the emotional impact of the moment, Braswell said he didn't want to make his game-winning hit against his former team out to be "the World Series."

Johnson didn't register what a big moment that must have been for Braswell until he finished making a litany of situational decisions that came within a chaotic top of the ninth inning for the 11th-seeded Tigers (39-20). Once his mind stopped racing, he debated having a discussion with Braswell to center his focus on playing defense in the bottom of the ninth before deciding against it.

"He showed so much poise the entire night, the entire game," Johnson said.

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Asked for his take on watching one of his former players come through in a big moment against his team, South Carolina coach Mark Kingston compared it to what Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin might feel when watching Parker Noland or Gavin Casas — former Commodores who now play for the Gamecocks.

"You know, it's the age we're in," Kingston said, "the transfer portal age where guys are moving around to different teams to try to make the most of their careers and that's something we don't begrudge anybody."

David Eckert covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at deckert@gannett.com or reach him on Twitter @davideckert98.

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