When Florida was just 10-8 in the SEC and Georgia was 13-5 -- after the games of April 19 -- it seemed like Georgia was getting ready to cruise to the SEC East title. After all, Georgia had rebounded from its loss to Alabama, reeling off wins in all but one of its next five series and sweeping three of them. Meanwhile, Florida had lost two of its last three SEC sets.
Yes, the race was all over but the shouting.
Only it wasn't. Florida rebounded, Georgia swooned, and on Thursday night the Gators clinched the SEC East with a win. The Dawgs lost to an eventually irrelevant game South Carolina, though that loss still set Georgia back in the seeding battle.
LSU narrowly got by Mississippi State, but they all count the same in the standings. With an Alabama loss to Auburn in 10 innings, LSU needs just one more win to put away the Tide and Ole Miss, who defeated Arkansas, 7-5, to stay alive. Another win would also wrap up the conference crown for the Tigers.
Tennessee, meanwhile, managed to gin up the juices of rivalry and defeat Vanderbilt, 8-6, keeping Kentucky alive in the race for Hoover. The next time the Dores win or the 'Cats lose, though, it's curtains for Big Blue's shot at the SEC tournament.