Three teams entered the SEC tournament as regular-season co-champions, under the ridiculous rules of the league. Two of those lasted until the championship game. One walked out as unquestioned tournament leader.
Florida, who entered the season along with Vanderbilt as the favorites to win the conference, shutout the Commodores 5-0 to grab the tournament trophy and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament that they don't need. Both teams in the title bout will join South Carolina as regional hosts and, in all likelihood, national seeds. The win in Hoover was just gravy.
Things came apart quickly for Vanderbilt, as two throwing errors to first base -- one of which probably could have been picked, the other that was clearly ticketed for right field no matter what the first baseman did -- helped give Florida a 2-0 lead. From there, the Gators never looked back.
The all-SEC East final game capped off a season in which the SEC West's best teams were mediocre while the other division produced three teams that could all end up in the College World Series. Reigning national champion South Carolina crashed the party, something of a surprise for a team that many expected to face a sizable drop-off after their 2010 title run.
Of course, that's the goal for all the SEC teams that make the NCAA tournament field, but Florida has made almost all the goals it had until now. There's only one championship that can't be shared, and now it will head to Gainesville.