2014 SEC Baseball Tournament Final: LSU Tigers 2, Florida Gators 0

In a way, the SEC baseball title game between Florida and LSU was a battle between two defending champions. Florida was this year's regular-season champion, and LSU was last year's tournament title-holder. The Gators were trying to become the first team to win a complete title -- unshared regular-season championship combined with the tournament win -- since Vanderbilt did it in 2007. LSU was trying to pull off something slightly more common; the Tigers won three straight tournament titles from 2008-10.

And after an SEC tournament that was at times notable for the offense -- three games were ended by the mercy rule -- the final game was notable for the kind of pitching duel that has become a trend in Hoover. Florida would end up with just two hits in the game, and LSU would get six -- one of which was enough to win the game. Sean McMullen's two-run home run in the eighth, combined with the combined shutout by four LSU pitchers and near-flawless play by a defense led by Alex Bregman, gave the Tigers their second straight conference tournament title.

It also probably vaulted them safely into the ranks of the teams that will have home-field advantage throughout the NCAA baseball tournament unless and until they go to Omaha for the College World Series. Florida will also be a national seed, and perhaps the No. 1 seed, thanks to what is almost indisputably the best resume in the country. It wouldn't be surprising if Florida and LSU met again with another title on the line.