SEC Baseball Wrap-Up (3/13/17)

The more games roll on in this college baseball season, the more fans are beginning to see a shake up in the rankings.

Coming into the weekend on a difficult two-game losing streak, the Florida Gators were looking to redeem themselves this weekend against Seton Hall. What the Gators received was a weekend full of hard fought battles and a tough extra innings loss in Saturday’s game.

The now fifth-ranked Gators will try and use any momentum built by their two wins this weekend as will face their toughest challenge yet on Tuesday, in-state rival Florida State. The Seminoles currently sit on top of the NCAA rankings and will be a true test of the team’s grit.

The seventh-ranked LSU Tigers would go on to sweep Wichita State with three convincing victories after losing three of their last four. The Tigers have a fairly easy schedule, playing Louisiana College and New Orleans before going into a three-game set against SEC rival Georgia. The Bulldogs have been struggling to get things going this season, currently sitting at 7-9.

The South Carolina Gamecocks, who are knocking at the Tigers’ door step at No. 8, have won their last four games, two coming against the strong Michigan State Spartans. The Gamecocks will have a perceivable tune-up game against Furman before going into a weekend series against Tennessee.

In Mississippi, the Rebels made quick work of Furman, sweeping the Paladins in their three-game series this weekend, not allowing them to score a single run the whole weekend. Ole Miss will face Nichols during the week before meeting Vanderbilt in a Top 25 SEC matchup.

Vanderbilt has managed to retain the number 24 spot despite sprinkling in losses throughout their 11-6 set. The win streaks in between those losses are what have managed to keep Vandy afloat for so long in the rankings. They will have a tough matchup against WKU before facing the Rebels this weekend. They will look to prove their strength and build on a fairly unimpressive weekend against St. Mary’s.

Outside of the rankings, there was still impressive baseball being played in the Southeastern Conference. Texas A&M is currently on a five-game winning streak after a tough weekend in Houston last week. The Aggies convincingly swept the Brown Bears in College Station and will face the Texas Longhorns before battling the untested Kentucky Wildcats this weekend.

Auburn, meanwhile, managed to go 3-2 in their week of action on the diamond. The Tigers scooped up a win over Kennesaw State and took two of three from Presbyterian including an 8-0 shutout win on Sunday. Their lone losses came to Presbyterian and to South Alabama last Tuesday.

But, the team with the most impressive streak in the SEC is still the Missouri Tigers. Mizzou has managed to not lose a game since February 17 and are 15-1 this season. Though fairly untested against tougher opponents, if the current trend continues, the Tigers should be able to defeat Chicago State and take down the 9-6 Alabama Crimson Tide. Their schedule will remain fairly soft until they face the Arkansas Razorbacks the following weekend. The Razorbacks will need to use the momentum of their weekend to pull past Mississippi State and on to the Tigers.

Overall, there is exciting baseball being played in most of the SEC and it only seems certain that conference powers will change as the season continues on.

Players of the Week

Player of the Week: LSU IF Cole Freeman/Missouri IF Robbie Glendinning

Pitcher of the Week: Ole Miss LHP David Parkinson

Pitcher of the Week: Vanderbilt RHP Drake Fellows