SEC Baseball Wrap-Up (3/20/17)

We’re back, so let’s keep this line moving shall we?

Mizzou’s win streak hit 19 over the weekend, so there’s no better place to start than there. The Tigers’ run is absolutely off the charts and bordering on the insane if it already isn’t there. They swept Alabama over the weekend, outscoring the Crimson Tide 19-9 in the three-game sweep which included a 3-0 shutout posted by Mizzou on Friday. We really have to take Missouri seriously at this point, because 19-game win streaks don’t just happen on accident.

Four other SEC clubs enjoyed perfect weeks. Perhaps none were more surprising than the Auburn Tigers who, en route to a 5-0 week, swept the vaunted Florida Gators over the weekend. Auburn took them down 14-3 on Friday, held them off 2-1 on Saturday and won 6-5 on a walk-off on Sunday. Quite the weekend down on the Plains, huh?

Arkansas also enjoyed a bevy of success, defeating Alcorn State and Mississippi State to go 5-0 last week. The Hogs’ pitching and defense were on display as they only allowed 11 runs in the five games played while averaging roughly over 5 runs per game in their week of action.

South Carolina, meanwhile, played just three games and won them all against Tennessee in Knoxville. The Gamecocks were only tested in the Saturday contest in which they won 6-4 in 10 innings, and otherwise beat up on the Vols, outscoring their opponent 17-3 in the Friday and Sunday matchups.

Finally, Kentucky enjoyed a bevy of success, going 4-0 with victories over Murray State and Texas A&M. The Wildcats are now winners of their last seven and have won 13 of their last 14 as they enter play this week. Suffice it to say, things in Lexington are looking good for the Cats. And not just on the hardwood.

Ole Miss and LSU played pretty well despite finding a loss on their schedule. The Tigers dropped a Wednesday meeting against New Orleans but defeated Louisiana College and then swept Georgia over the weekend. This included a 22-9 victory over the ‘Dawgs and another dominant performance by Jared Poche whose scoreless innings streak was stunted at 32 innings. Oh, and Antoine Duplantis recorded SIX HITS and went 10-23 at the dish. Pretty good.

The Rebels meanwhile kept it going with a victory over Nichols and then took two of three from Vanderbilt. They won 1-0 on Friday in a pitcher’s duel where the only run came in the sixth, and then won a seesaw battle on Sunday 10-8 in which they manufactured three runs to come from behind after trailing 8-7 going into the bottom of the eighth.

Speaking of which, Vandy’s woes as a result of their losses to Ole Miss continue as they’re 13-8 going into the week. After reeling off four straight, the Commodores have gone 3-3 and will only continue to be tested. Righting the ship will be imperative for them going forward to say the least.

Players of the Week

(via SEC)

Player of the Week: OF Antonie Duplantis, LSU

Pitcher of the Week: RHP Sean Hjelle, Kentucky

Co-Freshmen of the Week: 2B Will Holland, Auburn/LHP T.J. Sikkema, Missouri

What Lies Ahead

Quite a few games are set to be played this week. Ole Miss will be facing Kentucky this weekend in a Top 25 showdown. Arkansas’ win streak will be tested against Mizzou’s lengthy mark (assuming the Tigers get through Little Rock on Tuesday). Additionally, 4th-ranked LSU plays 12th-ranked Florida in a matchup between two of the top programs in the conference.

Should be another doozy on the diamond, no doubt.