:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/54265541/Brent_Rooker.0.jpg)
Everything went according to plan for most of the teams in the SEC on Thursday night. No upsets went down as all four ranked teams in action were able to dismiss their unranked opponents.
Arkansas and LSU did the most damage, as the Hogs and Tigers defeated Georgia and Ole Miss 14-4 and 15-2 respectively. Neither game was particularly ever close, especially in the case of LSU-Ole Miss as the Bayou Bengals led 15-0 at one point in the game. Five different Tigers drove in runs in the victory and Greg Deichmann had the biggest blast of the day, hitting a grand slam.
In the case of Georgia-Arkansas, the Hogs had to battle for a little bit. But after the score was 3-2 after two innings, Arkansas ripped through the Bulldogs, opening things up in the third inning with seven runs. Three were later added in the fifth before one more was tacked on in the eighth frame. The Hogs showed off their power as their batters recorded FIVE homers in the game.
Meanwhile, Florida too was impressive, winning 10-6 over Vanderbilt. This game was actually in the hands of the Commodores entering the final inning as they had a 6-5 lead. However, the Gators would not be denied as they had a five-run rally in the ninth to put themselves over the top.
The only other ranked team in action was 13th-ranked Auburn and they were able to hold off Tennessee 3-2. The Vols made things interesting in the last inning, plating home two runs but were ultimately unable to usurp the surprising Tigers who are now 26-10 on the year. Luke Jarvis recorded a triple and a home run in the victory as part of a two-hit day at the office
In a matchup of unranked squads, Texas A&M won their opener over Alabama 9-5. The loss for the Tide puts them down to 14-20 while the Aggies stand at 24-11 following their victory. The Ags crushed it from the start, putting up a four spot in the first inning. However, Alabama would show some might, eventually taking the lead 5-4 after the fourth inning. But a three-run fifth and two-run sixth by the Ags eventually put the game out of reach. Chandler Taylor hit his ninth homer of the season for the Tide while Nick Choruby knocked his first triple of the season.
Today’s Baseball Schedule
| Game | Time (ET) | Network | Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game | Time (ET) | Network | Stream |
| Arkansas vs. Texas A&M | Noon | SEC Network | WatchESPN |
| Kentucky vs. Florida | 1 p.m. | SEC Network+ | WatchESPN |
| Ole Miss vs. Auburn | 2 p.m. | SEC Network+ | WatchESPN |
| Alabama vs. Vanderbilt | 2 p.m. | SEC Network+ | WatchESPN |
| Missouri vs. Tennessee | 2 p.m. | SEC Network+ | WatchESPN |
| Georgia vs. South Carolina | 3 p.m. | SEC Network | WatchESPN |
| LSU vs. Mississippi State | 4:30 p.m. | ESPNU | WatchESPN |
Several series continue on Friday as Auburn-Tennessee, Georgia-Arkansas, Texas A&M-Alabama, Florida-Vanderbilt and LSU-Ole Miss have their second encounters of the weekend.
Elsewhere, there are two new additions to the bunch. 14th-ranked Kentucky puts their 8-4 record in conference and first place standing in the SEC East on the line against 6-6 Missouri, who could stand to gain lots by taking this series against the Wildcats. Elsewhere, South Carolina and Mississippi State begin a huge inter-division matchup. The Gamecocks stand at 7-5, one game behind the aforementioned Cats and the Bulldogs meanwhile are 8-4 and .5 game back of Arkansas and Auburn, whom are both 9-4 entering play on Friday. It’s also a matchup of the 11th- and 21st-ranked teams in the country, just in case you needed a sweetener.