SEC Baseball Recap Week 6: Vols Are Struggling
Image: Tennessee Athletics
By Jon Reed
Easter weekend was not kind to Tennessee and Georgia.
The Vols lost two to Kentucky and the Bulldogs were dominated by Vanderbilt.
At the top of the standings, Texas kept rolling as they improved to 16-2. They’re now three games clear of second place as their in-state rivals, the suddenly surging Texas A&M Aggies, come to town.
Arkansas is 13-5. LSU and Tennessee are both 12-6 ahead of their upcoming series.
Let’s find out how it happened.
Tennessee Loses Home Series to Kentucky
Woof. Or meow, I guess.
Tennessee’s defense was pretty bad all weekend; the offense was even worse.
Other than that though, things were good. Well, except for our pitcher getting his jaw broken with a foul ball.
Liam Doyle gave up 2 first inning runs to Kentucky in Game 1, but cruised after that, striking out 9 batters in his 7 inning 8-2 win. The Vol bats were asleep for the first 7 innings of game 2. They threatened in the eighth but ultimately couldn’t break through in a 4-1 loss. Kentucky’s Nic McCay went 7.2 and struck out 12.
Game 3 saw the Cats jump out to an early lead thanks to 2 runs in the second. Tennessee didn’t score until the sixth, and it was the only inning they scored on their way to a 8-2 loss and the first back-to-back home series loss for Tony V since 2021.
Texas continues to roll, sweeps Auburn
This team just refuses to lose. Three Longhorn pitchers combined to keep Auburn in check on their way to a 3-2 victory. The offense did the heavy lifting in an 8-3 Game 2 victory.
Game 3 was a run-rule 14-2 blowout bookended five run innings in the first and seventh.
Texas A&M wins series at Arkansas
The Aggies continue their march to redemption after their abysmal start. Game 1 was back-and-forth early, but they seized control in the top of the fifth and held on for a 7-4 win.
The bats of the Razorbacks overcame an early deficit in Game 2, spearheaded by a six-run fifth inning. The Hogs ran away from A&M and won 11-5.
Game 3 was also played on Friday as a part of a double header. A&M won the game, and the series, thanks to some late inning explosions, scoring 6 in the last three innings to win 9-2.
LSU wins 2 out of 3 vs Alabama
LSU’s bats were the story in Game 1. With 10 runs in a late-three-inning stretch, the Bayou Bengals turned a 5-1 deficit into an 11-6 win. Game 2 saw their guy Anthony Eyanson strike out 12 in 6 innings while only giving up 1 run. Bama tried to get to the LSU bullpen but didn’t have enough and lost 4-3.
Alabama salvaged Game 3 with a 7-4 win.
South Carolina upsets Ole Miss for series win
Gamecock Ace Brandon Stone threw a complete game in a 3-2 win to start the series.
Game 2 saw the offense come alive for South Carolina as they scored 7 runs, including 3 in the first. The tone was set for a 7-2 victory and semi-shocking series win.
Any chances to complete the sweep died in the first inning as the Rebels scored 7 in the top of the first. They won 12-2 in 7 innings.
Vanderbilt breaks out the brooms against Georgia
The “conference’s best offense” scored 1 run in the first and then. . . didn’t score again as they lost Game 1 3-1.
Georgia’s offense showed up in Game 2, but the pitching didn’t. Vandy’s offense exploded for 13 runs and 13 hits in a 13-7 victory. The sweep was completed with a normal 5-2 victory in Game 3 as the Commodore bullpen shutdown Georgia over the final 3 innings.
Florida wins road series at Mississippi State
The Gators won Game 1 in run-rule fashion, 13-3 behind 17 hits and two Brody Donay homeruns.
Game 2 saw Florida score another 11 runs in an 11-8 victory. Game 3 saw Mississippi State get one behind their offense as the Bulldogs took out some frustrations in a 14-8 win.
Oklahoma sweeps Missouri
This Missouri team is so bad. They’re 0-18 in conference play. I’m not writing anything else about them. Thanks for not hiring Tony Vitello.
Upcoming weekend schedule
Tennessee @ LSU
Texas A&M @ Texas
Vanderbilt @ Ole Miss
Mississippi State @ Aubburn
Arkansas @ Florida
South Carolina @ Kentucky
Georgia @ Oklahoma (THU)
Missouri @ Alabama (THU)