Game 17 — (1) Tennessee-4 vs (11) LSU-3

Updated: 5/26 10:00pm

The magic ran out for LSU in Hoover as the Volunteers punctuated a regular season title with a tournament championship as well.

It was LSU who struck first with a solo home run by Jared Jones in the first inning. 

Billy Amick answered back in the third with a 3-run shot to put the Volunteers on top.

They’d add another one in the seventh to make it a 4-1 lead, which is what remained until the bottom of the ninth. 

Hayden Travinski and Steven Milan hit back-to-back 1-out doubles to make it 4-2. And then an error made it 4-3.

With the way things had gone all week for LSU it seemed almost certain they’d walk it off. 

Tennessee reliever Aaron Combs settled down and struck out the next two batters to end the game and give Tennessee the crown in Hoover.

Game 16 - (1) Tennessee-6 vs. (8) Vanderbilt-4

Updated: 5/25 9:26pm

As if things couldn’t get more exciting, you had a couple of rivals squaring off in the semi-finals on Saturday night. 

The two teams exchanged blows early, but then Christian Moore gave the Volunteers some separation with a 2-run homer in the sixth to make it 5-2. 

Tennessee got big contributions on the mound from Zander Sechrist (6 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 2 ER, 5 Ks) and Marcus Phillips (3 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 1 ER, 3 Ks). 

The win for Tennessee sets up a championship matchup between the top seed and the hottest team in the country right now in LSU who has won seven straight games. 

Game 15 - (11) LSU-12 vs. (10) South Carolina-11

It became the fifth straight one-run game in the tournament, a streak that started with these same two teams when LSU won 11-10 on Thursday night. 

This one was even more of a classic with LSU getting a walk-off home run Steven Milam in the bottom of the 10th. 

After the Gamecocks jumped out to an 8-0 lead, LSU scored 6 runs in the bottom of the fourth to get back in the game. A rally that features a double, 3 walks, and 3 singles. All 6 runs scored with 2 outs. 

South Carolina took a 1-run lead into the bottom of the ninth, but Ethan Frey doubled to start the inning and later scored on a throwing error to tie the game. 

Things got all kinds of crazy in the top of the 10th as South Carolina scored with 2 outs thanks to a couple of walks, catcher’s interference, and a balk. 

The South Carolina runner tried to steal home and was thrown out, but the umpires ruled that the catcher left the catcher’s box and counted the run. 

LSU head coach Jay Johnson was ejected from the game. 

But just two batters into the bottom of the 10th it didn’t matter as Milam hit the walk-off homer. 

Game 14 - (1) Tennessee-6 vs. (5) Mississippi State-5

The Volunteers jumped out to a 3-0 lead with Drew Beam cruising on the mound. That is, until the fifth inning when Mississippi State put up a five-spot. 

With two on and two out, The Bulldogs got back-to-back walks and back-to-back singles to take a 5-3 lead. 

The Volunteers took advantage of a throwing error in the seventh to tie the game at five, and then Blake Burke hit the game-deciding solo home run in the eighth.

Game 13 – (3) Kentucky-5 vs. (10) South Carolina-6

Updated: 5/24 8:00pm

No team came limping into Hoover worse than South Carolina who had lost six in a row. But the Gamecocks will be leaving Hoover feeling good about themselves no matter what happens the rest of the way. 

The offense has been hot in Hoover and they’ve used the long ball a lot. That’s how they got on the board to begin this one as Gavin Casas hit a 3-run homer in the second to give South Carolina a 3-2 lead. 

Kentucky, as they often do, took advantage of some South Carolina mistakes in the fourth to regain the lead 4-3. 

Will Tippett hit a leadoff home run to start the fifth that tied the game at four. And then after two quick outs, Kentucky pitching issued 3 walks and hit a couple of batters to help South Carolina take a 6-4 lead. 

The Wildcats got 1 run in the eighth and had a chance at more, but the threat ended as Nolan McCarthy lined into a double play. 

It’s worth mentioning that Cole Messina got the Barry Bonds treatment in this one with 3 walks. 

Game 12 – (8) Vanderbilt-4 vs. (5) Mississippi State-3

After a slugfest between LSU-South Carolina, we got a pitcher’s duel to end day three. 

Jurrangelo Cijnte was outstanding for Mississippi State striking out 10 over 6 innings while he allowed 3 earned runs on 5 hits and a walk. 

But he was outmatched on this night by sophomore JD Thompson who allowed just 1 run on 5 hits and a walk over 6 innings with 8 strikeouts. 

Davis Diaz got Vanderbilt on the board early with a 2-RBI single. Calvin Hewett ended up having the game-winning hit with an RBI single in the seventh that made it 4-1 at the time. 

Connor Hujsak tried his best to rally the Bulldogs again in the ninth inning with an RBI triple. He’d score on a single to make it 4-3. But they couldn’t quite complete the comeback this time around.

Game 11 – (11) LSU-11 vs. (10) South Carolina-10

Updated: 5/24 11:45am

These two teams put on quite the show in what might end up being the most entertaining game of the tournament. 

Cole Messina continued his torrid pace in the SEC Tournament by hitting a grand slam in the third inning that gave South Carolina a 5-1 lead. 

But LSU answered back with 4 runs in the top of the fourth highlighted by a 2-run home run from Jake Brown and a solo shot from Jarred Jones to tie the game at 5. 

Messina drove in two more runs as part of a 4-run sixth inning for the Gamecocks that gave them a 10-7 lead. 

A costly error by South Carolina led to 2 unearned runs for LSU in the eighth, pulling them within one. 

After a sacrifice fly tied the game in the ninth, LSU shortstop (and South Carolina transfer), Michael Braswell III, snuck a single down the line to drive in the winning run. 

Chris Veach, who was so good on Tuesday, tried to come back on Thursday but clearly didn’t have it as both teams were struggling to find arms. 

LSU threw out some of the best arms they had left in Thatcher Hurd, Nate Ackenhause, and Christian Little but those three combined to give up 10 runs in 5.2 innings. 

It was Justin Loer and Fidel Ulloa who were able to shut down the Gamecocks late. 

LSU continues to play like one of the most dangerous teams in the country and is in great position to win the SEC Tournament as they rust up for Saturday. 

South Carolina has had a great run and secured their postseason spot, but you have to wonder if there is enough pitching left for them to win three more games in Hoover. The bats have been outstanding though, and nobody wants to see the Cole Messina show end.

Game 10 — (1) Tennessee-6 vs. (4) Texas A&M-2

Updated: 5/23 4:30pm

The SEC Freshman of the Year, Gavin Grahovac, got the scoring started in this one with a solo home run in the third inning.

Tennessee looked to answer right back by loading the bases to start the bottom of the third, but Ryan Prager and Brock Perry did a great job limiting the damage to just one. 

The game remained tighter until Kavares Tears hit a 3-run homer in the bottom of the seventh two batters after Texas A&M failed to turn a double-play because of a throwing error. 

AJ Causey came on in relief for Tennessee as he has for weeks now and continued his good work tossing 4 innings allowing 1 earned run with 7 strikeouts. 

Similar to Arkansas and Kentucky, these two teams know their postseason fate. Tennessee has the talent to work through the loser’s bracket and win the SEC Tournament.

Game 9 — (3) Kentucky-9 vs. (2) Arkansas-6

Updated: 5/23 4:10pm

Arkansas might have been a little sleepy to begin the 9:30 game as Hagen Smith gave up 2 runs in the first thanks to a walk, a couple of errors, and Peyton Stovall seemed to misjudge a slow liner that he couldn’t grab. 

It was essentially a bullpen day for Smith who only pitched 2 innings as the Razorbacks prep for the postseason. He gave up 2 unearned runs on 2 hits and a walk with 4 strikeouts. 

The Wildcats raced out to a 6-0 lead before the Arkansas bats woke up. A 3-run homer in the sixth by Peyton Holt made it a 6-4 game. 

Ryan Waldschmidt hit his second home run of the game in the seventh inning to make it 8-4. Kentucky would add another with a double-steal and then a sac fly — textbook Kentucky baseball. 

Holt hit another home run for Arkansas, but the Razorbacks just put themselves in too big of a hole. 

Kentucky advances for another game, while Arkansas rests up to see who will be coming to Fayetteville next weekend. 

Game 8 — (5) Mississippi State-5 vs (4) Texas A&M-3

Updated: 5/23 9:05am

For the second night in a row Mississippi State’s Connor Hujsak delivered in the ninth inning.

This time with the game tied, he got a 2-out, 2 RBI single against A&M’s top reliever. It was the first hit for the Bulldogs in 4 innings. 

Mississippi State threw its ace in this one, Khal Stephen, who was solid allowing 3 runs over 5 innings. 

Both bullpens were really good in this one, but a couple of hit batters and an error led to Hujsak’s big hit in the ninth.

Our latest projections didn’t have Mississippi State as a host — that likely needs to be changed now. 

Game 7 — (8) Vanderbilt-13 vs (1) Tennessee-5

The upsets continued on day two as Vanderbilt easily dismantled their rival. 

Alan Espinal hit a pair of 3-run homers, both coming at crucial times. The first one extended Vanderbilt’s lead from 2-1 to 5-1. And then as the Volunteers made a comeback attempt with Reese Chapman’s 3-run homer making it 6-4, Espinal hit his second 3-runner homer in the seventh to make it a 9-4 game.

Tyler Green was great out of the pen for Vanderbilt tossing 4 scoreless innings to end the game. 

Vanderbilt is another one of these bubble teams that now feels much better after a couple wins in Hoover.

Game 6 — (10) South Carolina-6 vs. (2) Arkansas-5

Updated: 5/22 4:40pm

Every year there is a player that gets hot and helps their team go on a deep run. This year it looks like South Carolina’s Cole Messina might be that guy. 

After going 3-4 on Tuesday in their win over Alabama with 2 runs and 3 RBI, he hit a pair of 2-run homers on Wednesday and drove in 5 of the 6 runs that South Carolina scored. 

His first 2-run homer gave the Gamecocks a 4-2 lead in the fifth inning. After Arkansas tied the game with a pair of runs in the seventh, Messina brought the heroics again with a 2-run shot in the ninth that gave them the lead for good. 

There were questions about South Carolina’s depth of pitching coming into this tournament, but they got a great outing from Chris Veach on Tuesday, and then Eli Jones, Ty Good, and Gerret Gainey pieced it together on Wednesday to hold Arkansas to 5 runs (4 earned). 

Arkansas came from behind to tie the game three times. A lead-off single in the second came around to tie it at 1. A leadoff walk and error in the fourth helped them tie the game at 2. 

They started the seventh inning with two singles, a double, and a walk. Arkansas bought two of those baserunners home to tie it at 4. 

After Messina’s homer in the top of the ninth, they mounted a rally in the bottom half with three straight 1-out singles to plate 1 run. But Gainey was able to get the final two outs and close the deal. 

Like LSU, South Carolina feels safe to get into the tournament with two wins at Hoover. Arkansas is a lock as a top eight national seed no matter what happens here.

Game 5 — (11) LSU-11 vs. (3) Kentucky-0 (8 inn.)

Updated: 5/22 12:15pm

Luke Holman followed up Gage Jump’s tremendous work in game one of the tournament by tossing 6 no-hit innings with 8 strikeouts in LSU’s win over Kentucky on Wednesday morning. 

Those two starters, along with an emerging offense, is why no team wants to see them in the postseason right now. 

Michael Braswell III got the scoring started for LSU with a lead off home run in the first and an RBI groundout in the second. 

Kentucky’s Robert Hogan and Johnny Hummel did a great job of keeping the Wildcats in the game, combining to throw 5 shutout innings only allowing a hit and a walk with 7 strikeouts. 

That’s important for Kentucky as they look for some arms they can trust going into the postseason, and both guys looked very good. 

But then LSU broke it open with a 5 run seventh inning in which they only had 2 hits, but both left the park. The big blast being a grand slam by Jared Jones after Kentucky intentionally walked Tommy White to load the bases. 

White added a grand slam himself in the following inning that led to the run-rule victory. 

Kentucky’s fate as a top eight national seed is secured, and LSU continues to boost its postseason resume with a good showing at Hoover.

Game 4 — (5) Mississippi State-2 vs. (12) Ole Miss-1

Updated: 5/22 10:15am

Day 1 of the 2024 SEC Baseball Tournament couldn’t have asked for a better finish with a couple of rivals squaring off. 

The actual game itself delivered in a big way. 

Riley Maddox (Ole Miss) and Brooks Auger (Miss. St.) put on one of the better pitcher’s duels you’ll see in Hoover. 

Maddox tossed 7 shutout innings allowing just 3 hits with no walks and 7 strikeouts, while Auger allowed just 1 run on 3 hits with no walks and 13 strikeouts. 

Ole Miss was one out away from pulling off the big upset of their rival, but Connor Hujsak hit a 2-run, walk-off homer. 

The win for Mississippi State increases their chances of hosting a regional. One more win in the tournament should lock that up.

Game 3 — (8) Vanderbilt-6 vs. (9) Florida-3

Updated: 5/22 8:30am

Vanderbilt showed what they are capable of in game three of the SEC Tournament with great pitching and timely hitting as they took down the Florida Gators to advance. 

Head coach Tim Corbin knew what was at stake on Tuesday sending ace Bryce Cunningham to the mound. The junior righty delivered by tossing 6 shutout innings. 

Offensively, the Commodores took advantage of every opportunity Florida gave them. 

After a walk and double to start the second, they used a groundout and sac fly to drive them in. 

In the fourth, some good base running led to a couple of 2-out RBI. And then a 1-out error in the seventh, a stolen base, and another 2-out hit led to another run. 

The Gators made an effort late against Vanderbilt’s bullpen, which has been shaky all season, but it wasn’t enough. 

There is no question that both of these teams hvae the talent to win in the postseason. Vandy’s chances of just getting there look much better now. 

For Florida, it might be hard for the selection committee to ignore an overall record of 28-27. Losing all of those mid-week games might come back to bite them. 

Game 2 — (10) South Carolina-10 vs. (7) Alabama-5

Both of these teams really needed a win, but certainly the Gamecocks had more urgency after losing their last six games. 

They fell behind 3-0 early before a 6-run top of the third that included 3 home runs capped off by a grand slam from the seven-hole hitter, Dalton Reeves. 

Alabama clawed back with 2 runs in the fourth to make it 6-5. 

Then South Carolina’s Cole Messina extended the lead with a solo home run in the fifth and a 2-out, 2-RBI double in the sixth that felt like a back-breaker for Alabama. Both of those hits came off Alabama’s Alton Davis II. 

Chris Veach came on in the fourth inning for South Carolina and settled things down on the mound. The right-handed junior finished the game off, and at one point he retired 13 batters in a row. 

Veach’s final line was 5.2 IP, 3 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, 6 Ks. 

The Gamecocks can breathe a little easier with the win, while Alabama will have to hope their great resume is enough to sway the selection committee on Monday. 

Game 1 — (11) LSU-9 vs. (6) Georgia-1

The Tigers put their ace on the mound knowing they needed a win in Hoover to feel better about their chances of an at-large bid for the NCAA Tournament. 

That strategy paid off in a big way as Gage Jump was fantastic. He tossed 7 innings allowing just 1 earned run on 4 hits and 1 walk with 7 strikeouts. 

The left-handed pitching sophomore retired the last 10 batters he faced and ended his outing with a 94 MPH fastball painted on the inside corner. 

The offense gave him plenty of early support scoring 2 in the top of the first on an RBI single from Josh Pearson. They’d add another in the second, two in the fifth, one in the seventh, and then to really drive the nail into the coffin they’d scored three in the ninth. 

Georgia pitching was able to limit the damage and kept the Bulldog offense in the game, but they couldn’t get anything going against Jump. 

The only real shot they had came in the second when Georgia had bases loaded with 2 outs for lead off man Corey Collins. Jump got him swinging, which also left Charlie Condon in the on-deck circle. 

LSU also made several outstanding plays on defense in this game as they seem to be clicking at just the right time. It feels like their chances of getting an at-large bid are very good, and I feel bad for the team who has to host them. 

As for Georgia, they were a lock to host a regional coming, but this loss might keep them from being a top eight national seed. 

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