SEC Weekly Roundup: Never Let Your Guard Down

In this wild race to Hoover, this week’s action in the SEC showed us that you can never let your guard down. Vanderbilt swept Georgia, Kentucky stormed back to beat Tennessee and Arkansas dropped two out of three to Texas A&M. Florida got a huge road series win, Texas keeps rolling and LSU bounced back this week to beat Alabama at home. Missouri might not win an SEC game this season and is Ole Miss free falling?

SEC Top 5

1. Texas (33-5, 16-2 SEC)
2. Tennessee (33-7, 12-7)
3. LSU (34-7, 12-6)
4. Arkansas (34-7, 13-5)
5. Vanderbilt (30-10, 11-7)

Texas welcomed No.8 Auburn to UFCU Disch-Falk Field this weekend. Many wondered if Auburn would be the team to crack the Longhorn code, but that would not be the case. After a comeback win on Friday night, Texas took hold of the series and ran with it.

Freshman left-handed pitcher Dylan Volantis continues to shine out of the bullpen. In two appearances, Volantis threw three scoreless innings, with six strikeouts and allowed one hit. Since March 14, Volantis has given up one run and struck out 30.

Infielder Kimble Schuessler terrorized Auburn’s pitching over the weekend. Schuessler went 8-for-12 with three home runs and 10 RBIs. On Saturday he had three hits and hit two home runs with eight RBIs. Schuessler was named SEC C0-Player of the Week for his performance. On deck for the Longhorns his longtime in-state rival Texas A&M.

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Tennessee struggled against border rival Kentucky. The Vols’ won Game 1 behind another outstanding performance from junior left-handed pitcher Liam Doyle. Doyle went seven innings, allowing two runs and striking out nine. But Games 2 and 3 were tough sledding for the then–No. 4 team in the country.

After putting up eight runs on Friday, Tennessee totaled three runs the rest of the weekend. It is the second time this season the Vols have lost a home series. They will look to rebound with Lipscomb on Tuesday before a massive road series against LSU on Friday.

After getting swept the week prior, LSU returned home to take the series against Alabama. It looked like LSU was in danger of dropping a fourth straight SEC game on Friday when it trailed 5-1 in the sixth. But the Tigers mounted a furious comeback in outscoring the Crimson Tide 10-1 to finish the game. Steven Milam’s three-run home run gave LSU a 7-5 lead in the seventh before the Tigers tacked on four more to close things out.

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Junior right-handed pitcher Anthony Eyanson had his longest outing in the SEC on Saturday. Eyanson went six innings, gave up one and struck out 12. LSU will try to build off this series win and defend its home turf when Tennessee comes to town this weekend.

Like Tennessee, Arkansas dropped its weekend series at home to Texas A&M. The Razorbacks dropped game 1 7-4, but had chances. Arkansas stranded four in the final three innings. The two played a doubleheader on Friday due to bad weather on Saturday.

Arkansas’s bats exploded in the 11-5 game 2 win with 10 hits and 11 runs scored. Shortstop Wehiwa Aloy led the way with three hits and a home run. Aloy has a home run in five of his last seven games. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Gabe Gaeckle did not start this weekend. Instead, he pitched in relief and had his best outing of the year in Game 2.

Unfortunately for Arkansas, the Aggies proved too much in the Game 3 rubber match in the 9-2 win. The Aggies stayed red-hot as they prepare for war against Texas this weekend. Arkansas takes on Little Rock in a two-game midweek series before hitting the road to take on the Florida Gators.

Vanderbilt enters the top five for the first time this season. The Commodores swept the Georgia Bulldogs over the weekend, beating Georgia in every facet of the game.

The pitching was fantastic for Vanderbilt, and it was junior left-handed pitcher J.D. Thompson setting the tone on Thursday’s 3-1 win. Thompson allowed a lead-off home run to start the game but responded with seven shutout innings, striking out 14 and walking one.

On Saturday, sophomore right-handed pitcher Connor Fennell went 5.2 innings, giving up two and striking out 11. Vanderbilt pitchers’ for the series recorded 40 strikeouts. Offensively, freshman infielder Brodie Johnston had four hits, three home runs and nine RBIs.

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On Friday’s 13-7 win, Johnston hit two three-run homers and finished with seven RBIs. Vanderbilt has won two of its last three series and will now hit the road this week and when it takes on Ole Miss.