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GEORGIA 2, TEXAS A&M 0
Texas A&M was looking to lock up a hosting spot on Selection Monday after winning their first game on Tuesday against Florida. In order to do so, they had to take down Georgia.
Chris Weber took the mound, and he was fantastic. He tossed 7.1 shutout innings, giving up just one hit. Both pitching staffs were able to keep the game scoreless into the ninth.
Tim Elliot took the mound for the Dawgs over ace Emerson Hancock. He went 5.1, giving up just two hits.
The game was scoreless until the bottom of the 9th. The first two hitters were promptly retired before John Cable singled. Cam Shepard stepped in the box with two outs, and promptly lifted one over the wall for a 2-0 Georgia win.
The Aggies will now face Ole Miss tomorrow, their third straight 10 a.m. ET game, although this one starts at 10:30. The Bulldogs move to the 5:30 ET game, against the Arkansas Razorbacks.
ARKANSAS 5, OLE MISS 3
The second winner’s bracket game of the day pitted the Arkansas Razorbacks vs the Ole Miss Rebels. The Rebels had defeated Missouri 2-1 in Tuesday’s game, strengthening their postseason resume.
The Hogs wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, as Casey Martin did what he does and walked. Two batters later, Dominic Fletcher singled him home. Arkansas added a run in the third inning on a Matt Goodheart fielder’s choice.
The Rebels would tie it up in the 6th inning. Thomas Dillard hit an RBI single, followed by a sacrifice fly by Grae Kessinger. Ole Miss would take the lead in the 6th after a strikeout-wild pitch and a single put two men on, pinch hitter Kevin Graham would hit an RBI groundout making the score 3-2.
The Hogs would take the lead for good in the bottom of the inning. Martin walked, Fletcher was hit by a pitch, Jack Kenley would knock them both in to make it 4-3. Kenley would add another run on a fielder’s choice in the 8th, making for a 5-3 Arkansas win.
For the Rebels, it’s on to face Texas A&M tomorrow morning. The Razorbacks face Georgia tomorrow afternoon.
VANDERBILT 11, AUBURN 1
The third game of the day pitted the Vanderbilt Commodores and the Auburn Tigers, and this one was all ‘Dores.
The scoring got scoring in the second inning. Pat DeMarco doubled and Harrison Ray was hit by a pitch. Ty Duvall singled them in, and they would not let up.
This game was over as early as the third inning. An error by the Tigers led to a JJ Bleday single, Phillip Clarke hit an RBI single, DeMarco doubled, and then Stephen Scott hit a two-run single, making it 6-0.
Vanderbilt would send everybody home early in the eighth inning, an RBI single by Bleday, and then Scott with the “walk-off” two run single.
Auburn’s starting pitcher was Kyle Gray. He only lasted 1 1/3rd, giving up just one run. On the other side, Mason Hickman shut down the Auburn offense over six innings, giving up two hits, walking three, striking out nine.
Auburn now goes on to face the loser of LSU/Mississippi State around 2 ET tomorrow. The Commodores play the winner of that same game around 9 ET tomorrow.
MISSISSIPPI STATE 6, LSU 5
After a 17-inning marathon into the night, the Mississippi State Bulldogs emerged with a win. The Bulldogs defeated the LSU Tigers 6-5, advancing into the SEC Tournament Quarterfinals as a result.
State held a 4-0 lead after the first three innings of play. They built that lead off of a double, a sac fly, a single and a hit-by-pitch. The first run was scored after Tanner Allen drove leadoff hitter Jake Mangum in with that double. Two batters later, Justin Skelton brought in a run on a sac fly to give State a 2-0 lead.
In the ensuing inning, the Bulldogs added onto their lead on a single by Jordan Westburg. Westburg’s hit to center brought in Josh Hatcher to give them a 3-0 lead. And an inning later, State got their fourth run of the game after Luke Hancock was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
From there, LSU would begin to mount their comeback. It all started in the top of the 5th. Antoine Dupalntis drew a walk that let Saul Garza score. Also in the 5th, Cade Belaso hit a sac fly, which saw Brandt Broussard score from 3rd. Three innings later in the top of the 8th, designated hitter Giovanni DiGiacomo whacked a two-run shot to right that tied the game up at 4-4.
The teams couldn’t end things in nine innings, so we went into extras. And for seven innings, we stil couldn’t find a winner. It looked like things were going to go in LSU’s favor, however, as Digiacomo hit a sac fly in the top of the 16th that allowed for Duplantis to trot in to score. But that lead was short lived. State’s Jake Mangum reached base on an error in the ensuing stanza, and Rowdey Jordan ran in to score to tie the game. Westburg would strikeout next, and we were on to the 17th.
LSU went 1-2-3 in the top half, but things finally came to an end in the bottom half. Gunner Halter lifted the Bulldogs to victory with a single that brought Justin Foscue home to give them the 6-5 win.