SEC Baseball Tournament 2022: Championship Schedule and Predictions
May 29, 2022
CORAL GABLES, FL - MARCH 06: Florida outfielder/infielder Sterlin Thompson (26) runs to third base in the sixth inning as the University of Miami Hurricanes faced the University of Florida Gators on March 6, 2022, at Mark Light Field at Alex Rodriguez Park in Coral Gables, Florida. (Photo by Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
After a rain-filled week in Birmingham, Alabama, the 2022 SEC Baseball Tournament championship game is set with the Florida Gators taking on the Tennessee Volunteers.
Florida might be running on fumes when Sunday's game begins. It had to play twice on Saturday, first defeating Alabama to reach the semifinals. The Gators followed that up with a 9-0 shutout against Texas A&M in their semifinal matchup.
2022 SEC Championship Game Schedule
Matchup: Florida (39-21) vs. Tennessee (52-7)
Date: Sunday, May 29
Start Time: 3 p.m. ET
Watch: ESPN 2
The Gators have been living on the edge throughout the tournament. They needed extra innings to beat South Carolina in the single-elimination first round.
In their first game in the second round, the Gators were blown out 10-0 by Texas A&M in a matchup that was called after seven innings due to the run rule.
Needing to win two straight games or be sent home, Florida beat Arkansas on Friday and Alabama on Saturday to advance to the semifinals. It got revenge on the Aggies in a rematch, with a 9-0 victory to reach the championship game.
Florida's offense has been on fire since scoring a total of two runs in its first two tournament games. The group is averaging nine runs per contest in its last three contests, all elimination games.
The lineup will need to step up again on Sunday. Tennessee is tied for third in the nation with 9.4 runs per game.
This will mark the fourth game between Florida and Tennessee this season. The Volunteers swept a three-game series at Condron Family Ballpark in Gainesville from April 22-24. They outscored the Gators 17-6 in that series.
The Vols were given their first real test of the tournament in the semifinal on Saturday night. Their game against Kentucky was tied at two until the top of the eighth until Luc Lipcius scored when Jorel Ortega was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Cortland Lawson broke things open with an RBI single with the bases loaded to make it a 6-2 game. Ultimately, they turned a tie score into an easy 12-2 win.
Tennessee has been a machine all season en route to its second straight appearance in the SEC title game. It hasn't won a a conference tournament championship since 1995.
The Volunteers are the only team in the nation that has won at least 50 games so far this season. Their magical run in 2022 should include an SEC tournament title.
Prediction: Tennessee 6, Florida 2
SEC Baseball Tournament 2022: Final Four Scores, Championship Bracket, Schedule
May 29, 2022
CORAL GABLES, FL - MARCH 06: Florida outfielder Jud Fabian (4) runs to third base in the sixth inning as the University of Miami Hurricanes faced the University of Florida Gators on March 6, 2022, at Mark Light Field at Alex Rodriguez Park in Coral Gables, Florida. (Photo by Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The No. 7 Florida Gators and the No. 1 Tennessee Volunteers will face off in the 2022 SEC Baseball Tournament championship game on Sunday at Hoover Metropolitan Complex in Hoover, Alabama.
Florida upset No. 2 Texas A&M 9-0 in the Final Four thanks to a combination of consistent run production and impressive pitching that left the Aggies with just six hits in 32 at-bats.
Meanwhile, Tennessee defeated No. 12 Kentucky 12-2 with a late surge in Saturday's Final Four. With both teams tied 2-2 through seven innings, the Volunteers broke through with a four-run eighth inning.
Here are Saturday's Final Four scores and a look at the championship matchup between Florida and Tennessee.
Men's Final Four Scores
No. 7 Florida def. No. 2 Texas A&M, 9-0
No. 1 Tennessee def. No. 12 Kentucky, 12-2
2022 SEC Championship Game Schedule
Where: Hoover Metropolitan Complex in Hoover, Alabama
When: Sunday, May 29, at 3 p.m. ET
Watch: ESPN2
Florida 9, Texas A&M 0
The Florida Gators got their revenge against the Texas A&M Aggies. In the second round of the tournament, the Aggies stomped the Gators 10-0.
Florida got out to a hot start Saturday when Jud Fabian sent a solo home run over the left field fence in the top of the second inning. It marked Fabian's 22nd home run of the season.
— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) May 28, 2022
After Wyatt Langford hit a leadoff double in the top of the third inning, BT Riopelle hit a sacrifice fly to bring him home and give the Gators a 2-0 lead. Mac Guscette followed that up with a two-RBI single in the top of the fourth inning to extend Florida's lead.
— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) May 28, 2022
The Gators then tacked on four unanswered runs over the next three innings to take a commanding 8-0 lead before capping off the afternoon with a run in the top of the ninth.
While the bats were hot, Florida's pitching staff also put together a dominant outing. Starting pitcher Timmy Manning allowed just five hits and struck out six batters in five innings.
Fisher Jameson was also solid, allowing just one hit and striking out four batters in four innings.
— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) May 29, 2022
This tournament has been full of upsets for the Gators, who also defeated No. 3 Arkansas in the third round Friday. However, the Gators went 0-3 against the Volunteers this season and gave up 17 runs over those three outings.
Florida has won the SEC Tournament seven times, with the last coming in 2015.
Tennessee 12, Kentucky 2
The No. 1 Tennessee Volunteers punched their ticket to the SEC Championship Game with a big win over the No. 12 Kentucky Wildcats.
Tennessee and Kentucky were tied 2-2 through seven innings before the Volunteers put together a four-run eighth inning to take a 6-2 lead. The Vols' run began when Kentucky pitcher Zack Lee hit Jorel Ortega with a pitch with the bases loaded, which resulted in Luc Lipicius coming in.
With the bases still loaded, another run came in on a wild pitch from Lee before two more runners scored on a double from Cortland Lawson.
CLaw in the CLutch!!! He rips a double to the gap and the Vols score a pair! In total, 4 come across to score and UT leads it 6-2.#GBO // #OTH // #BeatUKpic.twitter.com/AY6v98XWjP
It was a disappointing performance for Lee, who came on in relief for Austin Strickland, who pitched 3.2 innings and allowed just one run on three hits while striking out five batters.
The Wildcats' bullpen let the team down, as the Volunteers went on to score six more runs in the top of the ninth inning off a number of Kentucky relief pitchers to put the game out of reach.
Tennessee's pitching staff should also be credited for the win. Starter Chase Burns allowed just two runs on three hits in 4.2 innings while striking out eight.
EIGHT STRIKEOUTS FOR CHASE BURNS!! Gets him swinging on the slider and the Vols take a 6-2 lead into the 9th!
The Volunteers have been dominant in this tournament, posting a 10-1 win over No. 8 Vanderbilt and a 5-2 win over No. 4 LSU before Saturday's game against Kentucky, and will enter Sunday's title game as favorites.
Tennessee has won the SEC Tournament three times and will be aiming to capture the title for the first time since 1995.
ACC Baseball Tournament 2022: Final Four Scores, Championship Bracket, Schedule
May 29, 2022
North Carolina's Vance Honeycutt (7) runs to first base during an NCAA baseball game on Friday, April 1, 2022, in Chapel Hill, N.C. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown)
The 2022 ACC Baseball Championship Game will be a battle of North Carolina with the Tar Heels taking on the Wolfpack with an automatic berth in the NCAA tournament on the line.
North Carolina is peaking at the right time after a 7-2 win over Notre Dame in Saturday's first semifinal. The Tar Heels have won six consecutive games overall, tying their longest streak of the season.
Notre Dame was the highest seed remaining in the tournament coming out of pool play. Despite an earlier exit than anticipated, head coach Link Jarrett's club will be included in the NCAA tournament when the field is announced Monday.
NC State got started quickly in the second semifinal against Pittsburgh. The Wolfpack put up five runs in the first inning en route to an 8-3 win. This marks the program's second consecutive trip to the ACC title game. They lost to Duke in last year's final.
The Tar Heels took two out of three against the Wolfpack in their regular-season series May 6-8 at Carter-Finley Stadium.
2022 ACC Baseball Tournament Semifinal Scores
Game 1: North Carolina def. Notre Dame, 7-2
Game 2: NC State def. Pittsburgh, 8-3
2022 ACC Championship Game Schedule
Matchup: North Carolina vs. NC State
Date: Sunday, May 29
Start Time: Noon ET
Watch: ESPN 2
North Carolina 7, Notre Dame 2
In their first head-to-head matchup of the season, North Carolina used a late rally to beat Notre Dame and reach the conference title game for the first time since 2019.
The Tar Heels struck first on Colby Wilkerson's fielder's choice RBI in the top of the second. Jack Brannigan tied things up in the third with a solo homer to left field off North Carolina starter Will Sandy.
Carter Putz gave the Fighting Irish a 2-1 lead with a homer in the bottom of the fifth. North Carolina evened things up in the top of the sixth on Hunter Stokely's RBI double.
After a scoreless seventh inning, the Tar Heels broke things open in the top of the eighth. Mac Horvath drove in a run with a bases-loaded single. Danny Serretti brought two more runs home with a double off Will Mercer.
Johnny Castagnozzi gave the Tar Heels two insurance runs in the top of the ninth. Davis Palermo closed out the game with two scoreless innings.
A total of five North Carolina pitchers combined to allow seven hits, all singles, to Notre Dame. Palermo and Gage Gillian both had three strikeouts in the win.
Despite the loss, Notre Dame is still in a good position heading into Selection Monday. D1Baseball.com projected the Fighting Irish to be a No. 1 seed and host a regional coming into today's game.
North Carolina was also projected to be a No. 1 seed and host a regional before reaching the ACC title game. It's potentially safe to assume the Tar Heels won't have to travel far when the NCAA tournament begins, regardless of Sunday's outcome.
NC State 8, Pittsburgh 3
NC State's offense came out of the gate swinging against Pitt starter Logan Evans. Devonte Brown blasted a solo homer on the fourth pitch of the game. After LuJames Groover III grounded out, Tommy White homered to extend the lead to 2-0.
Four batters later, Dominic Pilolli smacked a two-run homer to right field that made it a 5-0 game.
Pilolli pulls one over the fence in right field! NCSU leads 5-0 after 1 inning!
When it seemed like Pitt was building some momentum, NC State took it right back in the bottom of the fourth. Groover's sacrifice fly made it a 6-3 score. Noah Soles drove in two more runs with a single to left center.
That would be more than enough offense for the Wolfpack pitching staff. Silver, Justin Lawson and Chris Villaman combined for 13 strikeouts and allowed three earned runs on nine hits.
Pitt did threaten in the top of the ninth when Lawson walked the first two hitters. Villaman came in and shut things down with three consecutive strikeouts to end the game.
NC State limped into the ACC tournament with four losses in its final five games of the regular season, including a three-game sweep at the hands of Wake Forest last weekend.
The Wolfpack got revenge by beating Wake Forest in their first game of the tournament. They have added wins over Miami and Pitt to reach the conference title game.
SEC Baseball Tournament 2022: Final Four Schedule, TV Info, Preview
May 28, 2022
LEXINGTON, KY - March 05: Kentucky infielder Jase Felker (2) in a game between the TCU Horned Frogs and the Kentucky Wildcats on March 05, 2022, at Kentucky Proud Park in Lexington, KY. (Photo by Jeff Moreland/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The 2022 SEC Baseball Tournament continues Saturday with the fourth round and the semifinals before a winner is crowned on Sunday at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama.
Saturday's action follows up a Friday third round that saw impressive wins from No. 12 Kentucky, No. 7 Florida and No. 2 Texas A&M.
With a full day of college baseball ahead, let's take a look at Friday's scores, Saturday's schedule and who to watch moving forward.
No. 7 Florida vs. No. 11 Alabama: 10:30 a.m. on SEC Network
No. 12 Kentucky vs. No. 4 LSU: Time TBD on SEC Network
Semifinals
No. 2 Texas A&M vs. winner of No. 7 Florida vs. No. 11 Alabama: Time TBD on SEC Network
No. 1 Tennessee vs. winner of No. 12 Kentucky vs. No. 4 LSU: Time TBD on SEC Network
Full schedule and bracket available at SECSports.com
Teams To Watch
No. 12 Kentucky
The Kentucky Wildcats, who are the lowest seed, have had an impressive run in the 2022 SEC Tournament and are arguably the most important team to watch on Saturday given their run of success.
Kentucky opened up the tournament with a 3-1 victory over No. 5 Auburn in the first round and also upset No. 8 Vanderbilt 10-2 in the third round on Friday. The team's only loss came in the second round to No. 4 LSU, but it has both the talent at the plate and on the mound to clinch a berth in the championship game.
That said, the Wildcats will need their best players to ball out on Saturday if they hope to reach the championship game. Third baseman Chase Estep (.220 BA, 20 RBI), right fielder Adam Fogel (.257 BA, 17 RBI) and shortstop Ryan Ritter (.264 BA, 14 RBI) have been the team's best batters against SEC opponents this year.
It's unclear who will pitch on Saturday, but Tyler Guilfoil, Daniel Harper and Darren Williams, who all have an ERA of 1.98 or lower, figure to be key players on the mound for the Wildcats moving forward.
Both Harper and Guilfoil pitched against Vanderbilt on Friday and allowed just one run on five hits.
Kentucky has never won the SEC Tournament. Will this year finally be the year they do?
No. 7 Florida
Despite a 10-0 loss to No. 2 Texas A&M in the second round, the No. 7 Florida Gators have also had an impressive SEC Tournament.
Florida opened up the tournament with a 2-1 extra-innings win over No. 10 South Carolina and upset No. 3 Arkansas 7-5 in the third round on Friday to clinch a berth in Saturday's fourth round.
Catcher BT Riopelle, left fielder Wyatt Langford and second baseman Sterlin Thompson have been the Gators' best offensive weapons against SEC opponents this year and will be called upon to make an impact on Saturday.
Riopelle is hitting .319 with 10 home runs and 34 RBI, Langford is batting .333 with 12 home runs and 26 RBI and Thompson is averaging .330 with four home runs and 20 RBI.
The Gators have also received some strong pitching from Brandon Sproat, Brandon Neely and Hunter Barco. However, they haven't been nearly as consistent as some of the other arms around the SEC and all have at least a 3.00 ERA or higher.
We know the Gators can put up runs, as seen in their 7-5 win over Arkansas on Friday, but they'll need more out of their pitching if they hope to reach the championship game on Sunday.
Florida has not won the SEC Tournament since 2015.
No. 2 Texas A&M
Texas A&M enters Saturday's action having played just two games in the SEC Tournament. They earned a dominant 10-0 win over No. 7 Florida in the second round but nearly fell to No. 11 Alabama on Friday.
The Aggies overcame a 6-1 deficit to defeat the Crimson Tide 12-8 in the third round on Friday and clinch a spot in the semifinals. The team's pitching undoubtedly struggled, but luckily the bats woke up in the fifth inning to ignite the comeback.
That said, the Aggies will need a significantly better performance on Saturday to punch their ticket to the championship game.
Second baseman Ryan Targac, left fielder Dylan Rock and catcher Troy Claunch, who have been the team's best hitters against SEC opponents, will need to be at their best on Saturday, though there's no doubt they will be.
Targac is hitting .346 against SEC opponents with 10 home runs and 41 RBI, while Rock is smacking .345 with 13 home runs and 34 RBI. Claunch is batting .304 with two home runs and 31 RBI.
Texas A&M's pitching staff also needs to prove it can be better on Saturday after allowing eight runs to Alabama. That said, Nathan Dettmer, Micah Dallas and Joseph Menefee have been solid this season and should continue their run of success for a berth in the championship game.
ACC Baseball Tournament 2022: Friday Scores, Updated Bracket and Schedule
May 27, 2022
CHARLOTTE, NC - MAY 26: Carson Jones (29) of the Virginia Tech Hokies sprints towards home plate during the ACC Baseball Championship Tournament between the Clemson Tigers and the Virginia Tech Hokies on May 26, 2022, at Truist Field in Charlotte, NC. (Photo by David Jensen/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
All four spots in the ACC baseball tournament semifinals are wrapped following the final day of pool play at Truist Field in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Pittsburgh and North Carolina State completed their respective pools Wednesday and have been biding their time until the semifinals Saturday. Notre Dame won Pool B on Thursday thanks to a 5-3 victory over Florida State.
Now North Carolina has advanced after beating Virginia Tech to win Pool A on Friday.
Here's a look at the latest standings as well as a look at Friday's scores and recaps.
2022 ACC Tournament Pool Standings (Winners in Bold)
Pool A: North Carolina(2-0), Virginia Tech (1-1), Clemson (0-2)
Pool B: Pittsburgh (2-0), Georgia Tech (1-1), Louisville (0-2)
Pool C: North Carolina State (2-0), Wake Forest (1-1), Miami (0-2)
Pool D: Notre Dame (2-0), Florida State (1-1), Virginia (0-2)
2022 ACC Tournament Results - Friday, May 27
Pool D: Notre Dame def. Virginia, 3-0
Pool C: Wake Forest def. Miami, 16-3 (7 innings)
Pool A: North Carolina def. Virginia Tech, 10-0
2022 ACC Tournament Semifinals (Saturday, May 28)
Game 1: North Carolina vs. Notre Dame, 1 p.m. ET
Game 2: Pittsburgh vs. North Carolina State, 5 p.m. ET
Notre Dame 3, Virginia 0
Five Notre Dame pitchers combined to allow five hits in a 3-0 victory over Virginia in the final game in Pool D.
Starter Liam Simon set the tone for the rest of the staff. The junior right-hander allowed just two hits and struck out eight in five innings. This was his longest outing of the season, surpassing a four-inning start he had on April 20.
Virginia only really threatened in the top of the eighth. The inning began with two quick outs before Max Cotier and Alex Tappen singled and Jake Gelof walked to load the bases.
Notre Dame head coach Link Jarrett replaced Matt Bedford, who only allowed one hit in his first 2.2 innings before those back-to-back singles, with Sammy Cooper. He got Devin Ortiz to ground out to second base to end the threat.
Aidan Tyrell took over to handle the ninth inning. He struck out Kyle Teel and Casey Saucke before getting Ethan Anderson to ground out to finish the game.
The Fighting Irish got single runs in the second, fourth and sixth innings to support stellar work from their pitchers. Zack Prajzner drove in two of the runs with an RBI single in the second and sacrifice fly in the sixth.
Jack Penney had the third RBI for Notre Dame with a double that scored Jack Brannigan.
Notre Dame advanced to the ACC tournament semifinals for the first time in program history.
Left fielder Adam Cicere went 4-for-4 with two home runs, and catcher Brendan Tinsman hit his team-high 23rd long ball of the year. Tinsman's four RBI led the team.
First baseman Nick Kurtz, third baseman Brock Wilken, designated hitter Jake Reinisch and center fielder Lucas Costello rounded out the Wake Forest homers. Shortstop Michael Turconi also went 3-for-4 (including a triple) with three runs and three RBI.
The Demon Deacons scored six runs in the third before adding three more in the fourth for a 9-2 lead. They ran away with this one after adding four in the sixth and three more in the seventh.
Rhett Lowder got the win for Wake Forest on the mound after tossing five innings of three-run ball.
Miami first baseman CJ Kayfus starred for the Hurricanes with a 3-for-4 performance that included the team's lone home run.
UNC 10, Virginia Tech 0
Brandon Schaeffer tossed a complete-game shutout and Vance Honeycutt hit a pair of home runs as UNC cruised to the semifinals with a 10-0 win over Virginia Tech.
Schaeffer allowed six hits, struck out six and had zero walks on 102 pitches.
UNC jumped out to a big lead and never looked back after scoring four in the first inning and two in the second. Honeycutt hit a two-run homer in the first inning and added a solo shot in the second. He finished the day 3-for-3 with three runs and three RBI.
Angel Zarate and Danny Serretti added solo home runs in the second and fourth innings, respectively. Tomas Frick and Hunter Stokely added an RBI double apiece. Seven of UNC's nine batters had at least two hits.
SEC Baseball Tournament 2022: Friday Scores, Updated Bracket and Schedule
May 27, 2022
STARKVILLE, MS - MAY 21: Tennessee Volunteers players celebrate a home run during the game between the Mississippi State Bulldogs and the Tennessee Volunteers on May 21, 2022 at Dudy Noble Field at Polk-DeMent Stadium in Starkville, MS. (Photo by Chris McDill/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
It's been a challenge to play in the SEC baseball tournament so far this week, but things are starting to get back on track after the second round was completed Thursday.
After most of Wednesday's games were washed out by rain, the rest of the tournament is going to be compressed to fit into the weekend schedule.
Friday will feature four games in the third round of the double-elimination part of the tournament. The fourth round and semifinals will be held Saturday, followed by the championship game Sunday.
Each of the top three seeds won their first game. Arkansas was the only team with a first-round bye that lost its opening game of the tournament.
In the first elimination game of the day, Florida survived with a 7-5 victory over Arkansas.
The Gators struck first in the bottom of the second inning on Jac Caglianone's two-run single off Arkansas starter Connor Noland. They extended the lead to 5-0 in the fifth thanks to homers by Caglianone and Colby Halter and an RBI double from BT Riopelle.
With the offense taking care of business against Noland, Florida got a solid start from Nick Pogue. The redshirt sophomore held the Razorbacks scoreless for the first five inning.
Arkansas got to Pogue in the top of the sixth with back-to-back homers from Cayden Wallace and Michael Turner.
Florida got those runs back in the sixth. Deric Fabian led off the frame with a solo homer off Brady Tygart. Halter's RBI single extended the lead to 7-2.
Those insurance runs proved to be crucial because Arkansas scored three times in the ninth. Braydon Webb had the big hit with a two-out, two-run homer to make it a 7-5 game.
Florida closer Ryan Slater got Wallace to ground out to end the game. The Razorbacks lost both of their games in the SEC tournament after finishing third in the conference during the regular season.
The Gators, who rebounded nicely after getting mercy-ruled in seven innings against Texas A&M on Thursday, will play the first game Saturday. They will take on the winner of the Kentucky-Vanderbilt matchup.
Kentucky 10, Vanderbilt 2
Kentucky's incredible run continued Friday with a 10-2 win over Vanderbilt for its second upset victory of the tournament.
The Wildcats opened the scoring with an RBI single from Oraj Anu in the second inning before tacking on another two runs in the fourth and fifth innings to extend their lead to 5-1.
The Wildcats also received an impressive performance on the mound, with four pitchers allowing just two runs on seven hits and striking out seven batters.
Kentucky will look to keep the momentum going on Saturday against the loser of Friday's game between Tennessee and LSU. The Wildcats lost to LSU 11-6 in the second round of this double-elimination tournament.
Texas A&M 12, Alabama 8
No. 2 Texas A&M had to overcome a 6-1 deficit to defeat No. 11 Alabama in the third round of the SEC Tournament on Friday, and it wasn't easy.
The Aggies didn't have a significant break through until the fifth inning when they scored three runs on a three-run home run from Dylan Rock. They added another three runs in the sixth inning, highlighted by Rock being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, to take a 7-6 lead.
— Texas A&M Baseball (@AggieBaseball) May 28, 2022
Texas A&M's offensive destruction only continued from there as it tacked on another four runs in the seventh inning. Trevor Werner sent a three-run blast over the left field fence to extend the Aggies' lead 11-8.
It was a team effort offensively for UT
as nobody recorded more than one hit, but six different players got
on base and three drove in runs.
Chase Dollander was terrific on the
mound for Tennessee. He allowed just one earned run across 6.2
innings with nine strikeouts. Redmond Walsh pitched two scoreless
innings for the save.
LSU scored its only two runs in the
fifth inning and back-to-back errors by UT.
The Vols and Tigers could have a
rematch during Saturday's second session. If LSU beats Kentucky in
the losers' bracket, it will get another shot at the top
seed in the semifinals.
SEC Baseball Tournament 2022: Friday Schedule and Bracket Predictions
May 27, 2022
STARKVILLE, MS - MAY 21: Tennessee Volunteers infielder Jorel Ortega (2) makes contact during the game between the Mississippi State Bulldogs and the Tennessee Volunteers on May 21, 2022 at Dudy Noble Field at Polk-DeMent Stadium in Starkville, MS. (Photo by Chris McDill/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The top two teams in the SEC announced their presence at the 2022 SEC baseball tournament with emphatic second-round victories.
The Tennessee Volunteers and Texas A&M Aggies won their first games in Hoover, Alabama, by a combined score of 20-1.
Tennessee and Texas A&M had to wait a few extra days to get on to the diamond because of weather issues, but the delays did not hurt their play.
The Volunteers and Aggies appear to be on a collision course for the championship game from the two parts of the bracket.
Tennessee faces the tougher path to the semifinal round on Friday, as it takes on the fourth-seeded LSU Tigers.
Texas A&M gets an upset-minded Alabama Crimson Tide squad that entered Hoover on the outside of the NCAA baseball tournament bubble.
Alabama has more to play for than A&M, but the Aggies have proved to be the better side throughout the season.
The two opening games on Friday will be elimination contests. The Arkansas Razorbacks and Florida Gators and Vanderbilt Commodores and Kentucky Wildcats will play to remain in Hoover over the weekend.
Friday SEC Tournament Schedule
No. 3 Arkansas vs. No. 7 Florida (10:30 a.m. ET)
No. 8 Vanderbilt vs. No. 12 Kentucky (2 p.m. ET)
No. 2 Texas A&M vs. No. 11 Alabama (5:30 p.m. ET)
No. 1 Tennessee vs. No. 4 LSU (9 p.m. ET)
All games can be seen on SEC Network.
Predictions
Tennessee Rolls Past LSU
Tennessee has been the best team in college baseball all season.
The Volunteers have further proved that over their last five games, as they outscored opponents 69-11.
Forty-one of those runs came against the Mississippi State Bulldogs, who were one of two SEC teams that failed to qualify for the conference tournament.
The final three-game set of the regular season showed that Tennessee is focused on the end goal of winning the College World Series and that it will not play down to its competition.
The top-ranked team in the nation cruised past in-state rival Vanderbilt in the second round behind a 10-run, 10-hit offensive performance.
Seven players in Tennessee's starting nine recorded a hit, and eight different batters drove in a run.
If Tennessee's offense continues to be that well-rounded, it will not matter which team sits in the other dugout.
The LSU Tigers put together a solid five-game stretch of their own, and that continued with an 11-6 win over the Kentucky Wildcats late on Thursday night.
LSU faces the less-than-ideal short turnaround to play on Friday night, but it did only use three bullpen arms, so that may help it deal with Tennessee's loaded lineup.
The two teams did not play each other in the regular season since they reside in different SEC divisions.
LSU is the more flawed team, and it lost three straight second games in series before it started its current five-game winning streak.
That is concerning since a drop in form has happened after winning a weekend opener. Tennessee lost a single regular-season series.
Tennessee owns the deeper roster, and it should be able to get past LSU to set up an easy path to the championship game, in which it needs just one win over the LSU, Vanderbilt or Kentucky in the semifinals to advance.
Texas A&M Halts Alabama's Cinderella Run
Texas A&M made an even bigger statement than Tennessee on Thursday.
The Aggies steamrolled Florida for 10 runs in a game that was ended in the seventh inning because of the 10-run rule.
Texas A&M was the second-best team in the SEC all season, and it would come as a surprise to no one if it played Tennessee in the SEC tournament final.
Like Tennessee, A&M's bats have been fantastic over the last week. The Aggies pounded Ole Miss for 28 runs in their final regular-season series.
Four of A&M's top five hitters in the lineup recorded multiple hits against Florida, and those batters combined to drive in eight of the 10 runs.
If that production keeps up, A&M will be hard to stop, even by Tennessee.
Alabama has been a nice story in Hoover. The Crimson Tide won their first two games over the Georgia Bulldogs and Arkansas Razorbacks to have a shot at being on the NCAA tournament bubble.
Alabama probably needs one or two more quality wins in Hoover to feel safe about its status in the field of 64.
The Crimson Tide own two wins over A&M from a series that took place from April 1-3. Alabama produced 20 runs in that series.
However, A&M has gone either 2-1 or 3-0 in every series since then, and it should provide a much tougher challenge for Alabama this time around.
Alabama's pitching staff held Georgia and Arkansas to six combined runs, but now it faces a more challenging offense with fewer fresh arms out of the bullpen.
Alabama could still make a run at an NCAA tournament berth, but it will likely be through the losers' bracket against the Arkansas-Florida winner.
SEC Baseball Tournament 2022: Thursday Scores, Updated Bracket and Schedule
May 26, 2022
HOUSTON, TX - JUNE 03: Texas A&M Aggies pitcher Kaylor Chafin (56) is swarmed by Aggie players after preserving his save and the 3-2 victory over Iowa during the Houston Regional baseball game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Texas A&M Aggies on June 3, 2017 at Schroeder Park in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The 2022 SEC baseball tournament continued Thursday with six teams in action, as the No. 7 Florida Gators and the No. 2 Texas A&M Aggies kicked off the day's action.
Texas A&M defeated Florida in dominant fashion, posting a 10-0 victory in the first game, while No. 1 Tennessee followed it up with an impressive 10-1 win over No. 8 Vanderbilt. A matchup between No. 4 LSU against No. 12 Kentucky closed out Thursday's slate.
The Texas A&M Aggies had little problem with the Florida Gators, recording a 10-0 win in what was a complete performance. The game ended in just seven innings due to the SEC's run rule, which can end a contest if a team is up by 10 runs by the seventh inning.
The Aggies opened the scoring in the bottom of the third inning on a two-run home run from third baseman Trevor Werner.
— Texas A&M Baseball (@AggieBaseball) May 26, 2022
Texas A&M added another run in the bottom of the fifth inning before exploding for seven runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, highlighted by home runs from second baseman Ryan Targac, centerfielder Jordan Thompson and designated hitter Austin Bost.
— Texas A&M Baseball (@AggieBaseball) May 26, 2022
The Aggies also received an impressive performance from starting pitcher Micah Dallas, who allowed just one hit and one walk while striking out seven batters in five innings. Joseph Menefee came on in relief, allowing no hits and striking out four batters in two innings.
— Texas A&M Baseball (@AggieBaseball) May 26, 2022
It was an incredibly disappointing performance from the Gators, whose lone hit in 22 at-bats was a single off the bat of DH Jac Caglianone in the top of the second. The team's pitching staff also struggled, with four different pitchers allowing at least two runs and combining for just two strikeouts.
Texas A&M moves on to face No. 11 Alabama on Friday, while Florida will face No. 3 Arkansas. It won't be an easy matchup for the Aggies as the Crimson Tide have upset both No. 6 Georgia and No. 3 Arkansas in this tournament.
Tennessee 10, Vanderbilt 1
The Tennessee Volunteers dominated in Thursday's 10-1 win over the Vanderbilt Commodores, thanks to a consistent offense and overwhelming pitching.
The Vols kicked things off in the bottom of the first inning with an RBI double from centerfielder Drew Gilbert.
However, the Volunteers did most of their damage in the bottom of the third inning, recording five runs on five hits en route to extending their early lead to 6-0. RBI doubles from second baseman Jorel Ortega and catcher Evan Russell highlight the inning.
Jorel smacks one to the gap and Seth comes racing around third, scoring UT's second run!
Tennessee also added one run in the bottom of the fourth inning and another run in the bottom of the fifth inning courtesy of a solo home run from designated hitter Blake Burke.
An oppo 🌮 Burke Blast™ and the Vols make it 8-1 in the fifth!!
Shortstop Cortland Lawson continued the damage in the bottom of the seventh inning with a solo shot over the centerfield fence before the Vols added another run in the bottom of the eighth to extend their lead to 10-1.
I thought we weren't going to hit home runs here? Did anyone see that thing come down?
It was an impressive performance at the plate from Tennessee, which finished with 10 hits in 34 at-bats.
The Vols' pitching staff was equally as impressive, with starting pitcher Blade Tidwell allowing just one run on three hits in 4.1 innings while striking out three. The relief pitchers also allowed just two hits through the remainder of the game and struck out five batters.
Tennessee will move on to face the winner of No. 4 LSU vs. No. 12 Kentucky on Friday, while Vanderbilt will face the loser of that matchup in an elimination game.
LSU 11, Kentucky 6
A consistent offensive barrage from
LSU, which scored three runs in a trio of different innings, was too
much for Kentucky despite a late comeback push.
Josh Pearson led the hitting charge for
the Tigers with a perfect night (5 for 5) that was highlighted by a
two-run homer in the seventh inning.
Pearson, Jordan Thompson and Tyler
McManus each drove in three runs for LSU.
Ma'Khail Hilliard gave up two earned
runs in six innings with six strikeouts to pick up the win. Riley
Cooper pitched a scoreless ninth to secure to victory after the
Wildcats scored four runs over the previous two innings to keep the
game within reach.
Devin Burkes was the hitting star for
UK, going 4-for-4 with a pair of home runs while driving in five of
the team's six runs.
The Wildcats' pitchers struggled to
contain the Tigers' offense, however, allowing 13 hits and four walks
across eight innings.
LSU advances to face top-seeded
Tennessee in the third-round of the double-elimination tournament on
Friday. The winner moves on to the semifinals.
Kentucky drops to the losers' portion
of the bracket where it will face Vanderbilt.
ACC Baseball Tournament 2022: Thursday Scores, Updated Bracket and Schedule
May 26, 2022
CHARLOTTE, NC - MAY 25: James Tibbs (22) of the Florida St. Seminoles gives Jaime Ferrer (7) a high five after scoring a run during the ACC Baseball Championship Tournament between the Florida St. Seminoles and the Virginia Cavaliers on May 25, 2022, at Truist Field in Charlotte, NC. (Photo by David Jensen/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Two of the four semifinal spots in the 2022 ACC baseball tournament are up for grabs over the next two days.
Upsets have been the story of the tournament thus far. North Carolina State and Pittsburgh, the two lowest seeds in their respective pools, have already clinched a spot in the semifinal. They will play each other on Saturday with a berth in the championship game on the line.
Of the three games scheduled for Thursday, two of them have no bearing on advancement. Friday's Virginia Tech-North Carolina game will determine the winner of Pool A.
The only game on Thursday's schedule that matters is Notre Dame vs. Florida State. The Seminoles can win Pool D with a victory. Notre Dame needs to win and beat Virginia on Friday to win Pool D and reach the semifinals.
2022 ACC Baseball Tournament Pool Standings (Winners in Bold)
Pool A: Virginia Tech (1-0), North Carolina (1-0), Clemson (0-2)
Pool B: Pittsburgh (2-0), Georgia Tech (1-1), Louisville (0-2),
Pool C: North Carolina State (2-0), Miami (0-1), Wake Forest (0-1)
Pool D: Florida State (1-1), Notre Dame (1-0), Virginia (0-1)
2022 ACC Baseball Tournament Results - Thursday
Pool B: Georgia Tech def. Louisville, 9-4
Pool D: Notre Dame def. Florida State, 5-3
Pool A: Virginia Tech def. Clemson, 18-6
Virginia Tech 18, Clemson 6
Virginia Tech didn't lack for offense on Thursday.
The Hokies battered Clemson's pitchers, beating the Tigers 18-6 behind another huge night from Carson Jones.
— Virginia Tech Baseball (@HokiesBaseball) May 27, 2022
Not even a rain delay could slow down Virginia Tech, as the Hokies managed to score four runs in the top of the ninth after play resumed. Five Clemson pitchers gave up 15 hits while walking 10 batters in a night that the Tigers would like to forget.
Virginia Tech will play again against North Carolina on Friday at 7 p.m. ET, with a berth in the semifinals on the line.
Notre Dame 5, Florida State 3
It's the semifinals for the Fighting Irish.
Notre Dame won its first Pool D game on Thursday, beating Florida State 5-3 and moving them on in the ACC tourney.
It was all about the long ball for the victors, with Zack Prajzner's solo shot and two-run dingers from Jack Zyska and Brooks Coetzee III providing the offense.
John Michael Bertrand earned the win an absolute gem for Notre Dame, allowing just five hit and one run across eight innings. He struck out eight.
Brock Mathis' two-run single in the bottom of the ninth made things interesting for the Seminoles as they attempted the comeback, but Alex Rao came in to earn the save.
Notre Dame awaits the winner of North Carolina vs. Virginia Tech in its semifinals matchup.
Georgia Tech 9, Louisville 4
After winning the ACC Atlantic division during the regular season, Louisville will finish last in Pool B thanks to back-to-back losses to start the conference tournament.
Georgia Tech cruised to an easy 9-4 victory over the Cardinals in the first game on Thursday's schedule from Truist Field.
Drew Compton, who went 0-for-4 on Tuesday against Pitt, got the scoring started for the Yellow Jackets with a bases-loaded three-run triple in the top of the third inning off Kade Grundy.
Colin Hall extended the lead to 4-0 with an RBI single that scored Compton. Georgia Tech maintained that advantage until the bottom of the sixth when Jack Payton got Louisville on the board with an RBI single.
Yellow Jackets sophomore Marquis Grissom Jr. was fantastic on the mound. The right-hander allowed three runs on five hits with seven strikeouts in 6.2 innings.
— FanDuel Sports Network South (@FanDuelSN_SO) May 26, 2022
As his team held a 6-3 advantage in the top of the ninth, Jake DeLeo broke things open with a three-run double off Will Koger.
Louisville got one run back in the bottom of the ninth, but it wasn't enough to make up the deficit. This is only the second time the Cardinals have lost back-to-back games since April 19 (22 games).
This is a huge win for Georgia Tech's resume leading up to Selection Monday next week. The Yellow Jackets are projected as the No. 3 seed in the Statesboro region in the latest update from D1Baseball.com.
Louisville was projected to host a regional and be the No. 8 seed overall prior to Thursday's loss.
SEC Baseball Tournament 2022: Thursday Schedule and Bracket Predictions
May 26, 2022
CORAL GABLES, FL - MARCH 06: Florida outfielder Jud Fabian (4) runs to third base in the sixth inning as the University of Miami Hurricanes faced the University of Florida Gators on March 6, 2022, at Mark Light Field at Alex Rodriguez Park in Coral Gables, Florida. (Photo by Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The weather has wreaked havoc on the first two days of the SEC baseball tournament.
Only five games have been completed in Hoover, Alabama, and there is a chance one team will be forced to play two games on Thursday.
The Texas A&M Aggies and Florida Gators kick off the four-game schedule with one of three second-round contests yet to be completed.
Both teams should carry plenty of motivation to win on Thursday so they can avoid a potential meeting with the Arkansas Razorbacks on the same night. Arkansas lost the lone completed second-round matchup against the Alabama Crimson Tide.
The Tennessee Volunteers and Vanderbilt Commodores face off in the second game, and the 12th-seeded Kentucky Wildcats then take on the LSU Tigers.
Kentucky is trying to keep its fight for a NCAA baseball tournament berth alive. The Wildcats need at least one more quality victory to keep that dream going.
LSU will attempt to end Kentucky's run as it tries to reclaim its spot on top of the conference. The Tigers won the conference tournament six times from 2008-2017.
SEC Tournament Thursday Schedule
No. 2 Texas A&M vs. No. 7 Florida (10:30 a.m. ET)
No. 1 Tennessee vs. No. 8 Vanderbilt (30 minutes after conclusion of first game)
No. 4 LSU vs. No. 12 Kentucky (TBD)
No. 3 Arkansas vs. Texas A&M/Florida loser (TBD)
All games on SEC Network.
Predictions
Texas A&M, Florida Play Tight Opener
The Florida Gators must love the situation they have been put in by the weather delays in Hoover.
They received an extra day of rest following their triumph over the South Carolina Gamecocks on Tuesday, when Brandon Sproat threw 8.1 stellar innings.
His fantastic outing allowed the majority of Florida's bullpen arms to rest up for the clash with the second-seeded Texas A&M Aggies.
Florida should have every arm except for Sproat available on Thursday because of the additional rest due to Wednesday's postponement.
Texas A&M entered the week hoping to get a tired lower seed in the second round so that it could avoid the losers' bracket.
The Aggies could still find themselves in the winners' bracket, but their task is much harder against a surging Gators team.
Florida has lost just twice since May 3, and its pitchers have conceded five runs in its last three games, all of which came against South Carolina.
Texas A&M finished the regular season with three high-scoring games against the Ole Miss Rebels. The Aggies allowed 24 runs over three games last weekend in Oxford, Mississippi. They have three defeats since April 28, which featured concessions of nine or more runs.
Florida could try to replicate the high-scoring games out of the Vanderbilt Commodores, South Carolina and Ole Miss, but it is more likely to be involved in a grind-it-out game with so many fresh arms available.
Additionally, runs have been hard to come by for any of the teams that have played in Hoover this week. Alabama's five in the tournament opener is the largest single-game total through five completed games.
Kentucky Challenges LSU
Kentucky should pose a threat to LSU on Thursday night, but the two teams first need to touch the diamond in Hoover.
The Wildcats and Tigers are scheduled to be the third game on, so hopefully the tournament's luck turns around and they can play under the lights.
Whenever they do play, the Wildcats will have a ton of confidence behind them. The No. 12 seed eliminated the Auburn Tigers with a 3-1 win on Wednesday.
Kentucky may have the worst seeding in the SEC tournament, but it has to be considered a dangerous opponent because of the quality wins it has picked up in the last month.
Kentucky is the only SEC program to win a series against Tennessee, which could be the No. 1 overall national seed in the NCAA tournament.
The Wildcats took two out of three games with Auburn last weekend to create some momentum going into their elimination clash with the Tigers.
LSU could argue the same about its confidence since it plastered the Vanderbilt pitching staff for 42 runs in its last regular-season series.
The Tigers also scored 19 runs against Northwestern State on May 17. That performance started the run of strong offensive outings after three straight losses to Ole Miss.
At their best, the No. 4-seeded team can mash at the plate and cruise into the quarterfinals, but it does have six losses since April 26.
Kentucky could catch LSU off guard in the first few innings since the Wildcats played one game in Hoover and the Tigers will be playing for the first time since Sunday.
Kentucky will also be driven by a late push toward an NCAA tournament berth. It could be a dangerous bubble team if it makes a deep run in Hoover because of its regular season wins over Tennessee.
