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.
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.
