SEC BASEBALL TOURNEY: Championship set with UT, LSU

By GRAHAM DUNN

The bracket for the 2024 SEC Baseball Tournament has been set.

It includes a few interesting matchups on the first day of the tournament, which runs Tuesday through Sunday at the Hoover Met.

Alabama salvaged a game at Auburn and it was good enough to earn the No. 7 seed, where it will face South Carolina in Tuesday’s second game at approximately 12:30 p.m. The Crimson Tide finished in a five-way tie for seventh place but owned the tiebreaker. The tie included Vanderbilt, Florida, LSU and South Carolina.

Florida was the No. 1 seed a year ago but sits as the 9 this year and will face Vanderbilt. LSU and Vandy were the No. 3 and 4 seeds respectively last year and both are playing in the first round.

Tennessee earned the No. 1 seed after sweeping South Carolina. The Vols were the top seed in 2022 and won the tournament.

Kentucky began the week as the top seed but dropped to third after the series against Vandy. Tennessee and Kentucky tied for the best record but the Vols won the tiebreaker, having won the series between the two schools.

Arkansas is the top seed out of the Western Division despite losing two out of three against second seed Texas A&M over the weekend.

Historically, no team lower than an 8 seed has ever won the tournament. And only one 8 seed - LSU in 2010 - has won it.

The 12-team field does not include Auburn and Missouri. Ironically, both teams won their final series of the season.

Next season, with the addition of Texas and Oklahoma, all 16 teams will be in the tournament in a single-elimination bracket.

Several teams, more than likely, are playing for a seeding or a spot in the NCAA Regionals. Vanderbilt and Florida are considered on the bubble with the Gators holding just a 28-26 overall record. Ole Miss might also need to win a game or two in the tournament to earn a bid.

Georgia is playing for a Top 8 seed while Mississippi State is playing for a Top 16 seed.

All games will be played at the Hoover Met and broadcast on SEC Network through the semifinals. The final will be Sunday at 2 p.m. on ESPN2.

2024 SEC Baseball Tournament Results

Tuesday, May 21 (Teams listed with seeding)

GM 1 11 LSU 9, 6 Georgia 1

GM 2 10 South Carolina 10, 7 Alabama 5

GM 3 8 Vanderbilt 6, 9 Florida 3

GM 4 5 Miss St 2, 12 Ole Miss 1

Wednesday, May 22

GM 5 11 LSU 11, 3 Kentucky 0 (8 inn.)

GM 6 10 South Carolina 6, 2 Arkansas 5

GM 7 8 Vanderbilt 13, 1 Tennessee 4

GM 8 5 Miss St 5, 4 Texas A&M 3

Thursday, May 22

GM 9 Kentucky 9, Arkansas 6 (Arkansas eliminated)

GM 10 Tennessee 7, Texas A&M 4 (Texas A&M eliminated)

GM 11 LSU 11, South Carolina 10

GM 12 Vanderbilt 4, Miss St 3

Friday, May 23

GM 13 South Carolina 6, Kentucky 5 (Kentucky eliminated)

GM 14 Tennessee 6, Miss St. 5 (Miss St eliminated)

Saturday, May 24

GM 15 LSU 12, South Carolina 11 (South Carolina eliminated)

GM 16 Tennessee 6, Vanderbilt 4 (Vanderbilt eliminated)

Sunday, May 25

GM 17 Championship: Tennessee 4, LSU 3 (Tennessee champion)