SEC Baseball Round-up

LSU’s pitching staff, Rhymes recognized after sweep of Arkansas

Lefty Chris Cotton was instrumental in LSU’s sweep of Arkansas, getting key outs in all three games (photo by Drew Story).

By RICHARD FISCHER
Tiger Rag Assistant Editor

The league was up-side-down a bit this past weekend as conference leaders Florida lost two of three at Ole Miss and Arkansas got swept at LSU.

Or maybe that’s just a week in the life of SEC baseball on the road.

Now, there are a stunning seven teams within two games of the top spot held by Kentucky at 7-2, so get set for a fantastic race to the finish - especially considering UK has Ole Miss, Arkansas and LSU in the next three weekends.

The team of the week undoubtedly is LSU, who took all three games from an Arkansas outfit that entered the series ranked No. 3 in the nation. The trio of losses doubled Arkansas’ total for the entire season.

For their efforts, several LSU players were recognized this past week. Outfielder Raph Rhymes, who has just been ludicrous this season, was named SEC Player of the Week for hitting 10-for-17 with one home run and six RBIs this past week. He is batting .491 this season and is currently riding a nine-game hitting streak.

Additionally, the LSU was named National Pitching Staff of the Week by InsidePitching.com. LSU surrendered just nine runs in four games this past week, and all three starting pitchers vs. Arkansas set a new career-high in strikeouts. In relief of their fantastic outings, LSU’s bullpen was exceptional, pitching 8.2 innings vs. the Hogs and allowing just one run and five hits. Chris Cotton pitched in all three games for a total of 2.2 scoreless innings. Lefties are 0-for-14 against him this season.

The Tigers will now travel to Gainesville to take on a Florida squad coming off an eight-game road trip in what will likely be the SEC’s marquee series this weekend.

Kentucky vs. Ole Miss should be a good one too.

Below are the league standings as well as this past week’s results and next week’s schedule for all 12 SEC schools. All times are Central Time.

East
Kentucky (27-2, 7-2)
Florida (24-4, 6-3)
Tennessee (18-10, 5-4)
Georgia (18-11, 4-5)
South Carolina (20-8, 3-6)
Vanderbilt (11-17, 3-6)

West
Auburn (17-11, 6-3)
LSU (22-6, 6-3)
Arkansas (22-6, 5-4)
Ole Miss (20-8, 5-4)
Mississippi State (18-11, 3-6)
Alabama (9-19, 1-8)

Alabama (9-19, 1-8)
Last week’s results:
Tuesday vs. UAB (Hoover) - L, 1-0 (12 innings)
Friday at Tennessee - L, 10-8
Saturday at Tennessee - L, 4-2
Sunday at Tennessee - L, 5-3 (7 innings)
This week’s schedule:
Tuesday at South Alabama - 6:30 p.m.
Friday vs. Auburn (FSN) - 7 p.m.
Saturday vs. Auburn (CSS) - 3 p.m.
Sunday vs. Auburn - 1 p.m.

Arkansas (22-6, 5-4)
Last week’s results:
Friday at LSU - L, 10-6
Saturday at LSU - L, 2-1
Sunday at LSU - L, 3-2
This week’s schedule:
Friday vs. Georgia - 6:35 p.m.
Saturday vs. Georgia - 2:05 p.m.
Sunday vs. Georgia (CST) - 12:05 p.m.

Auburn (17-11. 6-3)
Last week’s results:
Tuesday at Samford - L, 8-5
Friday vs. Mississippi State - L, 5-3
Saturday vs. Mississippi State - W, 10-6
Sunday vs. Mississippi State - W, 8-2
This week’s schedule:
Tuesday vs. Jacksonville State - 6 p.m.
Friday at Alabama (FSN) - 7 p.m.
Saturday at Alabama (CSS) - 3 p.m.
Sunday at Alabama - 1 p.m.

Florida (24-4, 6-3)
Last week’s results:
Tuesday vs. Florida State - W, 4-1
Friday at Ole Miss - L, 3-0
Saturday at Ole Miss - W, 9-4
Sunday at Ole Miss - L, 7-6
This week’s schedule:
Tuesday at North Florida - 5 p.m.
Thursday vs. LSU (ESPNU) - 6:30 p.m.
Friday vs. LSU (FSN) - 6 p.m.
Saturday vs. LSU - 3 p.m.

Georgia (18-11, 4-5)
Last week’s results:
Tuesday vs. Clemson - L, 10-5
Saturday vs. Kentucky - W, 7-6
Saturday vs. Kentucky - L, 9-8
Sunday vs. Kentucky - L, 11-2
This week’s schedule:
Tuesday at Western Carolina - 4 p.m.
Friday at Arkansas - 6:35 p.m.
Saturday at Arkansas - 2:05 p.m.
Sunday at Arkansas (CST) - 12:05 p.m.

Kentucky (27-2, 7-2)
Last week’s results:
Tuesday vs. Western Kentucky - W, 7-4
Saturday at Georgia - L, 7-6
Saturday at Georgia - W, 9-8
Sunday at Georgia - W, 11-2
This week’s schedule:
Wednesday vs. Dayton - 5:30 p.m.
Friday vs. Ole Miss - 5:30 p.m.
Saturday vs. Ole Miss - 1 p.m.
Sunday vs. Ole Miss - noon

LSU (22-6, 6-3)
Last week’s results:
Wednesday vs. ULL - W, 5-0
Friday vs. Arkansas - W, 10-6
Saturday vs. Arkansas - W, 2-1
Sunday vs. Arkansas - W, 3-2 (11 innings)
This week’s schedule:
Tuesday vs. Louisiana College - 6:30 p.m.
Thursday at Florida (ESPNU) - 6:30 p.m.
Friday at Florida (FSN) - 6 p.m.
Saturday at Florida - 3 p.m.

Ole Miss (20-8, 5-4)
Last week’s results:
Tuesday vs. Jackson State - W, 12-0
Friday vs. Florida - W, 3-0
Saturday vs. Florida - L, 9-4
Sunday vs. Florida - W, 7-6
This week’s schedule:
Tuesday vs. Southern Miss (Pearl) - 6:30 p.m.
Friday at Kentucky - 5:30 p.m.
Saturday at Kentucky - 1 p.m.
Sunday at Kentucky - noon

Mississippi State (18-11, 3-6)
Last week’s schedule:
Tuesday vs. Alcorn State - W, 6-2
Friday at Auburn - W, 5-3
Saturday at Auburn - L, 10-6
Sunday at Auburn - L, 8-2
This week’s schedule:
Tuesday vs. Mississippi Valley State - 6:30 p.m.
Friday vs. Vanderbilt - 6:30 p.m.
Saturday vs. Vanderbilt - 2 p.m.
Sunday vs. Vanderbilt - 1:30 p.m.

South Carolina (20-8, 3-6)
Last week’s schedule:
Tuesday at The Citadel - W, 7-3
Friday at Vanderbilt - W, 8-3
Saturday at Vanderbilt - L, 12-4
Sunday at Vanderbilt - W, 6-4 (13 innings)
This week’s schedule:
Wednesday at College of Charleston (ESPN3) - 5 p.m.
Friday vs. Tennessee - 6 p.m.
Saturday vs. Tennessee (ESPNU) - 7 p.m.
Sunday vs. Tennessee - 12:30 p.m.

Tennessee (18-10, 5-4)
Last week’s schedule:
Tuesday vs. Mississippi Valley State - W, 5-2
Wednesday vs. Mississippi Valley State - W, 8-4
Friday vs. Alabama - W, 10-8
Saturday vs. Alabama - W, 4-2
Sunday vs. Alabama - W, 5-3 (7 innings)
This week’s schedule:
Wednesday vs. Memphis (FSN) - 6 p.m.
Friday at South Carolina - 6 p.m.
Saturday at South Carolina (ESPNU) - 7 p.m.
Sunday at South Carolina - 12:30 p.m.

Vanderbilt (11-17, 3-6)
Last week’s schedule:
Tuesday vs. Tennessee Tech - W, 6-0
Friday vs. South Carolina - L, 8-3
Saturday vs. South Carolina - W, 12-4
Sunday vs. South Carolina - L, 6-4 (13 innings)
This week’s schedule:
Tuesday vs. Tennessee-Martin - 6:30 p.m.
Friday at Mississippi State - 6:30 p.m.
Saturday at Mississippi State - 2 p.m.
Sunday at Mississippi State - 1:30 p.m.

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Richard Fischer is Tiger Rag’s lead reporter on LSU Baseball. Reach him at richard@tigerrag.com.