SEC Baseball Round-up

UGA creeps up the standings following rough start but UF and LSU lie ahead

Michael Palazonne’s complete game victory over Ole Miss Thursday night led off an important series win for Georgia (photo courtesy Georgia Sports Communications).

By RICHARD FISCHER
Tiger Rag Assistant Editor

After entering the season ranked No. 11 in the country, Georgia had high expectations for the 2012 campaign.

However, those expectations quickly turned into disappointment after getting swept in Athens by UCLA prior to SEC play. Then the Dawgs had lost three consecutive SEC series entering this past week.

They needed something positive and in a hurry, and they made it happen by knocking off Clemson last Wednesday night before winning two of three from then ranked No. 18 Ole Miss.

Those wins place the Dawgs at 7-8 in SEC contests and 23-14 overall, but don’t get too excited because Georgia has No. 5 Florida and No. 4 LSU, both on the road, in the next two weekends. At least the Bulldogs are getting hot at the right time if they stand to have any chance in the remainder of April.

Also around the league, Vandy won two of three from Auburn and is set to take on last place Alabama this week. At 6-9 in SEC play, the ‘Dores are hanging around and could be a factor in Hoover despite their pitiful 16-20 record. This young team is growing up, and due to how jumbled up the SEC is, Vanderbilt is only three games out of third place in the conference.

Hats off to Kentucky for overcoming its initial wave of adversity this season. The Bat Cats got smacked in the mouth 12-0 last week by Louisville, then they lost the first game in a hostile environment at then ranked No. 11 Arkansas, 8-7. But Kentucky regrouped and won a doubleheader Saturday in Fayetteville to join LSU atop the SEC at 11-4 in conference play. The league’s best will square off in Lexington this weekend, with the Friday (5:30 p.m.) and Saturday (1 p.m.) games being televised by FSS.

Two of the league’s lower tier teams Tennessee and Mississippi State will take the diamond in Starkville this weekend beginning Thursday at 6:30 p.m. (ESPNU), but the reason to give this matchup any attention is that it’s Super Bulldog Weekend in Starkville. If there’s ever a weekend to check out Starkville, this is it, jam packed with athletic events culminating with the Maroon/White Spring Football Game at 5 p.m. Saturday.

But first, State will take on Ole Miss in tonight in Pearl, Mississippi. The sixth-annual Governor’s Cup is on the line in the outskirts of Jackson in this “non-conference” matchup. The Bulldogs lead the series three-games-to-two since the game’s inception in 2007.

Here’s the current SEC standings. Below that you can find last week’s results and this week’s schedule for all 12 SEC schools. All times are Central Time.

East
Kentucky (32-5, 11-4)
Florida (28-8, 9-6)
South Carolina (27-10, 8-7)
Georgia (23-14, 7-8)
Tennessee (21-15, 7-8)
Vanderbilt (16-20, 6-9)

West
LSU (30-7, 11-4)
Arkansas (25-10, 8-7)
Ole Miss (24-12, 7-8)
Auburn (19-16, 7-8)
Mississippi State (21-15, 5-10)
Alabama (13-23, 4-11)

Alabama (13-23, 4-11)
Last week’s results:
Tuesday vs. UAB - L, 9-1
Wednesday at Southeastern Louisiana - cancelled
Friday at LSU - L, 10-2
Saturday at LSU - L, 7-1
Sunday at LSU - L, 5-1
This week’s schedule:
Tuesday vs. Mississippi Valley State - 6:05 p.m.
Wednesday vs. Mississippi Valley State - 6:05 p.m.
Friday vs. Vanderbilt - 6:35 p.m.
Saturday vs. Vanderbilt - 2:05 p.m.
Sunday vs. Vanderbilt - 1:05 p.m.

Arkansas (25-10, 8-7)
Last week’s results:
Tuesday at Oklahoma - L, 4-0
Friday vs. Kentucky - W, 8-7
Saturday vs. Kentucky - L, 5-4
Sunday vs. Kentucky - L, 2-1
This week’s schedule:
Tuesday vs. Stephen F. Austin (CST) - 3:05 p.m.
Tuesday vs. Stephen F. Austin (CST) - 6:35 p.m.
Friday at Ole Miss - 6:30 p.m.
Saturday at Ole Miss - 4 p.m.
Sunday at Ole Miss (CST) - 1:30 p.m.

Auburn (19-16. 7-8)
Last week’s results:
Tuesday vs. Samford - W, 7-5
Friday at Vanderbilt (CSS) - L, 5-4
Saturday at Vanderbilt - W, 5-2
Sunday at Vanderbilt - L, 11-2
This week’s schedule:
Tuesday vs. Troy - 6 p.m.
Wednesday vs. Alabama A&M - 6 p.m.
Friday vs. South Carolina - 6 p.m.
Saturday vs. South Carolina (SportSouth) - 3 p.m.
Sunday vs. South Carolina - 1 p.m.

Florida (28-8, 9-6)
Last week’s results:
Tuesday at Florida State - W, 6-3
Friday at Tennessee - W, 3-1
Saturday at Tennessee - L, 5-4
Sunday at Tennessee - W, 8-1
This week’s schedule:
Tuesday vs. Georgia Southern - 6 p.m.
Friday vs. Georgia (CSS) - 6 p.m.
Saturday vs. Georgia (CSS) - 6 p.m.
Sunday vs. Georgia (ESPN2) - 2 p.m.

Georgia (23-14, 7-8)
Last week’s results:
Wednesday at Clemson - W, 8-7
Thursday vs. Ole Miss - W, 8-4
Friday vs. Ole Miss - W, 6-3
Saturday vs. Ole Miss - L, 5-3
Monday vs. Liberty - W, 5-3
This week’s schedule:
Tuesday vs. Furman - 5 p.m.
Friday at Florida (CSS) - 6 p.m.
Saturday at Florida (CSS) - 6 p.m.
Sunday at Florida (ESPN2) - 2 p.m.

Kentucky (32-5, 11-4)
Last week’s results:
Tuesday vs. Louisville - L, 12-0
Friday at Arkansas - L, 8-7
Saturday at Arkansas - W, 5-4
Sunday at Arkansas - W, 2-1
This week’s schedule:
Tuesday vs. Cincinnati - 5:30 p.m.
Friday vs. LSU (FSS) - 5:30 p.m.
Saturday vs. LSU (FSS) - 1 p.m.
Sunday vs. LSU - noon

LSU (30-7, 11-4)
Last week’s results:
Tuesday vs. Alcorn State - W, 7-2
Wednesday vs. Southern Miss (Wally Pontiff Jr. Classic - Metairie, La.) - W, 8-3
Friday vs. Alabama - W, 10-2
Saturday vs. Alabama - W, 7-1
Sunday vs. Alabama - W, 5-1
This week’s schedule:
Wednesday vs. Lamar - 6:30 p.m.
Friday at Kentucky (FSS) - 5:30 p.m.
Saturday at Kentucky (FSS) - 1 p.m.
Sunday at Kentucky - noon

Ole Miss (24-12, 7-8)
Last week’s results:
Tuesday vs. Central Arkansas - W, 2-1
Tuesday vs. Central Arkansas - W, 4-0
Thursday at Georgia - L, 8-4
Friday at Georgia - L, 6-3
Saturday at Georgia - W, 8-3
This week’s schedule:
Tuesday vs. Mississippi State (Pearl) (CSS) - 6:30 p.m.
Friday vs. Arkansas - 6:30 p.m.
Saturday vs. Arkansas - 4 p.m.
Sunday vs. Arkansas (CST) - 1:30 p.m.

Mississippi State (21-15, 5-10)
Last week’s schedule:
Tuesday vs. South Alabama - W, 2-0 (12 innings)
Friday at South Carolina - L, 7-6
Saturday at South Carolina - L, 5-3
Sunday at South Carolina - L, 6-4
This week’s schedule:
Tuesday vs. Ole Miss (Pearl) (CSS) - 6:30 p.m.
Thursday vs. Tennessee (ESPNU) - 6:30 p.m.
Friday vs. Tennessee - 6:30 p.m.
Saturday vs. Tennessee - 1 p.m.

South Carolina (27-10, 8-7)
Last week’s schedule:
Tuesday vs. The Citadel - W, 8-0
Wednesday at Francis Mason - L, 5-4
Friday vs. Mississippi State - W, 7-6
Saturday vs. Mississippi State - W, 5-3
Sunday vs. Mississippi State - W, 6-4
This week’s schedule:
Tuesday vs. College of Charleston (FSS/FS Carolinas) - 6 p.m.
Friday at Auburn - 6 p.m.
Saturday at Auburn (SportSouth) - 3 p.m.
Sunday at Auburn - 1 p.m.

Tennessee (21-15, 7-8)
Last week’s schedule:
Wednesday at ETSU - L, 4-3
Friday vs. Florida - L, 3-1
Saturday vs. Florida - W, 5-4
Sunday vs. Florida - L, 8-1
This week’s schedule:
Tuesday vs. ETSU - 6 p.m.
Thursday at Mississippi State (ESPNU) - 6:30 p.m.
Friday at Mississippi State - 6:30 p.m.
Saturday vs. Mississippi State - 1 p.m.

Vanderbilt (16-20, 6-9)
Last week’s schedule:
Wednesday vs. Belmont - W, 7-0
Friday vs. Auburn - W, 5-4
Saturday vs. Auburn - L, 5-2
Sunday vs. Auburn - W, 11-2
This week’s schedule:
Tuesday vs. Middle Tennessee State - 6:30 p.m.
Friday at Alabama - 6:35 p.m.
Saturday at Alabama - 2:05 p.m.
Sunday at Alabama - 1:05 p.m.

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