SEC baseball weekend recap: LSU, Alabama, and Tennessee bring out the brooms
SEC baseball weekend recap: LSU, Alabama, and Tennessee bring out the brooms
The first weekend of SEC baseball is in the books. The slate included several ranked vs. ranked series, including a top 10 matchup featuring Tennessee and Florida. Given the strength of the conference, SEC fans should get used to seeing a handful of mega-series each weekend.
It's only March, but these games will matter when it's time to determine who gets to host a regional in the NCAA Tournament and who has to go on the road.
The story of the weekend was No. 2 Tennessee, who remains undefeated after sweeping No. 7 Florida. When the new polls drop, there's a good chance the Vols are a consensus No. 1. Tennessee entered the weekend as the oddsmakers' national title favorite and Tony Vitello's team made a good case as to why.
Tennessee's biggest challenger for the No. 1 ranking is LSU. The Tigers are also off to a 3-0 start after a sweep of Missouri.
We'll look at all of that and more as we recap a weekend of SEC baseball.
Tennessee starts SEC slate with emphatic sweep of Florida
The Tennessee pitching staff was the story in this one. The Vols pitching held the Gators scoreless in 18 of 19 innings to close the series out.
Florida came to life for a brief moment on Sunday with a four-run fourth inning. That lead didn't last long after Tennessee scored three runs over the next two innings. Coming off the bench for Tennessee, Cannon Peebles put the Vols in front with a two-RBI double. Peebles reached base twice on Sunday, recording a walk to go along with his extra-base hit. Gavin Kilen and Reese Chapman both homered for Tennessee on Sunday.
Dean Curley came up big for Tennessee on Friday and Saturday. He started the series off with a two-hit, two-run game and followed it up with 3 RBI on Saturday. Chapman led the team with 6 RBI on the weekend.
Tennessee looked like a complete team, with players at the top and bottom of the lineup getting it done. The Vols starting pitching looked good, as did the bullpen.
It's hard to know what the 0-3 weekend means for Florida until we know just how good Tennessee is. It doesn't get much easier for the Gators next week as Georgia comes to town.
Auburn wins series behind go-ahead grand slam
Down by three runs in the bottom of the eighth on Sunday, No. 25 Auburn found some late inning magic.
Cade Belyeu came to the plate with the bases loaded and two out. No. 16 Vanderbilt was one strike away from getting out of the inning, but Belyeu had other plans, sending a ball over the outfield wall for a grand slam. Thanks to Belyeu's heroics, Auburn started its SEC schedule with a series win over a ranked Vanderbilt squad.
"I had a terrible swing at first, kind of locked in, got two strikes, and I just tried to take a smooth swing and that's what I did," Belyeu said.
Auburn OF Bub Terrell had a big weekend. He had a three-hit night in Friday's win and another multi-hit game on Sunday.
The Georgia bats explode
Georgia opened its SEC slate with a 12-run showing on Friday night and closed the series with 17 more runs on Sunday. The Bulldogs took two of three from Kentucky, scoring 36 runs in the process.
Robbie Burnett was the Dawgs' top run producer. On Friday, he drove in four runs and scored four runs. On Sunday, he totaled four hits and drove in five runs. Two of those four hits were extra baggers with Burnett homering and doubling.
UGA catcher Henry Hunter went deep twice on Sunday.
Georgia's lineup was one of the best in college baseball in 2024 and looks like a force to be reckoned with in 2025.
Oklahoma and Texas both win first SEC series
The SEC has a new look in 2025 with the additions of Texas and Oklahoma. Both the Longhorns and Sooners began their SEC schedules with a series win. Texas took two of three from Mississippi State and Oklahoma took two of three from South Carolina.
South Carolina was one inning away from taking the series on Sunday, but Oklahoma scored twice in the ninth to force extra innings. In the 10th, a home run from Sooners' CF Jason Walk gave Oklahoma the lead. Reliever Dylan Crooks managed to get the final three outs.
Alabama sweeps Texas A&M
Texas A&M's early season slump continued with Alabama sweeping the Aggies in College Station.
On Friday night, back-to-back home runs put the Crimson Tide in front. On Saturday, Alabama scored four runs in the ninth to win 6-2. And then on Sunday, Alabama pitched a shutout.
A&M had chances to win in all three games, but continually came up short. Alabama got a handful of clutch moments from its lineup and pitching staff.
Starting pitcher of the week: Auburn's Samuel Dutton
The most impressive start of the weekend belonged to Auburn's Samuel Dutton. The LSU transfer went seven innings on Friday night, allowing just two runs and leading Auburn to a top 25 win.
Dutton struck out six and walked just one.
Dutton transferred to Auburn after spending three years at LSU. He was LSU's Sunday starter in 2022 before moving to the bullpen in 2023 and 2024. Dutton wasn't one of LSU's top arms, but is finding success as a Friday night starter in his new home.
Through five starts in 2025, Dutton is 3-1 with a 1.63 ERA.
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