SEC baseball standings, May 6: Kentucky moves into driver's seat for conference title; Tennessee ranked No. 1 in polls
The 2024 SEC baseball season is winding down, with the first of three May regular-season weekends in the books.
Here’s a look at where things stand heading into the final two weekends of the regular season before the SEC Tournament:
SEC East
- Kentucky – 18-6 SEC (35-10 overall)
- Tennessee – 17-7 (39-9)
- Georgia – 13-11 (35-12)
- South Carolina – 13-11 (32-15)
- Vanderbilt – 11-13 (32-16)
- Florida – 10-14 (24-23)
- Missouri – 7-17 (21-28)
SEC West
- Arkansas – 17-7 SEC (40-9 overall)
- Texas A&M – 16-8 (40-8)
- Mississippi State – 14-10 (32-16)
- Alabama – 10-14 (29-18)
- LSU – 9-15 (31-18)
- Ole Miss – 9-15 (25-22)
- Auburn – 4-20 (22-24)
Tennessee ranked No. 1 in the country, but Kentucky on top in SEC standings
Tennessee and Kentucky left the first weekend of May on top.
After taking 2-of-3 at Florida to improve to 39-9 overall and 17-7 in the SEC, the Volunteers are being ranked No. 1 in the nation by both D1Baseball and Baseball America. UT is 11-1 in weekend series and has an 8-5 mark against BA top-25 teams.
While Kentucky isn’t ranked as high, UK is currently top dog, er, Cat, in the SEC. With a series win over Arkansas, Kentucky is 18-6 conference opponents, which is best in the SEC.
The conference still uses divisions for baseball, but teams want the regular-season conference title. Tennessee (17-7), Arkansas (17-7) and Texas A&M (16-8) are still in the hunt with six games to go.
Fight for the last spots in Hoover
In two weeks, the top 12 SEC teams will head to Hoover to play in the SEC Tournament.
If the season ended today, Auburn and Missouri would miss the cut for the conference tournament.
LSU and Ole Miss currently occupy the last two spots. Both the Bayou Bengals and Rebels are currently 9-15 in SEC play. That places them 2 games ahead of Mizzou.
Auburn and Mizzou will be playing a 3-game series this weekend. AU has not won an SEC series this season, giving MU a prime opportunity to close the gap.
With six SEC games left, Auburn isn’t out, but it’s hard to see a team 4-20 in SEC games suddenly getting hot in the final two weeks. For all intents and purposes, the fight for the last spot in Hoover comes down to whether Mizzou (7-17) can make up enough ground on LSU (9-15), Ole Miss (9-15) or Florida (10-14).
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I’m not focused on the teams who have pretty much already clinched a spot in the NCAA tournament. They are playing for seeding. That’s not where LSU is currently. We are just trying to get in. We really need to win the series at Alabama. We have them and Ole Miss left. I think that if LSU wins three of those six games, we have a shot. Four should be good. Both series are winnable. Our conference competition for that spot has a tougher road. UF hosts UK and Ole Miss hosts an angry Aggie squad this weekend. It’s interesting for sure.
Good luck with that. Y’all couldn’t even take us when we were spiralling out of control.
Coming from a fan of the team who couldn’t spread mayo on bread the last 2 seasons. smh
Three won’t cut it. They need at least four wins. They really need to get hot and win five of six, because even four might not cut it.
At four, they are definitely in. History shows that, and LSU carries the biggest name in college baseball.
Used to not anymore.
Since 2000:
Titles: 2000, ’09, ’23
Championship appearances: ’09, ’17, ’23
World Series appearances: 2000, ’03, ’04, ’08, ’09, ’13, ’15, ’17, ’23
Who’s done more in this century?
The problem is since the NIL era started, names that used to carry more weight, don’t. In any given year a team can go from no one to natty winner. Much like MSU did two years ago. But I think overall the SEC has taken over college baseball much like we have with football and upped our game in basketball. It won’t be like the old days where the same teams year in and out won the most. Look at Vandy, they kind of disappeared in baseball over the last few years compared to how much their name carried for decades. But if we are playing favs, no team has won more games over the last two year than TN. Also only SEC team to get to Omaha 2 out of the last 3 seasons. And sure doesn’t hurt to be #1 in the nation again too! lol UK will lose the tie breaker to TN if TN and UK end up with the same record. A lot to play before it’s all said and done and hope LSU gets back into post season.
That doesn’t make any sense.
Well done, Andrew…another SEC Baseball article, another NON-MENTION of how the Dawgs played (and swept) a higher ranked Vandy and moved up to 15th in the latest D1 Baseball rankings. At the very least you could have taken a dig at the possible possum grease on our pitcher’s glove.
BTW the Dawgs now have the current longest win streak in the SEC, 5 straight games. I appreciate you not mentioning that also, Andrew. But hey, at least you let us know that Auburn isn’t quite out of hope yet…you know, for inquiring minds that don’t have a clue…
Good one humper, so that is what that kid was doing crouched down in the corner getting a little competitive edge by applying a little of the that possum grease.
Don’t know if you are old enough or was ever a Beverly Hillbilly fan…but that there possum fat cost Jethroe Bodine a shot at the Bigs…broke Leo Durocher’s heart.
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In other news, LSU beat the NUMBER ONE TEAM IN THE COUNTRY but I guess that isn’t important.
Because y’all still suck.
Great close wins, than you got destroyed in game 3 after that lead? That was the game I’d figured you all would win.. lol But anytime you can get 2 out 3 against a top 5 team is impressive. It was hard for us to take 2 of 3 at UK.
Possum grease! I knew it! That stuff is more illegal than my bump stock or my possum wine. You should be ashamed!
Y’all will fall to us in the near future, just saying.
Dawg! You bark a lot for a team just dropped a series to fall to 15-12 in league. Good for 6th (I think). Love your team, hate the barking.
Kentucky is long overdue for some success
They’ve got me following them play-by-play on ‘live stats.’ Mingione has put together a real team this year. I’m hoping we can keep that number one spot this year. A super regional in Lexington would be real nice.
LSU starting to play like the team they were supposed to be playing like all season. Still a long way to go, but it is encouraging that they could be rising to their peak at the perfect time.
I believe we can go 4-2 in these last two SEC series to get to 13-17 and get in the SEC and NCAA Tournaments. They may even go 5-1. 6-0 is a big ask and stretch.
Wherever LSU lands in the NCAA Tournament, they’ll be a threat to the top seed in the regional as well as whatever team they get matched up with in a potential Super Regional.
B A T S – Bats! Bats! Bats!
UK having an awesome season! I think we flip it 2-1 at Baum Walker, but went down 1-2 at UK. UK follows up with a series win at Florida. In my opinion, you guys have been under-rated all year. Love watching you guys play.