Exciting Weekend in SEC Softball, Tennessee and South Carolina Roll

Another big weekend of SEC softball just wrapped up, and the conference continues to be one of the most exciting in the nation. 12 of the 13 teams played an in-conference weekend series April 14-17. Arkansas was the only team to play out of conference, as they steamrolled UAB. With the SEC Tournament beginning May 9, teams are fighting hard to finish the regular season on a high note.

Updated SEC Softball Standings

1. Tennessee, 13-2 SEC, 34-5 overall
2. Georgia, 12-5 SEC, 33-10 overall
3. Alabama, 9-6 SEC, 32-12 overall
4. Arkansas, 9-6 SEC, 31-12 overall
5. Auburn, 9-6 SEC, 32-13 overall
6. Florida, 8-7 SEC, 31-11 overall
7. LSU, 7-8 SEC, 34-10 overall
8. South Carolina, 7-8 SEC, 30-12 overall
9. Kentucky, 7-8 SEC, 25-13 overall
10. Texas A&M, 8-10 SEC, 26-16 overall
11. Ole Miss, 4-10 SEC, 25-19 overall
12. Missouri, 4-13 SEC, 25-19 overall
13. Mississippi State, 3-11 SEC, 23-19 overall

Notable weekend series

National rankings are according to D1 Softball rankings as of April 17.

• No. 3 Tennessee steamrolled No. 23 Kentucky 3-0

  • This was a highly anticipated series with two serious SEC contenders. However, Tennessee proved that they mean business. In game one, the Volunteers won in the eighth inning after a game-winning RBI bunt by Lair Beautae. Also in that game, Vols’ pitcher Ashley Rogers struck out 11 Wildcat batters in the 2-1 win. However, Tennessee destroyed Kentucky in the following two games. Saturday’s game two saw Tennessee put up 10 runs in their 10-2 blowout win, and then Sunday was even worse for Kentucky. In game three, Tennessee’s bats were unstoppable, as they put up 15 runs against Kentucky in only five innings, as the game was cut short because of the 10-run maximum differential.

Lair. Beautae. Period. pic.twitter.com/5CpwrT6Bjk

— Tennessee Softball (@Vol_Softball) April 15, 2023

• No. 14 LSU fell at No. 20 Auburn 2-1

  • LSU entered this series ranked higher overall than Auburn, but with two less SEC wins. Auburn was able to keep LSU scoreless through six innings in game one, and they entered the top of the seventh up 5-0. However, LSU knocked two home runs to put three runs on the board. Still, it was too little too late, as Auburn was able to escape game one with the 5-3 win. Game two was extremely close throughout, as LSU squeaked by with a 3-2 win to even the series, then, Sunday’s tiebreaker was a complete nailbiter. The game was scoreless through eight innings until Auburn’s Makayla Packer got a clutch two-out RBI base hit to secure Auburn’s first series win over LSU since 2017.

https://twitter.com/AuburnSoftball/status/1647963126141423616?s=20

• No. 7 Georgia slipped against rival No. 18 Florida 2-1

  • Florida hosted the Bulldogs in front of a fiery crowd looking for some much-needed SEC wins. In game one, Florida’s Skylar Wallace hit three home runs in the game, leading to Florida run-ruling Georgia 14-3 in six innings.

https://twitter.com/SECNetwork/status/1647041181384163328?s=20

• • Georgia put up much more of a fight in game two. The back-and-forth game was capped off by a two-run homer by Florida Avery Goelz’ in the fifth inning, which gave the Gators a one run lead. Florida’s Rylee Trlicek took the mound in the top of the fifth and shut the Bulldogs out, clinching the series for Florida in the 8-7 win. However, the Bulldogs did escape with one win after their 8-2 win in game three.

https://twitter.com/GatorsSB/status/1647327397962993666?s=20

• No. 21 Texas A&M crushed by No. 25 South Carolina 3-0

  • South Carolina hosted A&M with a weak 5-8 SEC record compared to the Aggies’ 8-8 SEC record. In game one, the Gamecocks scored four in the first inning, then kept A&M from scoring after the first inning to steal game one 6-2. In game two, the scoreboards were empty until South Carolina’s Zoe Laneaux hit a walk off single for her fourth hit of the game in the bottom of the seventh, giving SC the 1-0 win. Then in game three, the Gamecocks smashed A&M 8-0 through six innings, finishing the sweep.

GAMECOCKS WIN! And clinch the series with this walk-off singe from @zoe_laneaux!#Gamecocks pic.twitter.com/V00UsngJgE

— Gamecock Softball (@GamecockSoftbll) April 15, 2023

Other SEC Softball series

• No. 13 Alabama dominated Mississippi State 3-0.
• No. 11 Arkansas swept UAB 3-0.
• Ole Miss and Missouri are tied 1-1 and play their final game Monday night.