2008 SEC Baseball Tournament: Day One Doesn't Disappoint

Game 1: No. 2 LSU vs. No. 7 South Carolina

The opening game of the 2008 SEC Baseball Tournament did not disappoint.

LSU entered the game on a 16 game win streak, including 12 straight SEC victories. South Carolina took two of three from Tennessee to close out their regular season series.

The Gamecocks took a 4-0 lead into the bottom of the ninth, but the Tigers weren’t ready to give up.

After walking the first two batters, South Carolina pitching was able to strike out Tiger right fielder Derek Helinihi, bringing up Matt Clark, the Tiger’s first baseman.

Clark drilled a three run homer over the right centerfield wall to close the gap to 4-3. Tiger shortstop DJ LeMahieu was walked then stole second, but the Tiger’s left fielder, Nicholas Pontiff, was called out on strikes.

Then, LSU second baseman Ryan Schimpf came to the plate with the tying run at second. After battling to a 2-2 count, Schimpf hit a blooper to the left field line to tie the game.

Blake Dean hit a solo homerun in the bottom of the 10^th, to lead the Tigers to a 5-4 victory. The Tigers have now won 17 in a row and 13 straight in SEC play.

Game 2: No. 3 Florida vs. No. 6 Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt played small ball to get the big win. The Commodores pounded out 14 singles to lead them to a 7-3 victory over the Florida Gators. This marked the first victory in four tries against the Gators, dating back to the final series of the regular season.

Vanderbilt opened the game scoring one run, but Florida answered in the bottom of the first to tie the game.

The Commodores were able to knock in three runs in the second, leading them to a 4-1 lead. Vanderbilt picked up another run in the fourth, and one more in the sixth. 

Florida answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth, making it a 6-3 game. Vanderbilt held Florida scoreless the rest of the way, while picking up a run in the ninth.

No. 6 Vanderbilt improved to 6-0 all time against Florida in the SEC Tournament.

No. 3 Florida will play No. 7 South Carolina in an elimination game this morning at 10:00AM. Vanderbilt advances to play No. 2 LSU at 5:00PM tonight.

Game 3: No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 8 Ole Miss

The Rebels jumped out to 2-0 lead in the opening frame and sailed to a 4-1 victory behind an outstanding performance by starter Lance Lynn. Lynn tied his career high with 12 strikeouts, retiring eight of the first nine batters he faced.

A controversial home run gave Ole Miss a 3-0 lead in the fourth. The ball was incorrectly ruled as a homerun, despite the replay showing the ball was foul. Georgia coach David Perno rightfully protested the call, but the ruling stood.

Georgia finally got on the scoreboard in the sixth, scoring their lone run of the game on a pair of singles and a walk.

Ole Miss has won on the opening day of the SEC Tournament for the fourth consecutive year. Lynn’s 12 strikeouts increased his career record to 325, the only Rebel pitcher to break 300.

Game 4: No. 4 Kentucky vs. No. 5 Alabama

Kentucky pitcher Aaron Lovett pitched a complete game to lead the Wildcats to a 9-3 victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Alabama started off the game by taking a 2-0 lead to the bottom of the first. Kentucky answered to tie the score in the bottom half of the first after a two out error by the Alabama shortstop.

An Alabama home run put the Tide back on top in the second, but Kentucky answered in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game.

Kentucky threw the knockout punch over the next two innings. The Wildcats scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth with two outs. They followed in the sixth, scoring four runs to bust the game open 9-3.

Three of the six runs were unearned, due to another Alabama error.

The Wildcat victory was Kentucky’s first tournament win since 2000, and the loss was Alabama’s fourth straight tournament loss.

No. 5 Alabama will face No. 1 Georgia in an elimination game at 1:00PM today.  No. 4 Kentucky advances to play No. 8 Ole Miss at 8:00PM tonight.