SEC Baseball Tournament 2023: Friday Schedule and Bracket Predictions

The 2023 SEC Men's Baseball Tournament continues Friday with a pair of underdogs looking to build on their considerable momentum and advance to the final four with upset victories over higher-ranked teams.

Alabama and Texas A&M certainly have the tools to make it happen, but what has been the secret to their success and how plausible are victories over two top-four teams?

Find out with this look at Friday's schedule and the tools that have helped the Aggies and Crimson Tide to this point in the competition.

Friday's Schedule and Bracket Predictions

Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

HOOVER, AL - MAY 25: Vanderbilt Commodores pitcher Hunter Owen (33) during the 2023 SEC Baseball Tournament game between the Vanderbilt Commodores and the Florida Gators on May 25, 2023 at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama. (Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Friday's schedule includes:

• No. 10 Texas A&M vs. No. 3 LSU (4:00 p.m., SEC Network) (Prediction: Texas A&M)
  
• No. 9 Alabama vs. No. 4 Vanderbilt (TBD, SEC Network) (Prediction: Alabama)
  

Aggies Pitching Proves Problematic for the Opposition

Texas A&M blanked South Carolina Thursday, thanks in large part to the efforts of freshman pitcher Travis Lamkin.

The lefty hurled seven innings of one-hit baseball, striking out nine and securing a 5-0 win for the Aggies. The victory kept the championship aspirations alive for his team and provided the team and its fans another sparkling performance from the mound by Aggies pitchers.

Thursday's game was Texas A&M's second one-hitter of the 2023 SEC tournament and a reminder that, although they may be the 10 seed, the defensive abilities of the team makes them a tough out for anyone that runs up against them.

Up next? LSU, who will look to reignite their bats after a controversial catcher interference call gave way to a 5-4 loss to Arkansas Thursday.

The Tigers will hope that its powerful offense, fueled by designated hitter Hayden Travinski and his 4-for-4 performance at the plate against Arkansas, will be able to punch holes in the oppressive pitching of the Aggies and earn them a spot in the final four.

Defense, as they say, wins championships and there is no denying that the Aggies are hot right now.

A performance at the mound even remotely close to what Lankin was able to throw up on Thursday will be tough for any team, including an LSU team with an combined .563 slugging percentage and 117 home runs, to overcome.

Alabama's Bats Power Crimson Tide to Victory

The Alabama Crimson Tide's offensive arsenal has proven problematic for the opposition to this point, thanks in large part to its bats.

The team is raking at the plate, tallying 31 hits. That leads the SEC.

The squad has been remarkably strong offensively all season, amassing 586 hits, 101 home runs, an OBP of .407 and 424 RBIs. They have wasted no opportunity to swing, for better or worse, with 28 strikeouts in this tournament also leading the field.

That does not bode well for a Vanderbilt team that has allowed 238 earned runs this season and a combined ERA of 4.33.

The Commodores are the higher-ranked of the teams but the Crimson Tide is hot.

Coming off of a 7-4 victory that eliminated rival Auburn from the tournament, the only thing that can stop 'Bama is the sudden and unexpected stoppage of its offensive output against a rotation that has had trouble halting hitters' momentum all season (391 hits in 494.2 innings of work).