SEC Baseball Tournament 2017: Championship Schedule and Predictions

After dropping a three-game series against the LSU Tigers earlier in the season, the Arkansas Razorbacks will look for revenge Sunday in the championship game of the 2017 SEC tournament.

LSU was the first to advance to the final with an 11-0 victory over the South Carolina Gamecocks. Arkansas followed suit with a surprisingly dominant 16-0 win over the top-seeded Florida Gators.

Nobody has won more SEC tournament titles than the Tigers (11). Their last came in 2014—an LSU team that included two future first-round draft picks in Aaron Nola and Alex Bregman.

The Razorbacks, meanwhile, have yet to taste success in the SEC tournament. They came close in 2007, losing to the Vanderbilt Commodores in the championship game.

Here's a preview for Sunday's title clash.

Championship Schedule

When: Sunday, May 28 at 3 p.m. ET

Where: Hoover Metropolitan Stadium, Hoover, Alabama.

Watch: ESPN2

Live Stream: Watch ESPN

Championship Preview

Arkansas has to cool off an LSU offense that has scored 53 runs in its last five games. No big deal.

Greg Deichmann will be at the top of the Razorbacks' list as they look to neutralize the best hitters in the Tigers lineup. The junior had two home runs in his team's semifinal win, bringing his total to 19 for the season. He's also batting .330 with a .642 slugging percentage.

Kramer Robertson is also dangerous out of the leadoff position. He boasts a .315/.420/.511 slash line to go along with 39 RBI and seven stolen bases.

The Razorbacks offense hasn't exactly been slacking either. After losing 4-3 to Mississippi State in its first game of the tournament, Arkansas put up 37 runs over its next three games.

Chad Spanberger anchors the lineup. The junior went deep Saturday against Florida, his fourth of the tournament, courtesy of SEC Network:

Sunday's game will be a big test for freshman right-hander Eric Walker, who's set to take the bump after Alex Lange and Jared Poche started in each of LSU's last two games.

Poche remains confident in Walker, per the Advocate's Scott Rabalais:

While Poche's faith in his teammate is commendable, Walker is the weakest of LSU's three regular starting pitchers. He has a 4.04 ERA in 78 innings, and he has allowed a team-high 11 home runs.

Walker did, however, silence the Arkansas offense in a 2-0 victory on April 9. He pitched a shutout, striking out four batters and walking two.

The fact Tigers coach Paul Mainieri hasn't had to tax his bullpen too much in the SEC tournament gives him a little more flexibility should Walker struggle early in Sunday's game.

The Razorbacks could have a bit of an edge in that Mainieri may not know which pitcher will get the nod for Arkansas. Razorbacks coach Dave Van Horn said after Saturday's game he had yet to decide on a strategy and was going to discuss things with pitching coach Wes Johnson, per Rabalais.

As a whole, pitching has been a strength for Arkansas in 2017. The team is 40th in ERA (3.68), one spot behind LSU, fifth in strikeouts per nine innings (9.7) and 17th in WHIP (1.25), per NCAA.com.

LSU's overall pedigree, coupled with the series win over Arkansas, makes the Tigers the favorites for Sunday's game. But the Razorbacks are getting hot at the right time, and LSU has a big question mark in Walker.

Arkansas will spring the upset and collect its first SEC tourney title.

Prediction: Arkansas 5, LSU 3