Fluctuating SEC baseball standings and LSU
The Southeastern Conference baseball standings are like South Louisiana weather – wait a few days and there will be major changes.
SEC teams reached the halfway point of the league schedule this past weekend. With five weeks remaining in the regular season, three games separate the top eight teams.
South Carolina, which lost two of three games at Georgia, dropped into a first-place tie with Florida, which swept three games at Arkansas. Texas A&M swept three games at Mississippi State to move into first place in the Western Division and just one game behind the Gamecocks and Gators.
Vanderbilt took two of three games at home against Kentucky. Both those teams are now two games behind South Carolina and Florida. LSU swept three games at Missouri to also move to within two games of the overall SEC co-leaders.
Mississippi State fell to seventh place in the overall conference standings – three games behind Florida and South Carolina. Alabama won two of three games at home against Ole Miss to move into a tie with Mississippi State for seventh place.
But, don’t view these teams as definitely being at the top of the standings. Wait for another weekend and the picture could be significantly different.
“Anybody can beat anybody on any day in this conference,” LSU coach Paul Mainieri said. “This league is awesome. The SEC is the major league of college baseball. Everybody wins one-third of their games and everybody loses one-third of their games. It’s what you do in the other third which decides your season.
“The team which is the most consistent will be the best team. That’s why we tell the players that they can’t get down on themselves after losing a game or a series. You cannot get into a panic mode every time you lose a series.”
LSU got off to a slow SEC start by dropping two of three games to Alabama and Texas A&M. The Tigers found themselves four games behind South Carolina after two weekends. Now, LSU has cut that deficit in half by winning three straight series, including a sweep at Missouri last weekend.
LSU played its best baseball of the season in taking three games against Missouri. LSU batted .342 as a team. Jake Fraley (7-for-15) and Kramer Robertson (6-for-13) both hit higher than .400 in the series. Robertson scored seven runs. Bryce Jordan hit two home runs and drove in eight runs.
Each of the three starting pitchers – Jared Poche, Alex Lange and John Valek – went six innings and picked up a victory. Valek had the best outing as he gave up two runs and five hits in his appearance. The bullpen was nearly perfect as five relievers allowed only one run in nine innings.
The LSU defense was perfect as it committed no errors. By contrast, Missouri made nine errors in the three games.
“We played as well as we can play in all three phases,” Mainieri said. “It all came together for us and, as a result, we are back in the mix. We have our head above water (at 9-6). But, who knows what our record will be after the next 15 games”
Mississippi State, which visits The Box this weekend, learned how quickly things can change in a week’s span. The Bulldogs returned to Starkville to face Texas A&M after winning two of three games at Florida. Mississippi State was beaten in three straight games by the Aggies.
“Give Mississippi State credit for going to Vanderbilt and Florida and winning two of three,” Mainieri said. “Texas A&M struggled at Florida (three losses) and they go and sweep at Mississippi State. This league can be a good thing when you win and a gut-wrenching thing because you can fall off the map.”
Before LSU faces Mississippi State, it will play host to Southeastern Louisiana at The Box on Wednesday (6:30 p.m. Central/SEC Network+). The Lions (26-11) are in first place in the Southland Conference. The Tigers have already lost two games to Southland Conference teams – Lamar and McNeese State.
“Midweek games are always a point of emphasis with our staff and our team,” Mainieri said. “The midweek teams we have played this year are much better than last year. We have five midweek games left and there is no patsy.
“These non-conference games in the middle of the week have a lot to do it with you being a regional host. We do not have much margin of error left in these midweek games.”
LSU has been beaten three times in midweek games this season – Lamar, Tulane and McNeese. The Tigers’ remaining non-league opponents are SLU and Northwestern State at home and Tulane and Notre Dame (two games) on the road. All four of those teams are top-65 in RPI.
“Baseball is a very humbling game,” Mainieri said. “You can take two steps forward and then one step back. I think we’re improving each day. We just have to find a way to get the job done.”