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This year’s Vanderbilt team isn’t as all around solid as teams past, but they have a good RPI and Arkansas edging them out for a series win is still a good accomplishment. It was the third Sunday rubber game win for the Hogs in nine SEC series thus far. Sunday’s win wasn’t filled with much drama, the Hogs cruised to a 7-1 win. But it showed something it has in common with the basketball Hogs, resiliency. After dropping a few conference series, Arkansas righted the ship with a weekend series against Texas A&M to go.
If you’re still unfamiliar with SEC baseball at this point, some power rankings will help you out. The SEC schedulers hit the jackpot going into the final weekend. LSU plays Mississippi State for possibly the West title. Kentucky will take on Florida for the East. And Arkansas and Texas A&M go head to head with the chances of hosting a regional on the line.
Here is a more detailed breakdown of what’s at stake for the final weekend. Because of the two matchups at the top of the standings, Arkansas can technically win the West if things get really wild. Because of the Florida/Kentucky matchup they can’t mathematically take the overall SEC title. The focus is on whether the Hogs can do enough to host a regional. Take two of three in College Station and Arkansas is in pretty good shape. They have a solid RPI and would have at least 39 wins going into the SEC Tournament in that hypothetical.
The softball regionals were announced this weekend and the whole dang SEC made the tournament. All 13 teams, (Vanderbilt doesn’t have a program) including Arkansas, are going to a regional. In fact, eight of the regionals are being hosted by SEC teams. Arkansas will head to Norman to play Oklahoma, Tulsa, and North Dakota State. Arkansas’ first game is against Tulsa, who they split two games with this season.
Mike Neighbors continues to build his roster for the future, getting transfer A’Taynna Gaulden from Florida State. A former five-star recruit, Gaulden didn’t play a whole lot with the Seminoles in her freshman year. She will sit out a redshirt year then have three years of eligibility.