What a difference a week makes for Alabama and Auburn.
Auburn was streaking, having won three straight SEC series. Alabama was reeling, coming off being swept at home by Arkansas.
But it was the Crimson Tide who put a late jolt into its season with a road sweep over Auburn. With one SEC weekend left, it’s looking better for Alabama’s chances to play in the SEC Tournament from May 19-24 at the Hoover Met.
At 12-15 in SEC play, Auburn is currently ninth, but the Tigers have clinched a spot in the SEC Tournament. The top 12 out of 14 SEC teams make it. The top four get a bye, and the other eight play elimination games on May 19. The tournament goes to double elimination from May 20-22 until reverting back to single elimination for the semifinals on May 23 and the final on May 24.
Ten teams have qualified. Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and Mississippi State are battling for the final two spots.
Alabama has a tiebreaker over MSU, and is three games ahead of the Bulldogs. So, MSU can’t catch Alabama. One Alabama win over Vanderbilt or one Tennessee loss against MSU would clinch a berth for Alabama. A combination of two Alabama wins or Georgia losses to Arkansas will have the Crimson Tide in and ahead of UGA.
In terms of seeding, Auburn can finish as high as sixth and Alabama as high as eighth. The Tide could tie Ole Miss and Missouri, but both teams have tiebreakers over Alabama.
Current records and seeds are below. Here are the schedules, with central times.
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Thursday, May 14
Mississippi State at Tennessee, 5 p.m.
Auburn at Florida, 6 p.m.
Arkansas at Georgia, 6 p.m.
Kentucky at Missouri, 6 p.m.
LSU at South Carolina, 6 p.m., SEC Network
Texas A&M at Ole Miss, 6:30 p.m., ESPNU
Vanderbilt at Alabama, 7 p.m.
Friday, May 14
Mississippi State at Tennessee, 5 p.m.
Auburn at Florida, 6 p.m.
Arkansas at Georgia, 6 p.m.
Kentucky at Missouri, 6 p.m.
Texas A&M at Ole Miss, 6:30 p.m.
Vanderbilt at Alabama, 7 p.m.
LSU at South Carolina, 7 p.m., ESPNU
Saturday, May 16
Mississippi State at Tennessee, noon, SEC Network
Auburn at Florida, noon
Arkansas at Georgia, noon
Kentucky at Missouri, 1 p.m.
Texas A&M at Ole Miss, 1:30 p.m.
Vanderbilt at Alabama, 3:30 p.m., SEC Network
LSU at South Carolina, 7 p.m., SEC Network
