SEC Weekend Baseball Roundup and Preview

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Only 2 SEC teams were in action on College Baseball's opening weekend.  Auburn was at home against VMI and Tennessee was on the road against Florida Atlantic.

VMI took 2 of 3 at Auburn. 
Game 1, Auburn 7, VMI 0. Featured Auburn ace Josh Dennis tossing 6 shutout innings
Game 2, VMI 8, Auburn 5. VMI used a 3-run 8th to win as Andy Masten took the loss for the Tigers giving up 3 runs in 1 inning.
Game 3, VMI 10, Auburn 8.  VMI got out to a 7-0 lead and held on.  Evan Crawford gave up 5 runs on 7 hits in 4 innings for the Tigers.  The Tigers got the tying run to 2nd in the bottom of the 9th but stranded him there. 

Weekend Hitting Stars:
Andy Bennett- went 5-14 with 1 HR, 7 RBI, and a double.
Josh Donaldson- went 6-14 with 5 RBI's on the weekend. 

VMI was picked 5th preseason in the Big South.  They were not close to cracking the top 4.  It looks like Auburn needs to develop a bunch more pitchers outside Dennis before conference if they are going to be a factor.

Tennessee took 2 of 3 on the road against a solid Florida Atlantic team.
Game 1: Tennessee 12, Florida Atlantic 1.  James Atkins, one of the top pitchers in the SEC, went 4 innings giving up 1 hit and three walks and 1 unearned run. He struck out 4.  All-American Florida Atlantic starter Mickey Storrey struggled through 4 and 1/3 innings, giving up 6 runs on 7 hits with a walk and 5 strikeouts.
Game 2: Tennessee 9, Florida Atlantic 8 in game 1 of a doubleheader.  Relievers Craig Cobb and Sean Watson slowed the Owl attack just enough to allow the Vols to hold off Florida Atlantic in game 1 of a Sunday doubleheader.  Cobb and Watson combined to hold the Florida Atlantic to 1 run (unearned) through the final 3 innings. 
Game 3: Florida Atlantic 6, Tennessee 5 in game 2 of a doubleheader.  Florida Atlantic got out to a 6-0 lead and held on to get 1 game from a 3-game set.  The Owls used 3 homers in the first four innings to get a 6-0 lead that they held on to win in 7 innings of the travel-shortened game.  The Vols scored 5 runs in the top of the 5th but their rally came up just short.  Junior Deunte Heath gave up 6 runs on 6 hits in 3 innings and took the loss.

Weekend hitting stars:
Julio Borbon 7-15, 7 H, 5 R
Tony Delmonico 5-11, 3 BB, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI, 4 R

Florida Atlantic was ranked 18th in one national poll pre-season.  They were picked to win the Big South by the coaches.  This is a solid start to what looks to be a excellent year for the Vols.  I think it's good to play good teams like these to start the year and taking 2 of 3 is a plus. 

Upcoming series: (all weekend series)
Winthrop at Alabama (3-game set)
Winthrop is the pre-season pick to win the Big South, they took 2 of 3 from Miami last weekend.

Florida State at Auburn (3-game set)
Florida State picked 4th in the ACC.  Preseason #10 in the nation.
Cinncinati at Florida (3-game set)
Cinncinati picked 10th in the Big East.

North Florida at LSU (3-game set)
North Florida won the DII championship last year and is picked 3rd in the Atlantic Sun this year.

Elon at South Carolina (3 game set)
Elon is picked 4th in the Southern conference.

Eastern Michigan at Tennessee (3 game set)
Eastern Michigan is picked 4th in the MAC-West.

Arkansas plays in the South Alabama tournament against George Mason, Oklahoma State, and South Alabama.  George Mason is picked 3rd in the Colonial, Oklahoma State is picked 6th in the Big 12 and South Alabama is predicted to win the Sun Belt.