Scott Bittle makes his first start of the season for Ole Miss on Sunday against LSU.
Conference play is heating up in the SEC, and this weekend provides an opportunity for some of the teams to start making moves in the conference standings. The Arkansas Razorbacks put their perfect 6-0 conference record on the line this weekend when Mississippi State invades Baum Stadium. LSU and Ole Miss find themselves tied for second place in the SEC West, and both top fifteen teams will battle it out in the new Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge. Scott Bittle will be making his first start of the season and his fourth of his career when he takes the mound for Ole Miss against the Bayou Bengals on Sunday. Alabama hits the road for a pivotal series at Florida, who is coming off a weekend sweep of Tennessee. Top-ranked Georgia visits Knoxville for a three game set against Tennessee. South Carolina, who sit 2-4 in conference play, find themselves needing a big series win when they hit the road to take on Kentucky. Vanderbilt will visit Auburn to round out the SEC slate for the third weekend of conference play.
Current game times and projected starting pitchers are:
MISSISSIPPI STATE (14-10, 2-4 SEC) at ARKANSAS (17-4, 6-0 SEC)
FRIDAY (6:30 p.m. CT): Tyler Whitney (LHP, 2-1, 2.82 ERA) at Dallas Keuchel (LHP, 3-0, 3.00 ERA)
SATURDAY (2:00 p.m. CT): Nick Routt (LHP, 2-1, 2.56 ERA) at T.J. Forrest (RHP, 1-1, 4.12 ERA)
SUNDAY (1:00 p.m. CT): TBA at Drew Smyly (LHP, 2-0, 1.80 ERA)
Brian’s Prediction: Arkansas takes 2 of 3
Colin’s Prediction: Arkansas sweeps
OLE MISS (15-6, 4-2 SEC) at LSU (19-5, 4-2 SEC)
FRIDAY (7:00 p.m. CT): Drew Pomeranz (LHP, 1-0, 3.44 ERA) at Anthony Ranaudo (RHP, 2-1, 2.01 ERA)
SATURDAY (3:00 p.m. CT): Phillip Irwin (RHP, 4-0, 1.82 ERA) at Louis Coleman (RHP, 5-1, 1.21 ERA)
SUNDAY (1:00 p.m. CT): Scott Bittle (RHP, 1-2, 5.06 ERA) at Austin Ross (RHP, 3-2, 2.86 ERA)
Brian’s Prediction: LSU takes 2 of 3
Colin’s Prediction: LSU takes 2 of 3
ALABAMA (16-7, 3-3 SEC) at FLORIDA (15-8, 3-3 SEC)
FRIDAY (6:30 p.m. ET): Austin Hyatt (RHP, 4-0, 2.57 ERA) at Jeff Barfield (RHP, 2-0, 1.17 ERA)
SATURDAY (4:00 p.m. ET): Adam Morgan (LHP, 3-1, 3.10 ERA) at Nick Maronde (LHP, 1-1, 2.14 ERA)
SUNDAY (1:00 p.m. ET): Del Howell (LHP, 2-0, 0.00 ERA) at Alex Panteliodis (LHP, 2-2, 4.39 ERA)
Brian’s Prediction: Alabama takes 2 of 3
Colin’s Prediction: Florida takes 2 of 3
GEORGIA (19-3, 4-2 SEC) at TENNESSEE (11-12, 1-5 SEC)
FRIDAY (7:00 p.m. ET): Trevor Holder (RHP, 4-1, 2.22 ERA) at Nick Hernandez (LHP, 1-2, 4.24 ERA)
SATURDAY (4:00 p.m. ET): Alex McRee (2-0, 0.57 ERA) at Stephen McCray (RHP, 3-1, 4.98 ERA)
SUNDAY (1:00 p.m. ET): Justin Grimm (RHP, 1-1, 4.62 ERA) at TBA
Brian’s Prediction: Georgia sweeps
Colin’s Prediction: Georgia takes 2 of 3
SOUTH CAROLINA (16-6, 2-4 SEC) at KENTUCKY (15-7, 3-3 SEC)
FRIDAY (6:30 p.m. ET): Sam Dyson (RHP, 3-1, 2.73 ERA) at James Paxton (LHP, 4-0, 3.30 ERA)
SATURDAY (1:00 p.m. ET): TBA at Chris Rusin (LHP, 4-1, 2.97 ERA)
SUNDAY (1:00 p.m. ET): Blake Cooper (RHP, 3-2, 4.74 ERA) at Alex Meyer (RHP, 1-1, 4.81 ERA)
Brian’s Prediction: Kentucky takes 2 of 3
Colin’s Prediction: South Carolina takes 2 of 3
VANDERBILT (16-8, 2-4 SEC) at AUBURN (16-8, 2-4 SEC)
FRIDAY (6:00 p.m. CT): Mike Minor (LHP, 1-2, 3.41 ERA) at Grant Dayton (LHP, 2-2, 2.67 ERA)
SATURDAY (3:00 p.m. CT): Caleb Cotham (RHP, 3-2, 3.90 ERA) at Jon Luke Jacobs (RHP, 2-0, 4.97 ERA)
SUNDAY (1:00 p.m. CT): Nick Christiani (RHP, 3-0, 4.78 ERA) at TBA
Brian’s Prediction: Vanderbilt takes 2 of 3
Colin’s Prediction: Auburn takes 2 of 3
