#2 Vanderbilt 3 #18 Arkansas 2
Hoover, Ala. – Vanderbilt scored early and held on late to eliminate Arkansas 3-2 in the Southeastern Conference Saturday at Regions Park.
A leadoff walk to Tony Kemp to start the first inning and Anthony Gomez’s double jump-started the Commodores’ offense for a 1-0 lead after one inning. Connor Harrell’s two-run home run to left field extended the lead in the second inning before the Dores loaded the bases and chased Arkansas starter Cade Lynch. However, Razorback’s reliever Colby Suggs came on to hold the Vanderbilt offense scoreless 4.2 innings to allow Arkansas to get back in the game with two runs in the sixth inning. But the Vanderbilt bullpen answered the challenge with four pitchers combining for the final 2.2 innings without allowing a base runner.
Vanderbilt Recap
Arkansas Recap
Georgia 4 #5 Florida 3
HOOVER, ALA.- — In all likelihood, Georgia has clinched an NCAA Regional bid with its 4-3 win over third-ranked Florida Saturday in the SEC Tournament at Regions Park.
The Bulldogs (31-29), who have played the nation’s toughest rated schedule and own an RPI of No. 16, have won three in a row here to assure it will finish the tournament with the NCAA required record above .500. After falling to third-ranked Vanderbilt 10-0 on Wednesday where they managed just one hit, the Bulldogs have won three straight elimination games, beating Auburn, top-ranked South Carolina and now the Gators. USC, Florida and the Commodores shared this season’s SEC title. Georgia’s win over Florida forced a semifinal rematch with the Gators that is scheduled to begin at 5:45 p.m. CT Saturday. The winner takes on Vanderbilt in Sunday’s final.
Sophomore Nolan Fontana (Winter Garden, Fla.) drove in redshirt sophomore Vickash Ramjit (Miami, Fla.) with the winning run in the ninth inning as third-seeded Florida (44-16) slipped past fifth-seeded Georgia (31-30), 3-2, in the 2011 SEC Tournament semifinal on Saturday night at Regions Park.
The Bulldogs had forced the if-necessary game with a 4-3 victory earlier in the afternoon. The Gators will next face fourth-seeded Vanderbilt (47-9) on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN2 seeking their first SEC Tourney crown since 1991 and will be appearing in the championship contest for the first time since 2000 (9-6 loss to LSU).
Tied at 2-2 entering the ninth, Ramjit led off with his third double of the season into right center and was sacrificed to third by junior Daniel Pigott (Ormond Beach, Fla.). Redshirt junior Craig Gullickson came in for senior Eric Swegman (1-1, 2.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R) and issued a walk to sophomore Cody Dent (Boynton Beach, Fla.) for runners on the corners and one down. Fontana sent a potential double-play ground ball to second base, forcing Dent, and hustled down the line to beat the relay throw, bringing Ramjit across for a 3-2 Gator lead.
