South Carolina Athletics
By Chris Marler
It’s another massive weekend in SEC play, as the two bluest bloods in the conference will face off in Starkville. Here’s our weekend preview for the last weekend of April.
Off and running
Two series got underway Thursday night, and only one really demands attention. Arkansas at Missouri feels like a sweep in the making, the highlight might honestly be Mizzou’s giveaway hat.
Mizzou baseball still has Masters fever. 🧢
Read more: https://t.co/iNs3XFiPyz pic.twitter.com/m7kJRCgUuE
— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) April 23, 2026
Alabama heads to Tennessee in a series that is worth watching between two rivals that do not like each other in any sport. The opening game of the series was more high scoring than some of the football games these two have famously played.
Alabama’s offense finally got going after a week of struggling. The Crimson Tide scored early and often. Tennessee did, as well, but nothing was more significant than this home run that still hasn’t landed yet from Eric Hines.
I saw Hines a few weeks back against Arkansas.
GROWN ASS MAN.
Threw the haymaker tonight.
Best kept secret in the SEC pic.twitter.com/X8FYj0R71t
— Jake McKeever (@CBCJakeMck) April 24, 2026
Best Series
There are a ton of great series this weekend with three ranked-versus-ranked matchups. The best series, though, is in Gainesville where Florida will try to collect a couple more top ten wins for their resumé as the No. 7 Texas A&M Aggies come to town.
Florida will need to get its offense going to keep pace with how hot Texas A&M has been at the plate. It’s a high-level matchup with clear Super Regional energy, and we’re not far from that stage anyway.
This Florida team is something else man pic.twitter.com/D9PQmIOXyB
— 11Point7 College Baseball (@11point7) April 22, 2026
Don’t be surprised if…
We’ll use this section as a bold prediction, so allow me to call my shot. Don’t be surprised if Auburn sweeps Oklahoma.
Oklahoma has still been really good this season, but I don’t know if they can handle Auburn’s pitching, and especially on the road. I like Auburn a lot, and I like them to separate themselves this weekend in the current five team tie at 10-8 in the league standings. Auburn is 18-7 at home this season, and don’t be surprised if they stretch that to 21-7 this weekend.
The new College Baseball AP Poll as the Auburn Tigers have surpassed the Tide.
Auburn is No. 11 for the week, with a series against Oklahoma this weekend. https://t.co/QNHvCsEmnG
— The Sports Lovers (@SportsLover1517) April 20, 2026
Who’s on upset alert?
I’m gonna give the least exciting answer that I’ve given all year in a series that few people will care about. That being said – Kentucky, you are on upset alert.
The Wildcats travel to Columbia, South Carolina to take on a struggling South Carolina team. The Gamecocks have been playing inspired baseball, and their Saturday starter Amp Phillips will slide into the Friday night role this weekend to get them off to a better start.
Kentucky’s offense doesn’t hit the ball out of the park enough to scare USC. I like the Gamecocks to get their second series win of the season.
SEC Baseball RPI check:
Texas — 2
Alabama — 4
Auburn — 5
Ole Miss — 6
Texas A&M — 8
Florida — 9
Oklahoma — 17
Mississippi State — 18
Georgia — 20
Kentucky — 29
Tennessee — 31
Arkansas — 32
LSU — 65
Vanderbilt — 72
South Carolina — 88
Mizzou — 113 https://t.co/udWPeBzfad— Hunter Shelton (@HunterShelton_) April 20, 2026
More SEC News
