SEC Monday Regional Recap: Tigers, Vols Advance
06/03/2025
(Photo credit: @LSUBaseball on X)
By Chris Marler
What was one of the most dominant regular seasons in college baseball history fizzled out faster than a wet sparkler on the fourth of July.
The SEC landed 13 teams in the Regional round of the 2025 NCAA Baseball Tournament. However, after four days of regional action, just four teams advanced to Super Regionals with a chance for a trip to Omaha. Here’s what happened Monday afternoon and night in case you missed it.
LSU After Dark
The Tigers have been fantastic this season when the sun goes down and the lights turn on. Last night was no different and became one of the grittiest wins this team has had all season long. It’s what head coach Jay Johnson called “one of the biggest wins” of his career.
The Tigers fought off pesky Little Rock and battled back from a 5-1 deficit thanks to two heroic performances from local product Ethan Frey and freshman phenom Casan Evans. Evans went six innings in relief giving up just one earned run and striking out 12. At one point, he struck out nine straight batters straight. Frey was just as clutch at the plate, and the 6-foot-6 240 pound junior from Rosepine wasn’t going home Monday night without a win. Period. Frey went 4-for-4 with four RBIs and a home run while reaching base all six times on the night.
Jared Jones finally got a hold of one after a tough weekend at the plate, launching his 20th home run deep into the night in the ninth inning. The Tigers then brought in one of their aces, Anthony Eyanson to shut the door, and he did just that.
TIGERS WIN! TIGERS WIN! pic.twitter.com/SLEloIJRE9
— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) June 3, 2025
Volnum & Bailey Circus in Knoxville
Tennessee has become the Malort of College Baseball.
If you’re unfamiliar with the reference then thank God. That means you haven’t been subjected to the horrible bitterness of this drink. It’s objectively disgusting, and if you don’t believe me this is the actual description of the drink.
“It’s known for its intense bitterness, with notes of grapefruit pith, menthol, lemon, chamomile, and eucalyptus, all dominated by a strong wormwood flavor.”
Wormwood? What in the world does that even mean? That sounds like the last name of a principal you hated in a children’s book, not a flavor. Regardless, people from Chicago love Malort. It’s absolutely not for everyone, but it’s their thing.
That’s Tennessee baseball.
Tennessee faced elimination against Wake Forest, and even found themselves down 2-0 early to the Demon Deacons. However, thanks to several home runs, and multiple NSFW viral moments on social media, the Vols won and advanced to the Supers. Rinse. Repeat.
SLIDING INTO SUPERS!!! pic.twitter.com/2osyIRr9g9
— Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) June 3, 2025
Headed Home Early
Oklahoma and Ole Miss were the two SEC teams that did not win Monday. Oklahoma got dominated in Chapel Hill by UNC losing 14-4 in a game they were never really in. Then there was the Pac 12 after dark, Tuesday night Maction-esque game we saw in Oxford.
Ole Miss was not only rewarded with a regional, but after their run to the finals in Hoover they were given a No. 10 seed. The Rebels were one of the most commonly picked upsets from pundits, fans, and bettors going into Regionals. The concern for the Rebs wasn’t their nation-leading 19 wins against Quad 1 team but rather the competition with regular season ACC champion, Georgia Tech, and 46 win Western Kentucky.
Nobody saw Murray State coming though. The Racers won 40 games this season coming into the tournament, but hadn’t made the NCAA tournament in 22 years. Now, they’re headed to Super Regionals for the first time in program history thanks to a topsy, turvy 12-11 win over Ole Miss. The Racers allowed eight runs in their final three innings but held on in the ninth sending Mike Bianco’s team home for an early summer.
HISTORY MADE FOR THE RACERS 👏#RoadToOmaha x @RacersBaseball pic.twitter.com/1DXXE1W4oe
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 3, 2025