GEORGIA 2, TEXAS A&M 0
HOOVER, Ala. — Cam Shepherd belted a two-run home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to give No. 3 seed Georgia a victory over No. 6 seed Texas A&M in Wednesday’s opening game of the tournament.
Shepherd blasted a 2-2 pitch from Joseph Menefee (3-2) over the left-field fence, barely sailing over the glove of leaping left fielder Cam Blake.
Georgia (43-14) got just three hits but still won an SEC Tournament game for the first time since 2011. The Bulldogs had lost eight consecutive games in the tournament.
The Bulldogs remain in the winners bracket and will play today against No. 2 seed Arkansas, which beat No. 7 seed Mississippi 5-3 on Wednesday. Texas A&M (37-20-1) faces Ole Miss in an elimination game today.
Texas A&M starter Chris Weber held Georgia hitless before allowing Randon Jernigan’s one-out single in the eighth. Georgia’s Tim Elliott, Justin Glover and Zac Kristofak (5-0) combined on a two-hitter.
VANDERBILT 11,
AUBURN 1 (8)
HOOVER, Ala. — JJ Bleday had five hits, Mason Hickman threw six strong innings and top-seeded Vanderbilt cruised to a victory over No. 8 seed Auburn.
Vanderbilt (46-10) rolled to a SEC regular-season title with 23 conference victories and kept the momentum going Wednesday. The game ended after eight innings because of the tournament’s 10-run rule.
Bleday and Pat DeMarco both hit two doubles for Vanderbilt, which jumped out to a 6-0 lead by the end of the third inning. Stephen Scott had five RBI and hit a home run. Hickman (7-0) struck out nine.
Auburn (33-24) managed just two hits. Kyle Gray (2-4) took the loss, giving up one run over 1 1/3 innings.
Vanderbilt will play the winner of the Mississippi State-LSU game today. Auburn will face the loser.
Tournament glance
at Hoover (Ala.) Metropolitan Stadium
All times Central
NOTE All games televised on SEC Network, except the championship game, which will air on ESPN2.
WEDNESDAY’S GAMES
Georgia 2, Texas A&M 0
Arkansas 5, Mississippi 3
Vanderbilt 11, Auburn 1
GAME 8 Mississippi State vs. LSU, (n)
TODAY’S GAMES
GAME 9 Texas A&M vs. Mississippi, 9:30 a.m.
GAME 10 Auburn vs. Game 8 loser, 30 minutes after completion of Game 9
GAME 11 Georgia vs. Arkansas, 4:30 p.m.
GAME 12 Vanderbilt vs. Game 8 winner, 30 minutes after completion of Game 11
FRIDAY’S GAMES
GAME 13 Game 9 winner vs. Game 11 loser, 3 p.m.
GAME 14 Game 10 winner vs. Game 12 loser, 30 minutes after completion of Game 13