SEC weekend pitching matchups: 'Bama's Prielipp returns

Alabama's ace returns to the hill just in time to face the Crimson Tide's archrival.

Connor Prielipp photo courtesy of the University of Alabama

Alabama preseason All-American Connor Prielipp returns to the Crimson Tide rotation this weekend after a seven-week absence on the mound. Prielipp has not pitched since the season opener against McNeese State. Ole Miss has made a change in its weekend rotation as sophomore right-hander Drew McDaniel replaces Derek Diamond in the No. 3 spot in the Rebels rotation. 

Auburn at Alabama 

Thursday 6 p.m. CT (SECN); Friday 6 p.m. CT (SECN+); Saturday 4 p.m. CT (SECN+)

Auburn Rotation

Game 1: Sr. RHP Cody Greenhill (3-0, 1.83 ERA)

Game 2: Sr. LHP Jack Owen (0-2, 9.53 ERA)              

Game 3: Fr. RHP Joseph Gonzalez (0-3, 8.57 ERA)

Alabama Rotation

Game 1: Jr. RHP Tyler Ras (5-1, 3.45 ERA)

Game 2: Jr. RHP Dylan Smith (0-3, 2.58 ERA)

Game 3: So. LHP Connor Prielipp (1-0, 0.00 ERA)

Series Notes: Alabama is seeking its first four-game SEC winning streak since 2014 … The Crimson Tide swept Texas A&M last weekend in College Station … Auburn has won the last two series with Alabama, outscoring the Crimson Tide 72-25 in those six games … Auburn swept Alabama in last trip to Tuscaloosa in 2018 … It was the Tigers’ first sweep in Tuscaloosa since 1976 … Alabama won six straight series with Auburn from 2012-17.

 

South Carolina at LSU 

Thursday 6:30 p.m. SEC Baseball Weekend Pitching Matchups - April 15-18

 South Carolina Rotation

Game 1: Jr. RHP Thomas Farr (2-2, 3.25 ERA)

Game 2: Sr. RHP Brannon Jordan (4-2, 3.02 ERA)

Game 3: Fr. RHP Will Sanders (5-1, 2.51 ERA)

LSU Rotation

Game 1: Jr. RHP Landon Marceaux (3-3, 1.89 ERA)

Game 2: Jr. RHP AJ Labas (2-0, 3.43 ERA)

Game 3: TBA

Series Notes: South Carolina is off its best start in SEC play since a 10-2 mark in 2016 … The Gamecocks have as many SEC wins this season as they won in all of 2019 (last full SEC season) … LSU scored 27 runs in its series win at Kentucky … The Tigers scored 27 runs in its first nine SEC games … LSU has won three of the last five series with South Carolina.

 

Texas A&M at Arkansas 

Friday 6:30 p.m. CT (SECN+); Saturday 6:30 p.m. CT (SECN+); Sunday 2 p.m. CT (SECN+)

Texas A&M Rotation

Game 1: Sr. LHP Dustin Saenz (5-3, 3.19 ERA)

Game 2: Sr. RHP Bryce Miller (2-1, 3.58 ERA)

Game 3: Fr. RHP Nathan Dettmer (3-1, 2.43 ERA)

Arkansas Rotation

Game 1: Jr. LHP Patrick Wicklander (1-1, 2.76 ERA)

Game 2: So. RHP Peyton Pallette (1-2, 4.83 ERA)

Game 3: Gr. LHP Lael Lockhart (1-1, 4.25 ERA)

Series Notes: Arkansas and Texas A& are former members of the Southwest Conference … The Aggies are 4-12 in their last 16 games … The recent skid comes on the heels of an 11-game winning streak … A&M has lost five straight SEC games to Missouri and Alabama … Arkansas is 9-3 and off to its best SEC start since 2010 … The Hogs have won 11 of its last 12 SEC series at Baum Stadium … Arkansas has won five of the seven series with Texas A&M since 2013.

 

Missouri at Florida 

Friday 6:30 p.m. ET (SECN+); Saturday 6:30 p.m. ET (SECN+); Sunday 1 p.m. ET (SECN+)

Missouri Rotation

Game 1: RSo. RHP Seth Halvorsen (3-1, 6.27 ERA)

Game 2: So. RHP Spencer Miles (1-6, 7.43 ERA)

Game 3: Fr. RHP Zach Hise (0-4, 6.75 ERA)

Florida Rotation

Game 1: Jr. RHP Franco Alemán (1-1, 3.58 ERA)

Game 2: Jr. RHP Tommy Mace (4-0, 3.00 ERA)

Game 3: Fr. LHP Hunter Barco (4-2, 5.22 ERA)

Series Notes: The last time Florida was 6-6 in SEC play was 2017 when the Gators captured the league title with a 21-9 mark … Florida is 5-1 in SEC home games this season … The Gators have won five of their last six SEC home series … Florida has dominated Missouri since 2013 … UF has swept the last four series, and five of seven overall with the Tigers … Florida has swept all three series in Gainesville … Missouri’s lone series win came in Columbia in 2015.

 

Kentucky at Georgia      

Friday 6 p.m. ET (SECN+); Saturday 7 p.m. ET (SECN); Sunday 1 p.m. ET (SECN+)

Kentucky Rotation

Game 1: So. RHP Cole Stupp (3-2, 3.38 ERA)

Game 2: Sr. RHP Sean Harney (2-0, 2.87 ERA)

Game 3: So. RHP Zack Lee (3-2, 3.82 ERA)

Georgia Rotation

Game 1: Sr. LHP Ryan Webb (2-1, 2.86 ERA)

Game 2: So. RHP Jonathan Cannon (2-2, 3.38 ERA)

Game 3: TBA

Series Notes: Georgia is coming off an impressive series win at No. 1 Vanderbilt … The Bulldogs outscored the Commodores 23-3 in the two wins … Kentucky started SEC play with a 5-1 record after series wins over Missouri and Auburn … The Cats are 1-5 in their last six SEC games against Miss. State and LSU … Kentucky has won four straight series with Georgia at Foley Field … Georgia has not won a series from UK in Athens since 2010.

 

Ole Miss at Mississippi State

Friday 6 p.m. ET (SECN); Saturday 2 p.m. ET (SECN+); Sunday 1 p.m. ET (SECN+)

Ole Miss Rotation

Game 1: Jr. RHP Gunnar Hoglund (3-1, 2.57 ERA)

Game 2: Jr. LHP Doug Nikhazy (3-1, 2.43 ERA)

Game 3: So. RHP Drew McDaniel (4-0, 2.90 ERA)

Mississippi State Rotation

Game 1: Fr. LHP Christian MacLeod (3-2, 2.72 ERA)

Game 2: Fr. RHP Will Bednar (2-0, 2.10 ERA)

Game 3: Fr. RHP Jackson Fristoe (3-2, 4.13 ERA)

Series Notes: Mississippi State has swept its last two SEC opponents (Kentucky and Auburn), while Ole Miss as dropped its last two SEC series (Florida and Arkansas) … MSU has won four straight series with Ole Miss, including the last two in Starkville … Prior to that, Ole Miss won five of six series in Starkville.

 

Vanderbilt at Tennessee 

Friday 7 p.m. ET (ESPNU); Saturday 4 p.m. ET (SECN); Sunday 1 p.m. ET (SECN+)

Vanderbilt Rotation

Game 1: So. RHP Kumar Rocker (7-1, 1.88 ERA)

Game 2: So. RHP Jack Leiter (7-0, 0.55 ERA)

Game 3: Fr. RHP Patrick Reilly (3-1, 3.18)

Tennessee Rotation

Game 1: Jr. RHP Chad Dallas (5-0, 4.20 ERA)

Game 2: Sr. LHP Will Heflin (2-1, 4.24 ERA)

Game 3: Fr. RHP Blade Tidwell (4-1, 2.91 ERA)

Series Notes: The top two teams in the SEC Eastern Division meet this weekend in Knoxville … Tennessee has won its first four SEC series for the first time since 1970 … Vanderbilt takes a 15-game SEC road winning streak to Knoxville this weekend … The Commodores have swept their last five SEC road series … Vandy has won the last two series against Tennessee … The teams have split the last eight series in Knoxville.