2023 SEC Softball Tournament Preview: Bracket, Game Times, TV

The 2023 regular season is a wrap and the “second season” begins.

WHO: 13 SEC softball teams (excluding Vanderbilt who does not field a team, opting instead for ... [eye roll] ... bowling. #VandyOutOfTheSEC). Tennessee is the top seed.

WHAT: The SEC Tournament which is single elimination.

WHERE: Bogle Park, Fayetteville, AR (Capacity: 1,200, though additional seating is available behind the outfield.)

WHEN: First game has the bottom two seeds 12-Mississippi State and 13-Missouri who compete in a play-in game tonight, Tuesday, May 9 at 6:30pm CT. Round 2 commences om Wednesday.

BAMA: The 5-seed Crimson Tide will meet the winner of Mizz-MSU Wednesday at 4pm CT.

TV: The first three rounds will be aired on the SEC Network. The semi-finals and finals air on ESPN2.

HISTORY

Alabama has the most tournament championships at six: 1998, 2003, 2005, 2010, 2012, and 2021. Florida and LSU have five SEC crowns each.

SELECT PREVIEWS

• Tennessee (41-8, 19-5) had a dominating season but struggled down the stretch losing three of their last five games including the season finale at home against South Carolina. The Vols have a team ERA of 1.46.
• Second year coach Tony Baldwin has guided Georgia (39-12, 16-7) to one of their best SEC records in several years. UGA has the top team batting average (tied with Fla at .322), slugging percentage (.580), and home runs (80) in the conference [probably because they have a batting coach]. The Dawgs lost their last two games of the season at LSU.
• Much like Alabama, Auburn (39-16, 15-9) rides the arm of their ace, Maddie Penta (0.96 ERA)
• After losing so many key players to graduation, defending champions Arkansas (38-16, 14-10) were expected to have a rebuilding year. It didn’t take that long. The Hogs had a better than expected season but are limping their way into the post-season after losing two games to last place Mizzou this past weekend.
• Mississippi State pulled off a shocker two weekends ago by sweeping then #22 Kentucky. This past weekend, the Bullies won one out of three at #15 Auburn. Even the games they lost were close. As mentioned, Mizzou took two out of three against Arky. Including non-conference games, the Tigers finish the regular season 8-3. The point is anything could happen in this weird and wacky SEC season.
• Alabama (38-17, 14-10) has a great deal to play for. Namely at stake is a top 16 seeding, which would make them a Regional host in the NCAA Tournament. The most recent polls have the Tide ranked at 14/16/17/13. Of course the selection committee might have their own opinions, but an early exit from the SECT could put Bama on the road for a Regional for the first time since 2004 - the last year of an eight Regionals format.

UPDATE: Bama will play Missouri, 4pm CT.

#RollTide #Team27 #BoycottALdotcom