The frustrated shout from South Carolina's fan base about potentially getting the shaft due to not being able to play on Sunday was eased just a few hours later. That's when Vanderbilt, led by a ninth-inning game-tying home run from Mike Yastrzemski, beat LSU 5-4 in 10 innings to take the series.
Suddenly, the Gamecocks are in extremely good position. Losing a game may hurt, but there are several scenarios where it can leave USC smiling on Saturday.
USC can win its second straight SEC regular-season championship by beating LSU at least twice this weekend, as long as it gets some help. If the Gamecocks can't beat the Tigers, it's a moot point, but if they can, they need to cheer as loudly as they can for Mississippi State to beat Kentucky.
The Wildcats are in the lead for the title by a half-game over USC, with LSU a full game behind. Florida is two games out. The Gators travel to Auburn this weekend.
What losing the game at Georgia did was remove any potential tiebreakers. There will be an outright SEC East and regular-season champion, meaning that team will get one of the top two seeds for next week's SEC tournament and a first-round tournament bye. LSU has already clinched the SEC West title and the other top seed and bye.
The Gamecocks need some help, but they are in position. A breakdown of what has to happen for USC to repeat as SEC champion:
USC SWEEPS LSU
The Gamecocks are 20-9 (.689) and LSU will be out of the picture. Even if Florida swept, the Gators would only be 19-11 (.633). The only way USC would be beaten is if Kentucky swept, which would leave the Wildcats 21-9 (.700).
USC WINS THE LSU SERIES 2-1
The Gamecocks are 19-10 (.655) and LSU would be 18-12. The Gators would still be out of the picture even with a sweep but Kentucky would have breathing room. If the Wildcats won their series 2-1, they would be 20-10 (.667) and take the title.
USC LOSES THE LSU SERIES 2-1
The Gamecocks are 18-11 (.620) and LSU would leapfrog it for the regular-season title. But as long as Kentucky was swept at Mississippi State and Florida lost at least two games, USC could still win the SEC East and claim a top seed and tournament bye. But if USC is swept by the Tigers, it's out of that picture as well.
SEC STANDINGS
SEC East
Kentucky 18-9 41-11
South Carolina 17-9 38-13
Florida 16-11 38-14
Georgia 13-13 29-22
Vanderbilt 13-14 26-25
Tennessee 8-19 24-27
SEC West
*LSU 17-10 39-13
Ole Miss 14-13 34-18
Arkansas 13-14 35-17
Mississippi State 13-14 31-20
Auburn 12-15 28-23
Alabama 7-20 18-33
*Division champion
This week's series
Georgia at Alabama
Arkansas at Tennessee
Florida at Auburn
Kentucky at Mississippi State
LSU at South Carolina
Ole Miss at Vanderbilt
link: http://southcarolina.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1364967
Suddenly, the Gamecocks are in extremely good position. Losing a game may hurt, but there are several scenarios where it can leave USC smiling on Saturday.
USC can win its second straight SEC regular-season championship by beating LSU at least twice this weekend, as long as it gets some help. If the Gamecocks can't beat the Tigers, it's a moot point, but if they can, they need to cheer as loudly as they can for Mississippi State to beat Kentucky.
The Wildcats are in the lead for the title by a half-game over USC, with LSU a full game behind. Florida is two games out. The Gators travel to Auburn this weekend.
What losing the game at Georgia did was remove any potential tiebreakers. There will be an outright SEC East and regular-season champion, meaning that team will get one of the top two seeds for next week's SEC tournament and a first-round tournament bye. LSU has already clinched the SEC West title and the other top seed and bye.
The Gamecocks need some help, but they are in position. A breakdown of what has to happen for USC to repeat as SEC champion:
USC SWEEPS LSU
The Gamecocks are 20-9 (.689) and LSU will be out of the picture. Even if Florida swept, the Gators would only be 19-11 (.633). The only way USC would be beaten is if Kentucky swept, which would leave the Wildcats 21-9 (.700).
USC WINS THE LSU SERIES 2-1
The Gamecocks are 19-10 (.655) and LSU would be 18-12. The Gators would still be out of the picture even with a sweep but Kentucky would have breathing room. If the Wildcats won their series 2-1, they would be 20-10 (.667) and take the title.
USC LOSES THE LSU SERIES 2-1
The Gamecocks are 18-11 (.620) and LSU would leapfrog it for the regular-season title. But as long as Kentucky was swept at Mississippi State and Florida lost at least two games, USC could still win the SEC East and claim a top seed and tournament bye. But if USC is swept by the Tigers, it's out of that picture as well.
SEC STANDINGS
SEC East
Kentucky 18-9 41-11
South Carolina 17-9 38-13
Florida 16-11 38-14
Georgia 13-13 29-22
Vanderbilt 13-14 26-25
Tennessee 8-19 24-27
SEC West
*LSU 17-10 39-13
Ole Miss 14-13 34-18
Arkansas 13-14 35-17
Mississippi State 13-14 31-20
Auburn 12-15 28-23
Alabama 7-20 18-33
*Division champion
This week's series
Georgia at Alabama
Arkansas at Tennessee
Florida at Auburn
Kentucky at Mississippi State
LSU at South Carolina
Ole Miss at Vanderbilt
link: http://southcarolina.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1364967