(The State photo/Rich Glickstein)
SEC links for Monday:
Neil White of The State on South Carolina advancing to the College World Series: “Christian Walker stepped to the plate in the eighth inning with two on and two outs and the South Carolina baseball trailing Coastal Carolina by two. One big swing later, the baseball was in transit over the BB&T Coastal Field left-field bleachers on the way to 21st Avenue, and the Gamecocks were on their way to Omaha for the ninth College World Series trip in school history courtesy of a 10-9 victory.”
Jeff Lockridge of the Tennessean reports on Vandy’s heartbreaking 7-6 loss to Florida State in NCAA Super Regional: “They made the Seminoles sweat their 20th trip to the College World Series, but it didn’t make the moment any less painful. Vanderbilt rallied for three runs in the ninth inning but came up one precious run short, leaving Florida State with a dramatic 7-6 win in the decisive third game of their NCAA super regional Sunday.”
Robbie Nieswanger of the Arkansas News on the Razorbacks being eliminated: “Arkansas starter Drew Smyly had done a remarkable job of avoiding the home run ball during his sophomore season. In 17 appearances, and 98 1/3 innings pitched, the left-hander had surrendered eight home runs. But that changed against Arizona State on Sunday night in Arkansas’ 7-5 loss in 12 innings.”
Don Kausler, Jr. of the Birmingham News on Clemson forcing a do-or-die game with Alabama: “Clemson bounced back from a 5-4 loss Saturday with six runs in the first inning and nine runs in the sixth, and the Tigers went on to rout the Crimson Tide 19-5 Sunday night in Game 2 of an NCAA Super Regional. So a trip to the College World Series comes down to a noon CDT game today at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.”
John Adams of the Knoxville News-Sentinel thinks SEC basketball would also benefit from expansion: “If the SEC can’t land Texas or Oklahoma, it won’t significantly improve what is already the best football conference in the country. But what about basketball? And what about Kansas? I’ll pause until you stop laughing. You could give me a handful of reasons why Kansas wouldn’t fit in the SEC. Go ahead. Be logical. But you’re not spoiling my fun.”
Robbie Andreu of the Gainesville Sun reports that a Florida wide out has been arrested on a DUI: “According to a UPD police report, Hammond was pulled over for driving in excess of 45 miles per hour and swerving on Gale Lemerand Drive at 2:09 a.m. Sunday. According to police, Hammond’s speech was slurred and his eyes were bloodshot. Hammond failed two sobriety field tests and registered breath samples of 0.188 and 0.191, both above the legal limit of 0.08. Police found two open bottles of Crown Royal in Hammond’s car, according to the report.”
Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News thinks it takes more than super-sizing to make a super conference: “You’ll have to forgive Larry Scott. He’s new to this college commissioner thing, having been at it for less than a year. The Pac-10 boss is moving and shaking – he’s reportedly making a sales pitch in Texas and Oklahoma this weekend – but when all this movement finally shakes out, where will his conference be? All over the map.”
David Brandt of the Clarion-Ledger looks at SEC expansion possibilities: “Commissioner Mike Slive has been mostly quiet throughout the process, only saying he’s watching the proceedings with great interest. Considering the last four national champions in football have come from the SEC, Slive is hardly in a state of panic.”
David Paschall of the Chattanooga Times Free Press on Georgia’s new defensive scheme: “The Bulldogs went through their 10th spring practice under head football coach Mark Richt but their first under defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, who spent the past 11 seasons in the NFL and prefers a formation with three linemen and four linebackers. Brian VanGorder used the 4-3 during his four seasons (2001-04) as coordinator under Richt, and Willie Martinez continued the scheme through his five years in the role.”
