HOOVER, Ala. -- A.J. Puk threw a seven-inning complete game and had 11 strikeouts to lead Florida over Arkansas 10-0 on Friday night in an elimination game of the Southeastern Conference tournament.
Florida (42-16) broke the game open with five runs in the third inning to take a 6-0 lead. The Gators finished with 11 hits, including three by Buddy Reed.
Arkansas (35-22) managed just three hits and while getting sent home. Dominic Taccolini (6-4) started for the Razorbacks but lasted just two innings after giving up five runs, including four earned.
The SEC ends games in the tournament after seven innings if one team leads by 10 runs or more.
Puk (8-3) has struck out 85 this season in just 61 2/3 innings.
Florida 2, LSU 1
HOOVER, Ala. -- Mike Rivera homered to open the top of the ninth inning and Florida beat LSU 2-1 on Saturday to advance to the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship game.
Taylor Lewis (6-1) allowed one hit over 4 1/3 scoreless innings, including a perfect ninth, for the Gators (42-16). They'll face Vanderbilt for the title today.
The top-seeded Tigers (48-9) had been seeking their third straight SEC tournament title and sixth in eight years.
LSU led 1-0 until Florida tied it in the eighth when JJ Schwarz drove in Josh Tobias. Then, Rivera drove a pitch from reliever Jesse Stallings over the left-field fence.
Lewis recorded two flyballs to center field and a groundout in the ninth to seal the win.
Harrison Bader went 3-for-4 for the Gators.
LSU starter Alex Lange pitched seven scoreless innings.
Vanderbilt 12,
Texas A&M 3
HOOVER, Ala. -- Dansby Swanson, Will Toffey and Zander Wiel all homered to help Vanderbilt power its way to a 12-3 victory over Texas A&M Saturday in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament.
The defending national champion Commodores (42-18) advanced to today's championship game with the win. Vandy, which faces Florida, is seeking its first SEC tournament title since 2007 and fifth overall.
Swanson and Toffey both hit two-run homers and Jeren Kendall drove in two more runs with a triple during a five-run fifth inning.
The Aggies (45-11) committed two of their three errors in the big inning to help the Commodores.
Walker Buehler and reliever John Kilichowski combined to limit Texas A&M to six hits.
Logan Taylor, Nick Choruby and Nick Banks each had an RBI for the Aggies.
Sports on 05/24/2015