Why LSU Needs To Finish in the Top 4 of the SEC

LSU just took a huge series over Arkansas. They sit at 17-10 in SEC play and currently sit in 3rd in the league standings with one weekend left. They will travel to South Carolina looking to lock in both a top 4 finish in SEC play and a top 8 national seed. With the SEC Baseball Tournament’s new format this season, it is crucial for LSU to finish strong and finish in the top 4. But why?

In the new format that includes all 16 teams, the top 4 seeds in Hoover will receive a double-bye. That means LSU’s first game would be in the quarterfinals making the Hoover trip only three possible games like a normal weekend. This makes the pitching plan very simple with Kade Anderson starting the quarterfinal game and Anthony Eyanson getting the ball for the semifinal. 

But besides just starting in the quarterfinal, the top 4 seed gives LSU an advantage rest wise. Every series this upcoming weekend starts on Thursday. If LSU finishes in the top 4 of the league, the quarterfinal will be the following Thursday, May 22nd, or Friday the 23rd. This would give LSU a full week of rest for both the position players and more importantly the pitchers. Keeping a normal schedule would be a significant advantage for the Tigers. 

Hoover has largely been unimportant in recent years with most top teams just using it to prepare for the NCAA Regionals, but this new format makes it like a normal weekend for the top 4 seeds, making it possible to win the SEC Tournament without wearing out your team for the NCAA Tournament.