SEC Power Rankings: Week 11

Another fun weekend in the SEC softball had a ton of fun results from three Top-10 series. Karlyn Pickens and Tennessee took down previously top-ranked Texas in Austin. Texas A&M jumped to No. 1 in our latest Top 25 poll after a sweep of LSU.

SEC Tier 1 Teams

At this point, this tier of SEC softball teams can beat each other on any given weekend.

1. Texas A&M (37-5, 11-3)

The Aggies are on a 12-game winning streak after sweeping LSU in College Station. Texas A&M is 10-1 in SEC play since dropping its first series to Florida. Trisha Ford has really figured out how to best use Emiley Kennedy and her deep bullpen. The offense has taken a significant jump this season, led by Mya Perez.

Brady Vernon’s thoughts on A&M, Tennesssee, Texas & LSU

2. Tennessee (34-9, 9-6)

The Lady Vols have the two most impressive series wins this season after taking down both Texas and Oklahoma on the road. While many have questioned Karen Weekly’s process of using Pickens in those series in the moment, it has now paid off twice. The offense has also found ways to score when it matters most. Tennessee seeks its first SEC sweep of Auburn this weekend, but it is hard to see any team beating the Lady Vols in a series right now in their current form.

3. Texas (39-5, 11-4)

Teams have bad weekends; a lot of teams have bad weekends against Karlyn Pickens. However, the bottom half of the Longhorns’ order has to be better going forward in SEC play, especially with series against LSU and Oklahoma coming up. On a positive note, Citlaly Gutierrez has pitched better the past few weeks, coming in exclusively from the bullpen.

4. Oklahoma (36-5, 10-5)

Sam Landry threw very well once again this weekend, but it didn’t matter against Alabama. The offense really struggled outside of the seventh inning of the first game against Alabama.

5. Arkansas (31-9, 10-8)

The Razorbacks have now won four straight SEC series after starting 1-5 in conference play. The most impressive part of the South Carolina series win was coming back in the rubber match after yielding a lead on Saturday. In the past, that might be a series Arkansas lets get away. Robyn Herron continues to be one of the more underappreciated aces with a gritty effort on Sunday.

6. South Carolina (32-10, 7-8)

In our biggest questions of the week, one of the factors in the Arkansas and South Carolina series was if Sam Gress could keep pitching at an ace level. She didn’t have her best weekend, which was the difference. Nevertheless, the Gamecocks are still in position for a Top-Eight national seed. They have a chance to bounce back this week against Clemson and move up the SEC standings with a series against Kentucky.

7. Florida (37-9, 9-6)

The Gators have positives and negatives to take away from the series win over Ole Miss. Florida’s offense scored 28 runs against a good pitching staff. Korbe Otis has hit more like the All-American we know. However, Keagan Rothrock hasn’t been the same since she returned. She allowed 10 runs over the weekend to the Rebels and has a 6.30 ERA in SEC play.

8. LSU (35-8, 8-7)

The Tigers didn’t have a great weekend but truthfully, it wasn’t that bad, they just didn’t play complementary softball. The offense is still very explosive. And while Sydney Berzon and Jayden Heavener had rough weekends, LSU has a chance to respond quickly with its series at Texas.

9. Alabama (30-16, 7-8)

The Tide has shifted. If Catelyn Riley and Jocelyn Briski pitch as they did against Oklahoma, they’ll keep winning more series. Alabama doesn’t have the marquee series wins outside of beating the series but the Tide are going to host a regional at this point and have proven they can beat the Texas A&M, LSU and Virginia Techs of the world.

SEC Tier 2 Teams

10. Mississippi State (33-11, 9-6)

Despite losing a slugfest on Saturday, the Mississippi State didn’t let the rubber match get away from them by run-ruling Missouri. Sierra Sacco is still on pace to have an All-American season. She had eight hits and a grand slam. Raelin Chaffin had a much better weekend, allowing three earned runs over 14 innings. Mississippi State has a big series at Oklahoma on the horizon.

11. Ole Miss (31-11, 7-8)

Ole Miss has been that team that won’t get swept and hasn’t swept. Jaden Pone collected seven hits over the weekend, bringing her SEC average to .457 this season. The Rebels struggled to pitch against Florida. Miali Guachino’s SEC ERA sits at 6.00.

12. Auburn (27-17, 4-14)

Make that two series in a row for the Tigers, as they’re trending upward again. The pitching was still an issue, but what a weekend for the offense. The Tigers average eight runs per game against Georgia. KK McCrary drove in seven runs, including the walk-off grand slam. We’ll see if the hot bats stick this week in Knoxville.

SEC Tier 3 Teams

13. Georgia (27-15, 5-12)

Randi Roelling and Lilli Backes simply haven’t been good enough this year. Roelling hasn’t made a swift transition to the SEC. Backes has regressed very much from last year, sitting with a 7.65 ERA and 2.07 WHIP in conference play. The internal pitching development in Athens hasn’t been there in recent years, and the transfer additions haven’t paid off either this season.

14. Kentucky (26-17, 6-9)

The Wildcats picked up a pair of wins at Boston U. this weekend. Peyton Plotts hit three home runs, including the go-ahead blast in the first game. The Wildcats travel to South Carolina this weekend.

15. Missouri (21-24, 3-12)

The Tigers’ midweek loss to SIU has put the postseason very much in doubt. Missouri avoiding sweeps as it did against Mississippi State is no longer good enough. If the Tigers are swept by Texas A&M this weekend, it’ll likely be the nail in the coffin in trying to get to .500.

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