:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46388708/GettyImages-451242858.0.jpg)
The Vanderbilt Commodores and the Florida Gators will both be playing in the NCAA Tournament next week. But in today's SEC Baseball Tournament championship game, a little more may be at stake for the winner of the league's automatic bid.
According to the most recent bracket projections from Connor Pelton at our sister site House of Sparky, Florida was sitting pretty in their quest for a national seed (showing as #4) while Vandy was in 10th. The Commodores could sneak into the national seed conversation with a win this afternoon in their quest for a second straight College World Series title.
(2) Vanderbilt Commodores vs. (4) Florida Gators
Sunday, May 24, 4:30 p.m. ET
Hoover Metropolitian Stadium, Hoover, Alabama
TV: ESPN2 (Dave Neal, pxp; Kyle Peterson and Chris Burke, analysts; Kayce Smith, reporter)
Radio: SiriusXM 91
Live Stream: WatchESPN.com
How they got here: Vanderbilt opened tournament play with a 7-6 win in ten innings over Missouri on Wednesday, tying the game at six in the ninth before a walk-off homer by Rhett Wiseman in the 10th. After a 6-1 loss to Texas A&M on Thursday, they trounced Alabama 16-1 (in seven innings) on Friday to stay alive before eliminating the Aggies 12-3 yesterday.
Florida also had to come out of the loser's bracket to get to today's contest. Following a 7-6 loss to Arkansas on Wednesday night in which they allowed a pair of homers in the top of the 9th, the Gators handled Auburn 11-2 before getting even with the Razorbacks (10-0 in seven innings) and clipping LSU 2-1 last night behind a Mike Rivera lead-off shot in the top of the 9th.
Need more coverage? Check out our friends over at Anchor of Gold (Vandy) and Alligator Army (Florida).