Postseason fate is looking crazy for UT

UTsports.com

Tennesseee baseball coach Todd Raleigh

Tennessee controls its postseason destiny.

Just not all of it.

Once left for dead after a seven-game losing streak to open conference play, the surging Vols have likely played themselves within two wins of an NCAA tournament bid with only three games against Alabama left in the regular season. But that might not be enough to get them into the SEC tournament thanks to a four-way tie for the last two spots in next week's field, leaving some of UT's fate up to somebody else.

Certainly the Vols (30-23, 12-15 SEC) will have to help themselves against the Crimson Tide (31-21, 12-15) starting at 7 tonight at Lindsey Nelson Stadium, but they also have two other dogs in the fight this weekend - both of them Bulldogs.

"Well, it's crazy," UT coach Todd Raleigh said. "We didn't see much of this coming.

"I would have never anticipated what has happened and unfolded. But we still have to take care of business, and if we stay focused on what we're doing, I think we'll be just fine."

The Vols expected they'd be better than fine for both tournaments after taking a game on the road last week at Auburn, but a Kentucky sweep of sinking LSU totally shook up the standings and forced a crash course in tiebreaking procedures.

The simple version is a three-way deadlock with the Wildcats and LSU would keep the Vols out of Hoover next week, and those two would seem to have an edge since they're playing the worst teams in the league in Georgia and Mississippi State, respectively. But what happens elsewhere won't make any difference to UT if it doesn't win its own series in the first place.

"It's pretty crazy just thinking about the whole situation with us, Alabama, LSU, Kentucky," UT first baseman Cody Hawn said. "I could go through it all, but it would take all day. You're kind of going to want to know what's going on with those other games, but we have to focus on what we're doing. If we pick up the three wins, regardless of what happens with the other series, we're in. That's what we want.

"This is all we can really ask for. We're in control of our own destiny, even though we started 0-7 and all that. If we go out and play our game and pick up three wins, there's no question and nobody can deny us that spot. That's our main goal."

Ultimately the real target is the College World Series though, and the road there doesn't necessarily go through Hoover.

Since that disastrous start to open conference play, the Vols have been one of the hottest teams in the best conference in the country and have climbed to No. 39 in the RPI heading into the weekend - and two wins over the No. 15 team in the nation would obviously enhance their resume even more.

"We control what we do, and we also know we have a good shot at the NCAAs," Raleigh said. "I don't think there's ever been a team that's won 14 games in the SEC that hasn't gone to the NCAAs. Arkansas went 14-16 last year and went to the College World Series. Of course, last year 12 wins got you in (to the SEC tournament), and we already have that.

"I think the fact that we're still playing for something is important, and I know everybody wants to go to Hoover and that's great. I do too. But I really want to go the NCAAs, because you can't go to Omaha unless you're in the NCAAs. I think we're going to be able to focus, and I really think if we win two out of three this weekend that they won't be able to keep us out."

The NCAA might not be able to do it. But there's a chance the SEC still could.

Notebook: Former UT standout and Major League Baseball veteran Greg McMichael will appear at the final luncheon of the season for the Vols today at noon.

Tickets are $10 for the public and $5 for Bullpen Club members. To reserve a spot, call Brian Kohout in the marketing office at 865-974-9079.