2023 SEC Baseball Tournament sets new attendance record with 171,288 fans
The SEC reported that it saw a record number of fans in attendance at the conference baseball tournament this week. According to the league, a total of 171,288 fans gathered to take in the action in Hoover, Alabama.
The reported attendance is nearly 9,000 more than the previous record of 162,699 fans, set in 2019. Not only that, but it is more than the number of fans that showed out for the SEC Baseball Tournament in 2021 and 2022 combined (139,308). However, it should be noted that the 2021 tournament was limited to 50% capacity due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The record number of fans who showed out in 2023 were treated to entertaining baseball all week long. No. 10 seed Texas A&M did well for its NCAA Tournament hopes by surprisingly advancing all the way to the title game.
The Aggies found themselves on the brink of elimination after suffering a 6-5 Arkansas to Arkansas after the Razorbacks hit a walk-off home to win in extra inning. However, A&M reeled off four straight wins after that to reach the championship, including serving Arkansas some revenge with a 5-4 win in the semifinals.
No. 4 seed Vanderbilt also reached the tournament title. The Commodores delivered a pair of dominant wins against Alabama and Florida to reach the championship.
The official attendance for Sunday’s championship between Texas A&M and Vanderbilt has yet to be announced. The current attendance record for an SEC Baseball Tournament is 16,165 set in 1999 for a game between Alabama and Arkansas.
The Commodores defeated the Aggies 10-4 to claim their fourth SEC Tournament title in program history.
Vanderbilt defeats Texas A&M in SEC Baseball Tournament Championship
Vanderbilt started the eighth inning with a narrow one-point lead over A&M. But the Commodores’ bats got hot at just the right time, as a five-run scoring surge in the bottom of the eighth helped extend their lead and propel them to victory.
Vanderbilt closer Nick Maldonado was tasked with protecting the team’s big lead in the ninth inning and did just that, forcing a ground ball that shortstop Jonathan Vastine turned into a game-winning double play that led to a legendary, celebratory dog pile in Hoover Met Stadium.
Vandy’s offense was strong throughout the entire tournament, collecting an impressive 15 hits on Sunday along with five walks. The hit party matched a new SEC Tournament record, as the Commodores logged 10-plus hits in four straight SEC Tournament games on the way to their title win. Their 10-run performance followed their 11-run game versus Florida in the semifinals and marked the 18th double-digit scoring showing of the season (which all resulted in wins).
Freshman second baseman RJ Austin took home the SEC Tournament’s Most Valuable Player Award for his impressive showing in Hoover. Austin ended the week with seven hits and five RBIs, recording two singles, two runs, and two base on balls in the championship game.
Later in the day, the Commodores became one of eight SEC teams to be named a Regional host for the NCAA Baseball Tournament. Regional play is set to begin Friday, and the rest of the 64-team field for the tournament will be announced at noon ET on Monday.
On3’s Kaiden Smith contributed to this report.