Life for a rebuilding program in the Southeastern Conference is tough.

That is no different for this Tennessee baseball team, who after starting the year 17-1 have dropped four of their first six conference games.

Despite that, Tennessee is still right in the hunt for a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Something this program hasn’t achieved since 2005.

Seven of Tennessee’s 10 conference opponents were ranked in this week’s USA Today Coaches Poll, and one of the three who wasn’t is South Carolina, who was ranked No. 24 when the Vols took 2-of-3 against them last weekend.

So yeah, life in the SEC is tough, and the Vols are about to face a gauntlet.

The next three weekend’s will see Tennessee travel to Nashville to take on No. 5 Vanderbilt, then host No. 2 Mississippi State and No. 6 Georgia.

“We just have to play our game,” Tennessee left fielder Evan Russell said. “We all believe that our best beats their best, and we’re going to believe that every inning, every pitch, and if we come out and play our game only good things will happen.”

Tennessee’s game is pitching and defense. Tennessee leads the nation in both team ERA and WHIP. Low scoring wins is Tennessee’s bread and butter, but what they see in the next three weeks could take them out of those games.

Mississippi State ranks first in the conference in batting average, while the Commodores are second, and Georgia is fourth. This stretch will test the Vols' pitching to the limit and while I dont expect them to fold, they will likely get taken out of “their game” a couple times.

Tennessee needs to find enough offensive production in this stretch to pick up a couple wins and stay in the NCAA Tournament hunt.

It won’t look flashy, but for the Vols, avoiding sweeps will be the most important thing.

That’s something that they failed to do in their conference opening series against Auburn. That series was one that came down to just a handful of at-bats that lead to Auburn winning two games that the Vols very much could've won. It was often self-inflicted wounds in that series. Tennessee didn’t get away with it that weekend and they won’t the next three weeks.

If Tennessee can pick up a series win in this stretch it would be absolutely massive. Besides just the repercussions of a SEC series win, it would be a great building block and good sign for Vitello’s rebuild.

If Tennessee can survive this stretch things get much easier for the Vols in the back half of conference play. Series against Kentucky and Missouri are ones Tennessee should win, and Florida and Ole Miss don’t look invincible.

In fact, after four of their first five series being against teams ranked higher than them, just two of the last five are against teams ranked higher than Tennessee, currently ranked No. 23

For now, Tennessee’s focus is on Vanderbilt, who despite being one of the nation’s best programs is just 4-4 against Tennessee in the past three seasons.

The Vols are still confident and see this weekend as an opportunity.

“It’s an in-state rivalry,” Russell said. “Somebody’s gotta win this state, and I feel like we got the best chance with the name ‘Tennessee’ on our chest. We know Vandy’s good. We know Vandy’s one of the to dogs in the country, but I don’t think we’re scared of anybody.”

It certainly won’t be their goal or mindset, but if Tennessee can survive these next three weeks by just picking up a win a weekend it would be a success.

If they can be sitting at 5-10 in SEC play on April 14th, the Vols will be right where they need to be to make a late season push into the SEC Tournament and beyond.