Hogs Outpaced by Vols in Series Opener
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Despite a 15-hit outburst, No. 8 Arkansas (41-12, 18-10 SEC) could not keep pace with No. 17 Tennessee (41-13, 16-12 SEC) and was handed a 10-7 loss in the series opener Thursday night at Baum-Walker Stadium.
The Razorbacks fell three games back of first-place Texas but remain in second in the SEC standings with two conference contests left. Arkansas will hand the ball to right-hander Aiden Jimenez, making his first start of the season, tomorrow as it looks to even the series against Tennessee at one game apiece, with first pitch set for 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network+.
Led by Logan Maxwell’s three-hit night, five Razorbacks logged multi-hit games in the series opener. Maxwell, who finished 3-for-4 with an RBI, matched his season high with three hits, while Charles Davalan (2-for-6, 2B, 2 RBI), Kuhio Aloy (2-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI), Reese Robinett (2-for-3, 2 RBI) and Justin Thomas Jr. (2-for-5, RBI) each collected multiple hits.
Arkansas tagged Tennessee starter Marcus Phillips for three runs on seven hits and three walks in 4.1 innings, jumping out to a 2-1 lead through three. The Volunteers, however, punched back against Razorback starter Zach Root, scoring four runs on seven hits and two walks in 3.2 innings against the lefty, who struck out four, to take a 4-2 lead after four.
Kuhio Aloy’s RBI double in the bottom of the fifth cut Arkansas’ deficit to one, but Tennessee would create more separation in the seventh with its second of three three-run innings on the night. Gabe Gaeckle, who took over in relief of Root, tossed 2.2 scoreless innings before the Volunteers broke through for three runs on two homers in the seventh.
Trailing 7-3 in the bottom half of the eighth inning, the Razorbacks strung together a three-run rally powered by Wehiwa Aloy’s two-run single and Kuhio Aloy’s run-scoring fielder’s choice. Wehiwa Aloy moved his season slash line to a team-leading .361/.445/.676, while Kuhio Aloy, his younger brother, increased his team-leading RBI total to 68 in the loss.
Tennessee delivered the knockout blow in the top of the ninth inning, responding to Arkansas’ three-run rally with three more runs of its own to put the game away. Thomas Jr. would drive in Robinett with a two-out single in the bottom of the ninth to cut the Razorbacks’ deficit back to three, but Volunteer relief pitcher Nate Snead, who allowed four runs on six hits in his two innings of work, would withstand the damage and close out Tennessee’s 10-7 series-opening win.
Arkansas left 11 runners on base and finished 3-for-14 (.214) with runners in scoring position in Thursday night’s loss.
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