Arkansas loses rubber match, series in 5-0 shutout to Alabama
The No. 1 Arkansas Razorbacks (30-5, 12-3 SEC) suffered their first series loss of the season after getting shutout Saturday with a 5-0 loss to the No. 25 Alabama Crimson Tide (24-12, 6-9 SEC) at Sewell-Thomas Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Alabama first took the lead in the third thanks to three singles before it scored two runs in each of the seventh and eighth innings to put the final dagger in the Razorbacks. Crimson Tide lefty Zane Adams was dominant, as he tossed eight innings of shutout ball with five strikeouts, one walk and only four hits.
Only two Arkansas batters reached base via a basehit in Jared Sprague-Lott and Ben McLaughlin, who each got two hits against Alabama. Aloy was the only other Hog to get on the basepaths with two walks. As a whole, the Razorbacks finished 4-of-31 at the plate (.129) with six strikeouts.
Junior right-hander Brady Tygart gave up just one earned run during Sunday's contest, but he was not his best self as he struck out three, walked two and gave up five hits in five innings of work.
Alabama LHP Zane Adams got off to a terrific start in the first, as he set down the Razorbacks 1-2-3 with two strikeouts over Peyton Stovall and Jared Sprague-Lott. Brady Tygart led off the bottom of the first with a walk, but an excellent defensive play from Peyton Holt in left field led to a double play. Tygart finished things off with a lineout to escape the inning.
First baseman Ben McLaughlin singled to right center to start the second, but a flyout, groundout and great sliding catch by Alabama center fielder TJ McCants to rob Holt of a basehit ended the frame. Tygart walked another leadoff man in the bottom of the second, but a double play and a flyout got the Hogs out of the second.
The Razorbacks' offense continued to struggle in the third, as Ryder Helfrick grounded out and Ty Wilmsmeyer struck out looking before Kendall Diggs reached base on a throwing error. Stovall grounded out to second base to end the threat.
Arkansas entered the danger zone in the bottom half of the third after getting the first out via foulout. Two straight singles by Mac Guscette and Bryce Eblin put the pressure on Tygart, who struck out Gage Miller before giving up another single to right field to give Alabama a 1-0 lead.
Sprague-Lott made up for his first-inning strikeout with a leadoff single in the fourth, but he was wiped off the base paths following a groundout double-play by McLaughlin. Wehiwa Aloy walked but Nolan Souza grounded out to first base unassisted to leave Arkansas stranded.
On-base trends continued for Alabama in the bottom of the fourth, as a leadoff groundout was followed up with back-to-back singles. Tygart battled back with a strikeout on a nasty breaking ball and a lineout to escape unscathed yet again.
Speaking of trends, the Arkansas offense continued to scuddle with two first-pitch outs and a groundout in the fifth. Despite not being on the top of his game, Tygart worked through the bottom half of the inning with a strikeout to wipe off a hit-by-pitch.
Faced with the top of Arkansas' lineup, Adams got two quick outs before Sprague-Lott gave the Hogs live with a double to left center. McLaughlin backed him up with a single through the left side of the infield before Aloy flew out to center field.
RHP Koty Frank relieved Tygart in the bottom of the sixth and tossed a smooth 1-2-3 frame for the Razorbacks. Unfortunately for Arkansas, the Hogs looked baffled at the dish again with three easy outs in the seventh.
Frank came back out for the bottom of the seventh, but things didn't go as well this time around. A hit-by-pitch started things off and nine-hole hitter Bryce Eblin took advantage of it with a two-run bomb to right field to give Alabama a 3-0 lead. A Miller left field double forced a pitching change for the Hogs, who turned to RHP Will McEntire.
McEntire allowed a double to right field, but closed things out with a strikeout and pop up to end the threat. Will Edmunson came out of the dugout to pinch hit for Wilsmeyer, but he quickly grounded out for the first out of the eighth. Diggs followed suit with a strikeout and Stovall flew out to left field to end the frame.
If Arkansas was going to have a chance, it had to hold the Crimson Tide scoreless in the bottom of the eight. A leadoff double and bunt single gave Alabama momentum, and it struck gold with a sac-fly RBI and another run off a throwing error to give itself a 5-0 lead.
With its last chance up to the plate, Arkansas bowed out with a whimper following two groundouts, a walk and a strikeout to end the game and the series.
Up next, the Razorbacks and will come back home to Baum-Walker Stadium for a two-game midweek set against Texas Tech that starts on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. CT and will broadcast on ESPN2.
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