FAYETTEVILLE — The No. 8 Arkansas Razorbacks evened the series with the No. 17 Tennessee Volunteers with an 8-6 win on Friday night at Baum-Walker Stadium.
Right-hander Aiden Jimenez took the mound for his first start of the season and lasted just 2.1 innings. He allowed three hits, gave up four runs and struck out three batters while he walked just one.
After he came out, freshman lefty Cole Gibler took the mound and put in a solid day's work at the office. He went 3.1 innings and struck out three while giving up just three hits and no runs. He worked his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the third inning and settled in nicely afterward.
After Thursday night's loss, Arkansas right fielder Logan Maxwell was asked what the mindset of the team was going up against Liam Doyle, who may end up being the SEC Pitcher of the Year.
"The mindset is still he has to face us, we don’t have to face him," Maxwell said. "So he’s kind of got to go through us."
That mindset seemed to work, too. The Hogs tagged Doyle for eight total runs, six of which were earned, the most he'd allowed all season. Dating back to his time at Ole Miss, the Razorbacks have scored 11 earned runs and 13 total runs off him.
Still, Doyle's swing-and-miss stuff was on full display as he fanned 10 Razorback batters across 4.2 innings of work.
Offense was aplenty on Friday night, as the Hogs and Volunteers combined for 14 total runs and 27 total hits in the game. Arkansas struck out 14 times compared to just six for Tennessee, but also hit three home runs compared just one for the Vols.
RECAP
First Inning:
Jimenez took the mound in the top of the first and worked around a single to get out unscathed, and two of the three outs were bounced right back to him. In the bottom of the frame, Charles Davalan and Logan Maxwell both got on and the Hogs had runners at the corners, but Kuhio Aloy and Ryder Helfrick went down on three pitches each to strand the runners.
Second Inning:
Tennessee got its first run of the game in the second inning. Jimenez gave up a leadoff double and induced two groundouts — both at Cam Kozeal, who made really nice plays both times — but Cannon Peebles pushed a single through the left side of the infield to bring Dean Curley home.
Jimenez allowed another single to the left side, which prompted a mound visit by pitching coach Matt Hobbs, but a foulout ended the inning with no further damage.
The Volunteers' lead wouldn't last long, though. After a single by Kozeal, Brent Iredale hit a two-run home run to the Hog Pen that went 427 feet to give the Razorbacks a 2-1 lead. Wehiwa Aloy tacked on another run on a groundout to give the Hogs a 3-1 lead headed into the third inning.
Third Inning:
Jimenez once again allowed a leadoff double, and Dalton Bargo hit another double after that to give the Vols their second run of the game and cut Arkansas' lead to 3-2. An infield single by Curley put runners on the corners, and that was the end of the road for Jimenez as Cole Gibler came on in relief.
Gibler struck out the first batter and walked the second to load the bases before a single to center field scored two more Volunteer runs to give Tennessee a 4-3 lead. He induced a groundout to get out of the inning without allowing any more runs, though.
The Hogs struck back quick, though. After Kuhio Aloy was hit by a pitch, Helfrick deposited a home run in the Hog Pen to put the Razorbacks back on top 5-4. They got two more runners on, but Davalan struck out looking to end the frame.
Fourth Inning:
Brent Iredale dominated the top of the fourth inning. After Gibler struck out the first batter, Iredale made a spectacular play in foul ground. He crashed into the wall and hit his head, which prompted a visit from the trainers, but he got up, returned to the field and made the inning-ending throw from third base.
Arkansas added another run thanks to a solo home run from Logan Maxwell, but that was all it could muster before the end of the frame.
Fifth Inning:
Gibler went back out to the mound for the fifth inning and, outside of an infield single, sat down the Volunteers' hitters in order.
The Hogs finally chased Doyle in the fifth inning. After a walk by Iredale, Thomas hit a ball to the shortstop, who committed a throwing error. That error allowed Iredale to score all the way from first and Thomas was able to advance to third. Davalan hit a single to right field that brought Thomas home. After the pitching change, Davalan was caught stealing, ending the inning.
Sixth Inning:
Gibler's night ended in the sixth. He retired the first two batters he faced, but allowed a two-out single and Van Horn turned to Parker Coil, who made his second appearance in as many weeks after he sustained a back injury in March. He allowed a double but induced a flyout afterward to get out of the inning.
It was nothing doing for the Hogs in the bottom of the frame, as Breedlove struck out two of the batters. Wehiwa Aloy had a hard-hit line drive, but it was right at Tennessee left fielder Dalton Bargo.
Seventh Inning:
Parker Coil started the seventh inning and looked like he was about to get out of the inning after he struck out the first two batters, but he allowed a leadoff double and a home run with two outs to cut Arkansas' lead to 8-6. He got out of the inning with a groundout to Wehiwa Aloy.
Unfortunately, the Razorbacks couldn't get anything going in the bottom of the frame outside of a single by Kozeal. Iredale struck out and Robinett grounded into a double play that was reviewed and upheld.
Eighth Inning:
Christian Foutch took over for Parker Coil in the eighth inning. He plunked the first batter he saw with a 98 mph fastball and allowed a one-out single that put Tennessee runners on the corners, but induced a double play to get out of the inning without allowing any runs.
Tanner Franklin entered the game in the eighth inning for Tennessee, his second appearance in as many days. The Hogs got some action on the bases thanks to a Davalan walk and a single for Wehiwa Aloy, but Maxwell flied out to center field and Kuhio Aloy struck out to end the frame with no runs.
Ninth Inning:
Foutch came back out to close out the game in the ninth inning, and it's worth noting Kendall Diggs entered the game in right field for Maxwell. The right-handed flamethrower got the first out on a groundout to first, walked the next batter, struck out Chapman looking and Thomas made a nice sliding catch out in center field to close out the frame and win the game.
