Tennessee had its ninth-inning rally snuffed out by one of the top pitchers in the Southeastern Conference Sunday afternoon.
No. 5 Tennessee had a chance to win its second consecutive game against top-ranked Arkansas, but the Razorbacks would hang on to claim a 3-2 victory and capture the three-game series. Sunday’s contest fielded the top two SEC teams on a cloudy day at Lindsey Nelson Stadium before a crowd of 3,575.
Tennessee entered the bottom of the ninth inning facing a 3-1 deficit and up against Arkansas reliever Kevin Kopps, a candidate for SEC Pitcher of the Year.
Tennessee first baseman Luc Lipcius, who had been in a slump before getting two hits against the Razorbacks (39-10, 19-8 SEC), doubled to get things started.
He came home with the game’s final run when Connor Pavolony singled before Kopps (9-0) averted further damage.
For the third consecutive day, the Vols (39-13, 18-9 SEC) scored first as they took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth on Max Ferguson’s RBI groundout that plated Pete Derkay.
The Razorbacks pulled even in the top of the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Robert Moore that brought home Brady Slavens.
Arkansas took a 2-1 lead on a RBI double by Zack Gregory. Arkansas extended its advantage to 3-1 in the ninth.
On the mound, UT’s Blade Tidwell (6-3) went seven solid innings, allowing two runs, two hits and four walks. He struck out eight.
Sean Hunley threw 1.1 innings and yielded a run and two hits before Redmond Walsh retired the final two hitters in the top of the ninth.
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