KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Razorbacks run Rocky Top.
No. 1 Arkansas took full control of the SEC with a 3-2 victory against No. 4 Tennessee on Sunday afternoon at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. The Hogs, now 39-10 overall and 19-8 in SEC play, have won all nine of their conference series this season and own a two-game lead over second-place Mississippi State in the Western Division.
Starter Lael Lockhart gave Arkansas exactly what it needed, striking out seven in 4 1/3 innings of one-run ball. He turned the ballgame over to the pen, which combined to throw the final 4 2/3 innings.
Kevin Kopps did most of the heavy lifting, striking out four in 3 2/3 innings to lock down the Hogs’ win and improve his record to 9-0 on the year. The nation’s most dominant earned his second win of the series, finishing the weekend with six strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings while allowing only one run on three hits and a walk.
Robert Moore delivered at the plate with two runs batted in, including the game-winning RBI single in the top of the ninth. Zack Gregory also came up big with an RBI double in the top of the eighth, breaking a 1-1 deadlock to give the Razorbacks their first lead of the day.
Arkansas now returns home for the final series of the regular season. The Razorbacks host Florida at Baum-Walker Stadium, getting the three-game set underway at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 20, on the SEC Network.
Hog Highlights
- Arkansas is only the third SEC team to win its first nine series in a season, joining Vanderbilt (2013) and Florida (2018). Vanderbilt is only SEC team in history to win all of their conference series in a season (2013).
- Dave Van Horn moved into fifth place for most victories (739) by an SEC baseball coach with Sunday’s win, passing former South Carolina coach Ray Tanner (738).
- Arkansas now sits alone atop the SEC standings following Sunday’s win. The Razorbacks have a two-game lead over Mississippi State in the SEC West and will claim at least a share of the division title with one win during the upcoming three-game home series against Florida.
- With Sunday’s win, the Hogs finish the regular season with a 13-5 record on the road. Arkansas went 16-5 in all contests away from Baum-Walker Stadium, including the season-opening trip to the State Farm College Baseball Showdown at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.