Vols fall to Arkansas in SEC championship game
The story of the Southeastern Conference Championship game was a familiar one for Tennessee as it tangled with Arkansas for the fourth time in 2021.
The top-seeded Razorbacks toppled the Volunteers, 7-2, Sunday afternoon to claim the conference title at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama.
It was Arkansas’ third victory in four games over Tennessee. The Vols had leads in all four games between the SEC’s top two teams.
UT (45-16) darted out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Drew Gilbert came up with an RBI single that brought home Jake Rucker with the game’s first run.
Tennessee held the upper hand against the Razorbacks (46-10) until the top of the fifth when Arkansas plated three runs, and it was the walks that spelled defeat for the Vols on this day.
Vols’ pitchers walked two Arkansas hitters in the fifth and three in the game. Tennessee also hit a pair of Razorbacks in the game.
Arkansas added a run in the seventh to make it 4-2 before scoring three more in the eighth.
The Vols pulled to within 4-2 in the bottom of the seventh when designated hitter Pete Derkay hit a solo home run.
Tennessee outhit the Razorbacks, 9-8, in the contest.
Rucker and Gilbert each went 2-for-4 in the game. Rucker doubled and scored, while Gilbert had an RBI.
Tennessee will host a regional in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.
The Vols will learn its opponent Monday when the NCAA unveils a 64-team field on at noon EDT.
The selection show will be televised on ESPN2.
