Tennessee coach Tony Vitello talked with the media after losing in the SEC Tournament championship game to Arkansas, 7-2.
Hogs down Tennessee for first SEC Tournament title
Now Dave Van Horn can focus on what has been the primary goal for Arkansas all season and that’s the first national championship in history.
The Razorbacks picked up their first SEC Tournament title with a 7-2 win over Tennessee on Sunday afternoon that followed a customary pattern.
Jaxon Wiggins started on the mound and survived 3.2 innings, then the Hogs’ bats got going, Kevin Kopps came into the game in the seventh and it was over.
Wiggins scattered four hits and Tennessee got a run across in the first inning when Drew Gilbert singled through the right side of the infield to score Jake Rucker and have a 1-0 lead that held up until the fifth.
A pair of RBI singles from Jalen Battles and Zack Gregory combined with a sacrifice fly from Matt Goodheart gave the Hogs a 3-1 lead but they weren’t done.
Battles homered in the seventh and in the eighth, Robert Moore delivered an RBI single that was followed by Cullen Smith’s two-run homer.
With Kopps already on the mound that was more than the usual cushion he deals with coming into games.
Noland on coming in, shutting down Ole Miss over final three innings
After a year of struggles for Connor Noland, he came on in relief Saturday against the Rebels and didn’t give up a hit, striking out four.
Van Horn after Hogs down Ole Miss to meet Vols, which isn’t surprising
Dave Van Horn said after Saturday’s 4-3 over the Rebels he isn’t surprised to be playing Tennessee after they won the East regular-season title.
Opitz on Hogs’ pitchers in win over Rebels to advance to SEC final
Arkansas catcher Casey Opitz felt the pitchers all had pretty good days in holding Ole Miss off in 4-3 win to set up title game with Vols.
Emotional Deifel after Hogs knocked out of tournament in loss to ’Cats
The Hogs dropped a 4-1 game to Arizona on Saturday and Courtney Deifel was emotional at times talking about what this team accomplished.
Gibson after Hogs play better, but still can’t get past Wildcats
Arkansas dropped the second game in the Super Regional on Saturday and redshirt junior Danielle Gibson talked about the emotions.
Deifel says Hogs didn’t play their best in dropping first game to Arizona
Arkansas coach Courtney Deifel said after the 10-4 loss to the Wildcats said later, “I don’t think we gave them our best today.”
Burnside recapping Arkansas’ 10-4 loss in first game of Super Regional
Razorbacks outfielder Braxton Burnside said they have to bounce back, “stay within ourselves” in Saturday matchup with Wildcats.
Wildcats start fast, Hogs can’t catch up in Super Regional opener
Arizona scored first and never trailed as it downed No. 6 Arkansas, 10-4, in game one of the NCAA Tournament Super Regional at Bogle Park in Fayetteville on Friday evening.
The Razorbacks (43-10) and Wildcats (40-13) came in as two of the nation’s top home run hitting clubs and combined to score 11 of 14 total runs via the longball.
How it happened
Arizona wasted no time and took a 2-0 lead before Arkansas came to the plate.
Outfielder Janelle Meono led off the game singling to center, and catcher Dejah Mulipola drove her in by hitting her 20th home run of the season to left field.
A leadoff error to start the third set up the Wildcats 3-0 lead. With two outs and runners on first and second, designated player Sharlize Palacios singled to left, plating Meono.
Outfielder Hannah McEwen slugged Arkansas’ first hit of the night over the right field wall, bringing the Razorbacks within two in the fourth frame. Arizona got its run back plus one more in the fifth on Palacios’ 18th home run of the year to dead centerfield.
The Wildcats added to their lead with a two-run double by infielder Malia Martinez and a two-run home run from infielder Jesse Harper.
Mulipola added her second homer of the night, a solo shot in the sixth.
The Razorbacks had three home runs of their own on the night as outfielder Aly Manzo launched her first of the year in the fifth and infielder Hannah Gammill went yard for the ninth time.
Gammill’s two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth prevented Arkansas from being run-ruled.
Pitcher Mary Haff (26-7) worked 4.1 innings allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits and two walks with three strikeouts.
Relievers Jenna Bloom surrendered five runs in 0.2 innings, while Allie Light worked 2.0 scoreless frames out of the pen, recording two strikeouts.
Hanah Bowen (10-3) went the distance for Arizona, yielding four runs on four hits and a walk while fanning eight.
Arizona outhit Arkansas, 12-4, and totaled four home runs. All four of Arkansas’ hit went for extra bases, which included Braxton Burnside’s double in the fourth inning.
Up next
Arkansas is in a must-win situation for game two of the best of three Super Regional, with first pitch set for 4 p.m. Saturday on ESPN2.
Former Razorback Shaddy on Kopps stepping into leadership role
Carson Shaddy has seen former pitchers like Blaine Knight and Isaiah Campbell turn into leaders and he’s seeing the same thing with Kevin Kopps.
