Arkansas fell 5-2 to Ole Miss in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament after surrendering all five runs to the Rebels in the first inning. The Razorbacks will return to Fayetteville and await the regional announcement on Selection Sunday.
Game Summary
Ole Miss jumped out to a fast start, scoring five runs in the opening frame. The Rebels capitalized on a walk, an error and timely hitting, including an RBI single from Judd Utermark and a three-run homer by catcher Andrew Fawley. Arkansas starter Zach Root struggled early before being relieved in the fifth inning by Gabe Gaeckle. The Razorbacks responded in the first and second innings with solo runs, including an inside-the-park home run from Cam Kozeal, but trailed 5-2 after two innings.
From the third through eighth innings, both teams went scoreless as pitching and defense tightened. Arkansas had a promising opportunity in the sixth inning, loading the bases with two outs, but couldn’t capitalize. The Hogs had another scoring chance in the seventh with runners on second and third, but again came up empty. Ole Miss starter Riley Maddox pitched into the sixth inning, allowing two runs, on three hits and was backed by solid bullpen work.
In the ninth, Arkansas went down in order to seal the 5-2 loss. The Razorbacks were eliminated, while the Rebels advanced in the tournament.
Who Stood Out for Arkansas
The Arkansas bullpen shut down Ole Miss after the first inning. Root, who was named to the All-SEC First Team, didn’t have the start many expected but allowed just one earned run, with the other four unearned. Gaeckle pitched three strong innings in relief, allowing only two hits and no runs to the 11 batters he faced. Cole Gibler and Christian Foutch closed out the final two innings, giving up just one combined hit.
Looking Ahead for Arkansas
The Hogs will return to Fayetteville and await their postseason path, which will be revealed on Selection Sunday.