The Diamond Hogs will host Tennessee to close out the regular season at Baum-Walker Stadium from May 15-17. Arkansas dropped its series last weekend at LSU but salvaged the finale with a 7-4 win. Tennessee also lost its most recent SEC series but bounced back with a 9-4 midweek win over Belmont.
Previewing the Volunteers
The defending national champion Volunteers enter the series with a 40-13 overall record and a 16-11 mark in SEC play, placing them seventh in the conference. Tennessee ranks second in the league in both team batting average .305 and home runs 114. Seven Vols have hit 10 or more home runs this season, led by Andrew Fischer with 21. Hunter Ensley leads the team with a .368 batting average, 59 RBI and 70 hits.
On the mound, Tennessee boasts the SEC’s second-best team ERA at 3.61 over 53 games. The staff has allowed just 180 earned runs in 448 1/3 innings. Marcus Phillips is set to start Game 1. He has a 3.55 ERA with 77 strikeouts, 52 hits and 25 earned runs in 63 1/3 innings. Liam Doyle will get the nod in Game 2, entering the series with a 2.17 ERA, 127 strikeouts, and just 18 earned runs over 74 2/3 innings. In Game 3, the Vols will turn to Tegan Kuhns, who has a 3.78 ERA with 36 strikeouts and 35 hits allowed in 33 1/3 innings.
Previewing the Hogs
Arkansas enters the series second in the SEC standings at 18-9, with a 41-11 overall record. The Hogs lead the conference in team batting average .315 and rank third in home runs with 104. Wehiwa Aloy continues his standout season, leading the SEC with 78 hits. Teammate Charles Davalan ranks second in the league with 76. Aloy also leads the team in batting average .364, home runs 17 and runs scored 68.
On the pitching side, Arkansas owns the SEC’s fifth-best team ERA at 3.96, allowing 194 earned runs in 441 innings. Zach Root will start Game 1 for the Hogs, entering with a 3.88 ERA, a team-leading 98 strikeouts, and just 31 earned runs allowed in 72 innings. The Game 2 starter will be announced prior to first pitch. Gage Wood is slated to start Game 3. He has a 5.51 ERA with 30 strikeouts, 14 hits allowed, and 10 earned runs in 16 1/3 innings after missing time due to injury earlier in the season.
Broadcast Information
Game 1: May 15, 7 p.m. CDT (ESPN2)
Game 2: May 16, 6:30 p.m. CDT (SEC Network+)
Game 3: May 17, 2 p.m. CDT (SEC Network)