University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
Arkansas
Vols Drop 4-1 Decision To Arkansas
May 01, 2004 | Baseball
May 1, 2004
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Charley Boyce tossed a complete game three-hitter to lead Arkansas to a 4-1 victory over Tennessee in front of 1,677 here Saturday. The teams have split the first two games of this Southeastern Conference series.
A sophomore righty from Broken Arrow, Okla., Boyce equaled his career high with eight strikeouts and walked just one. His complete game was the first for Arkansas since Jarrett Gardner turned the trick May 19, 2002, against Auburn.
"He was phenomenal," UT head coach Rod Delmonico said. "Boyce pitched very well tonight. He's got a great sinker with great location and he was on tonight. Our righties had a tough time hitting because he'd run it in on them or throw it away.
"It's been two well-pitched games on each side the first two nights."
Boyce, 6-1, retired 12 in a row over one stretch covering the second through sixth innings. The only Tennessee runner to reach as far as third base was Brian Cleveland, who scored the Vols' only run in the second on Eric King's RBI-double.
Sean Watson took the loss for UT, falling to 4-3. Watson allowed three earned runs on five hits over six innings.
After rain delayed Saturday's start for 2 hours and 1 minute, Arkansas struck first by tallying a pair of runs in the opening frame. Jake Dugger singled on the inning's first pitch and eventually scored on a Scott Hode groundout. Haas Pratt followed with a two-out RBI-single for a 2-0 Arkansas advantage.
The teams then traded single runs in the second. King had his two-out RBI-double for the Vols before Arkansas made the most of a pair of two-out walks to set the table for Danny Hamblin's RBI-hit.
Watson fought his control throughout the game, walking seven batters including three in his sixth and final inning. But he also fanned three that frame, including Hamblin with the bases loaded to end a huge threat and keep the Vols within two runs.
The Hogs added an insurance tally in the seventh on Scott Bridges' sacrifice fly to center. UT reliever Joey Andrews held the lead at 4-1, however, by retiring five of the seven batters he faced over the last two innings.
Arkansas maintained its two-game lead in the SEC Western Division, improving to 31-14 overall and 14-6 in league play. The Vols dropped into a tie with Georgia for second in the East, falling to 33-12 and 11-9.
Other scores from Saturday's SEC play: Florida 11, Auburn 8; Alabama 8, LSU 2; Mississippi 6, South Carolina 1; Georgia 7, Kentucky 2; and Vanderbilt 5, Mississippi State 1. Florida, Georgia and Vanderbilt all lead their series by a 2-0 count, with Ole Miss and South Carolina splitting the first two games of their series. Alabama and LSU are playing a doubleheader Sunday.
Luke Hochevar (2-1, 4.26) pitches for Tennessee in Sunday's rubber game, scheduled for a 12:30 p.m. Central time start. The Razorbacks counter with Jay Sawatski (6-2, 4.97).
