University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
Arkansas
Vols Fall in Series Opener to Razorbacks, 9-3
April 24, 2009 | Baseball
April 24, 2009
Despite five extra-base hits, including a home run by shortstop Zach Osborne, Tennessee fell 9-3 to Arkansas on Friday night at Robert M. Lindsay Field at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Tennessee (19-24, 5-14 SEC) tallied single runs in the fourth, sixth and seventh but left 10 runners on base despite collecting nine hits. Osborne, Kentrail Davis and Cody Brown each had two hits.
"We just did not come out and throw strikes," UT assistant coach Brad LeCroy said. "Anytime you walk three guys on 15 pitches you are going to get hurt, especially when you are facing the middle of the order. We just did not have focus tonight on the mound and gave up way too many free passes; it ends up hurting you."
Arkansas (28-11, 12-6) took advantage of 10 walks issued by four Volunteer pitchers despite committing three errors.
Volunteer starter Ty'Relle Harris (4-3) allowed four runs on three hits through one inning of work. The senior walked three and struck out one.
Left-hander Dallas Keuchel (6-1) went six innings in his 10th start of the season for the Razorbacks. Keuchel limited the Vols to two runs on six hits while walking two and striking out five. Reliever Justin Wells picked up his third save of the year, working the final three innings of the game.
Arkansas took an early 3-0 lead on a bases-clearing double off the bat of designated hitter Jacob House in the top of the first inning. The Razorbacks added single runs in the second and third to take a 5-0 lead. Third baseman Zack Cox homered in the second.
Tennessee scored its first run of the game in the bottom of the fourth on back-to-back doubles by Blake Forsythe and Cody Hawn. Hawn drove in Forsythe for his 60th RBI of the season.
A three-run fifth increased Arkansas' lead to 8-1. An RBI single off the bat of catcher Ryan Cisterna pushed the first run across and right fielder Chase Leavitt capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly.
Brown's run-scoring single in the bottom of the sixth sent home P.J. Polk to make the score 8-2. Polk reached on a double down the left-field line.
Tennessee cut Arkansas' lead to 8-3 in the bottom of the seventh on Osborne's second home run of the season, a solo shot, down the left-field line.
Arkansas tallied a run in the seventh on House's second run-scoring double of the game to make the score 9-3.
Steven Gruver was the first option out of the bullpen for UT. Gruver surrendered four runs (three earned) on four hits in four innings. He allowed three walks and struck out five. Adam Adkins and Stephen McCray worked the final four innings.
Tennessee head coach Todd Raleigh served a one-game suspension in accordance with the SEC Baseball Ejection Policy.
The two teams return to the diamond at 4 p.m. Saturday when left-hander Nick Hernandez (2-4, 5.53 ERA) takes the mound for UT against right-hander Brett Eibner (4-2, 2.60 ERA) for Arkansas.
