FAYETTEVILLE — It's been two weeks since Arkansas' baseball team led in an SEC game.
The Razorbacks fell behind again Thursday night when No. 2 Florida held on to beat them 12-8 at Baum Stadium before an announced crowd of 5,082.
Arkansas (21-13, 4-9 SEC) lost its sixth consecutive conference game and as it did in the previous five — two at home against Missouri and three at Ole Miss — never was ahead.
The Razorbacks' last led in an SEC game when they beat Missouri 7-6 on April 1.
Florida (31-5, 9-4) scored six runs in the fourth inning off Dominic Taccolini (3-2) and Josh Alberius to take a 6-0 lead.
Today’s game
ARKANSAS VS. NO. 2 FLORIDA
WHEN 6:30 p.m.
WHERE Baum Stadium, Fayetteville.
RECORDS Arkansas 21-13, 4-9 SEC. Florida 31-5, 9-4
RADIO Razorback Sports Network. Not all games will be carried by affiliates. Check local listings.
TELEVISION None
INTERNET SEC Network-plus
PITCHING MATCHUP Florida: RHP Logan Short (6-0, 2.66 ERA). Arkansas: RHP Keaton McKinnney (1-1, 6.25 ERA).
THE WEEK AHEAD
TODAY vs. Florida * , 6:30 p.m.
SATURDAY vs. Florida * , 2 p.m.
SUNDAY Off
MONDAY Off
TUESDAY vs. Creighton 6 p.m.
WEDNESDAY Off
THURSDAY at Kentucky * , 6 p.m.
*SEC games
During the Razorbacks' SEC losing streak, they've been outscored 31-1 through the first four innings.
"After four, it's been a fight," Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said. "It's probably the roughest stretch that I've ever been associated with as a coach as far as starting pitching.
"We're behind four, five and six runs pretty quick. The team, they just keep fighting, but it's tough playing uphill all the time."
Taccolini, a junior right-hander, was back in the SEC rotation after coming out of the bullpen last weekend.
After Taccolini held Florida hitless through the first three innings, the Gators loaded the bases against him when Deacon Liput led off the fourth with a single and Buddy Reed and JJ Swartz walked.
Van Horn replaced Taccolini with Alberius, who came into the game with a 0.78 ERA in 23 innings.
Peter Alonso greeted Alberius with a two-run single and Jonathan India, Mike Rivera and Nelson Maldonado had doubles to score four more runs.
"Alberius, who really has been incredible for us all spring, couldn't locate his pitches, which was very uncharacteristic of him," Van Horn said. "That ended up being the ballgame right there."
Florida's lead grew to 11-2 before Arkansas scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning — including a three-run home run by backup catcher Greg Koch — to pull within 11-7.
Chad Spanberger hit a home run in the ninth inning off Florida closer Shaun Anderson, who finished the game after getting the last out in the eighth.
"We did chip away and finally got their closer in the game," Van Horn said. "That was about the only plus of the game to be honest with you.
"He only threw 17 pitches, but he had to get four outs and he had to get loose."
In Taccolini's four SEC starts he has allowed 15 earned runs and 23 hits in 12 innings. He's combined to go six innings his last three starts against Auburn, Missouri and Florida. He did go 3 2/3 innings in relief at Ole Miss.
"That's what's been going on," Van Horn said of Taccolini's fourth-inning struggles Thursday night. "He'll look great for two or three innings and then it'll just go away.
"That's the third time it's happened in five weeks. He looked good against Auburn for two innings as well."
Van Horn said Taccolini's velocity dropped 3 or 4 miles per hour in the fourth inning and he couldn't locate his pitches.
"He looked like a guy that was done," Van Horn said.
Gators starter A.J. Puk, a junior left-hander expected to be a high draft choice, held Arkansas to 5 hits and 2 runs through 5 innings and had 9 strikeouts, but threw 98 pitches.
Puk didn't came back for the sixth inning after Arkansas got RBI singles from Clark Eagan and Luke Bonfield in the fifth.
"We did pretty good against A.J. Puk as far as getting his pitch count up and fouling off pitches," Van Horn said. "He was getting his strikeouts, but we made him work for them.
"If we weren't down 6-0, it would have been a good job by our offense getting to their bullpen."
Arkansas scored its five runs in the eighth inning against Florida relievers Michael Byrne and Eddy Demurias, who combined had pitched three innings in the Gators' previous 12 SEC games.
"The game was over," Van Horn said. "They started bringing in guys that normally wouldn't be pitching."
The Razorbacks had base runners in each of the first three innings against Puk (2-2), but couldn't score. He hit Arkansas' first batter — Darien Simms — with a 99-mile an hour fastball and walked Eagan with one out, then struck out Bonfield and Alex Gosser to end the first inning.
The Razorbacks committed five errors — two each by catcher Tucker Pennell and shortstop Michael Bernal and one by Bonfield in left field. Pennell had just one error in his previous 30 games this season.
Arkansas has its longest conference losing streak since 2009, when the Razorbacks lost their final eight conference regular-season games before beating Florida twice in the SEC Tournament.
The Razorbacks still went to the NCAA Tournament in 2009, part of their current streak of 14 consecutive regional appearances
Arkansas and Florida play at 6:30 tonight. Junior right-hander Logan Shore (6-0, 2.66 ERA) will start for the Gators against Razorbacks sophomore right-hander Keaton McKinney (1-1, 6.25 ERA).
"Logan Shore is their ace," Van Horn said. "He really knows how to pitch. It doesn't get any easier."
McKinney is back in the SEC rotation after coming out of the bullpen at Ole Miss. He is the last Arkansas starter to go more than five innings. He pitched six shutout innings in the Razorbacks' 14-7 victory over Auburn on March 26.
"I hope he throws well," Van Horn said. "He's due, and we need him to. We expect him to go out and give us some quality innings.
"Hopefully, he can match Shore. If he does that, we'll have a chance to win the game."