Tide tee off on hapless Hogs

Arkansas pitcher Keaton McKinney fires a pitch in the first inning Saturday, May 14, 2016, during the Razorbacks' game against Alabama at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville.
Arkansas pitcher Keaton McKinney fires a pitch in the first inning Saturday, May 14, 2016, during the Razorbacks' game against Alabama at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- The Keaton McKinney who shut out Alabama last season was nowhere to be seen Saturday night when Arkansas' sophomore right-hander made his second start against the Crimson Tide.

Alabama catcher Will Haynie hit a grand slam in the first inning -- after McKinney walked the first three batters -- to get the Tide rolling toward a 10-4 victory at Baum Stadium before an announced crowd of 5,081.

McKinney (1-5) saw his earned run average rise to 6.66 as he allowed 6 earned runs in 32/3 innings on 3 hits and 5 walks.

It was the ninth time in 12 starts this season McKinney has failed to go at least five innings.

McKinney -- who held Alabama to two hits and one walk in a 4-0 victory last season en route to a 6-2 record and 3.21 ERA -- has struggled to regain his form after undergoing offseason hip surgery.

"It's hard to explain," Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said. "He doesn't throw strikes. Bottom line, he's behind hitters all the time.

"There's some mechanical issues there. Probably a little bit mental. Frustration. ... He's fighting it a little bit.

"I think he'll bounce back. It may be next year, but he just isn't the same guy he was last year. That's pretty obvious."

Alabama, which beat the Razorbacks 8-6 Friday night, clinched its first series victory at Arkansas since taking two of three games in 2008.

The Tide (28-21, 14-12) will go for its first sweep at Arkansas since 2000 in today's 1 p.m. finale when Arkansas will start freshman Blaine Knight.

Haynie, who drove in five runs Saturday night, added a home run in the ninth inning off Arkansas freshman Andrew Dahl -- making his first SEC appearance -- to push the Tide's lead to 10-2.

Alabama has hit six home runs in two games against Arkansas, with three from Haynie and two from Chandler Taylor, after having 18 in its first 48 games.

"They have some power," Van Horn said. "They have some big kids, but the pitches they've hit out of the park have been elevated."

The Razorbacks (26-24, 7-19 SEC) lost their eighth consecutive game to match their longest streak since 2000.

"Playing sports, no one likes to lose," said Arkansas senior catcher Tucker Pennell, who was 3 for 4. "We're not going out there trying to lose or just giving up.

"It's just not happening for us right now."

Razorbacks third baseman Clark Eagan went 2 for 5, including a two-run home run in the ninth inning, and had four runs batted in.

"We keep drilling into our heads there's only one way to go and we're going to keep showing up every day, play our hardest and hope things turn around," Eagan said.

Arkansas cut Alabama's lead to 4-1 in the third inning on Eagan's RBI single, but Tide starter Jake Walters (5-3) got out of a bases-loaded jam when Rick Nomura hit into a double play on a ball that hit in front of the plate. Haynie grabbed the ball, quickly touched home plate and threw to first base to get Normua and end the inning.

"I really haven't seen that play too much to be honest with you," Van Horn said. "The ball just sat right on the plate. When things are going bad, things like that happen.

"That was probably the key at-bat early in the game. We felt like we were just about one hit away from being right back in the ballgame."

Arkansas also loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh inning against Walters, but scored one run on Eagan's groundout.

Walters held the Razorbacks to 2 runs in 7 innings despite allowing 8 hits and 3 walks. He helped himself with nine strikeouts.

"We got our hits, but Walters is pretty good," Van Horn said. "He knows how to get out of jams."

McKinney settled down after the four-run first. He retired 10 consecutive batters before running into trouble again in the fourth when he allowed two walks and two hits, including a two-run double by Daniel Cucjen, as Alabama pushed its lead to 6-1.

TEXAS A&M 5,

SOUTH CAROLINA 2

Texas A&M (39-10, 18-8) scored three runs in the fourth inning Saturday to beat South Carolina (37-13, 16-9) in Columbia, S.C., and remain a game ahead of Mississippi State in the Western Division standings.

Ryne Birk was 3 for 4 with 3 runs scored and 2 RBI to lead Texas A&M, which had 9 hits. Andrew Vinson earned the victory after allowing 1 hit with 1 walk and 3 strikeouts over 41/3 innings. Webb took the loss after allowing 4 runs -- 3 earned -- on 7 hits with 7 strikeouts and 2 walks over 52/3 innings.

LSU 11, TENNESSEE 3

LSU (35-16, 16-10 SEC) scored six runs in the top of the first inning Saturday to claim a series victory and earn a chance to sweep Tennessee (26-25, 7-19) in Knoxville, Tenn.

Jordan Romero was 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI to lead LSU, while Antoine Duplantis was 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored. Kramer Robertson and Cole Freeman were both 2 for 5. Max Bartlett led Tennessee by going 3 for 3, while Brodie Leftridge was 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored. Nick Senzel and Benito Santiago were both 2 for 5.

GEORGIA 7-0, MISSOURI 4-5

Freshman Kevin Smith pitched three scoreless innings of relief and freshman catcher Michael Curry hit two home runs as Georgia (25-26, 9-17) won the first game of a doubleheader over Missouri (25-26, 8-18) in Columbia, Mo.

Missouri got a grand slam from Zach Lavy in the eighth inning to win the second game. Jake Ring hit a home run in the sixth inning for the Tigers' first run.

VANDERBILT 5, FLORIDA 0

Vanderbilt (37-14, 15-11) used a three-run eighth inning to even the weekend series with Florida (42-9,17-8) in Gainesville, Fla.

Julian Infante and Jason Delay both finished 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored to lead the Commodores. The Gators managed just three hits, coming from Jonathan India, Dalton Guthrie and Mike Rivera.

MISSISSIPPI STATE 16, AUBURN 6

Mississippi State (36-14-1, 17-9) used an eight-run second inning to take control of its game against Auburn (22-29, 8-18) in Auburn, Ala.

Jake Mangum was 4 for 6 with 4 runs scored and 1 RBI for the Bulldogs, who had 21 hits. Jack Kruger and Brent Rooker were both 3 for 5. Blake Logan was 2 for 2 to lead Auburn, which managed 8 hits.

MISSISSIPPI 7, KENTUCKY 5

Kentucky (29-23, 13-14) led 5-0 in the middle of the third inning Saturday in Oxford, Miss., but Henri Lartigue hit a three-run home run for Mississippi (39-13, 17-10) in the bottom of the ninth to claim the victory.

Sports on 05/15/2016

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