STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Arkansas' first season that didn't result in a trip to the NCAA Tournament in 15 years ended with a celebration -- but not for the Razorbacks.
Insult was added to the injury of a 9-4 loss to No. 4 Mississippi State when the Bulldogs stormed the Dudy Noble Field to celebrate their SEC championship.
At a glance
SEC TOURNAMENT
at Hoover Met Stadium, Hoover, Ala.
TUESDAY’S GAMES
All times Central
(11) Missouri vs. (6) Vanderbilt, 9:30 a.m.
(10) Georgia vs. (7) Mississippi, 1 p.m.
(9) Alabama vs. (8) Kentucky, 4:30 p.m.
(12) Tennessee vs. (5) LSU, 8 p.m.
Mississippi State (40-14-1, 21-9 SEC) needed a sweep to clinch its first SEC title since 1989 and the Razorbacks helped the Bulldogs with 10 errors that led to 12 unearned runs in the three games.
"Really what you saw today and really with this series is kind of what's gone on for the last month and half," Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said. "Just not making the big play or getting a big hit."
Arkansas (26-29, 7-23) finished the season with a 13-game losing streak, which set a school record. The Razorbacks' previous longest losing streak in records dating back to 1960 was a 12-game streak in 1965.
Arkansas took a 2-0 lead Saturday on third baseman Clark Eagan's two-run home run in the first inning. It doubled the Razorbacks' total production in the previous 24 innings after they lost to the Bulldogs 7-0 Thursday night and 5-1 Friday night and failed to score in the final six innings of an 8-2 loss to Missouri State on Tuesday night.
The Bulldogs scored once in the bottom of the second to cut the deficit to 2-1. Arkansas lost the lead in the third inning when Mississippi State right fielder Jake Mangum popped a ball in foul territory that Eagan couldn't catch for an error, then singled on the next pitch before Jacob Robson hit a sacrifice fly to center field.
The Razorbacks' defensive issues continued in the fifth inning after a dropped ball by first baseman Cullen Gassaway and another in center field by Carson Shaddy led to four Mississippi State runs to push its lead to 6-2.
"We're supposed to be out of the inning and we drop a ball," Van Horn said. "That's five runs and we lose by five."
Mississippi State increased the lead to 9-2 in the seventh inning with three runs off Zach Jackson.
Arkansas made it 9-4 with two runs in the eighth inning -- including RBI singles by Cody Scroggins and Michael Bernal -- but left the bases loaded. Bernal, a senior shortstop, went 3 for 3.
The Razorbacks finished the season with their fewest SEC victories since joining the conference in 1992. The Razorbacks' previous low for SEC victories was in 2001 when they finished 8-20.
Van Horn suffered his first losing record in 28 seasons as a college head coach. His previous worst record was 24-20 his first season at Nebraska in 1998.
Van Horn met with his team in right field after the game as Mississippi State celebrated to its fight song blaring over the speakers. He pointed to freshman right fielder Eric Cole going 3 for 5 Saturday as Arkansas' leadoff hitter. Fellow freshman Blaine Knight started and held the Bulldogs to one run in four innings.
The first five hitters in Arkansas' lineup Saturday are underclassmen. They combined for 8 hits, 3 runs and 2 RBI.
LSU 7-2, FLORIDA 3-6
The fifth inning turned out to be pivotal in both games of Saturday's doubleheader at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge.
LSU first baseman Greg Deichmann hit a two-out, bases-clearing double in the fifth inning of Saturday's first game to lead LSU (39-17, 19-11 SEC) over Florida (44-11, 19-10), which won the second game after scoring four runs in the fifth inning.
The first game was suspended Thursday night and picked up Saturday in the bottom of the third inning. The Tigers scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 7-1 lead. With the bases loaded, Singer hit Bryce Jordan and walked Beau Jordan. That set the stage for Deichmann's double, which he hit on reliever Nick Horvath's first pitch.
The Gators jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning of the second game as India scored when JJ Schwarz doubled to left field. Florida took control of the game in the fifth on a one-out, bases-clearing double down the left field line by India, who later scored on Schwarz's sacrifice fly for a 6-1 lead. LSU scored its second run in the bottom of the fifth when Robertson, who hit a one-out triple, scored on Chris Reid's RBI double to right-center field.
VANDERBILT 4, AUBURN 3
Vanderbilt (41-15, 18-12) used a strong pitching performance from sophomore right-hander Kyle Wright and timely hitting to win its fourth consecutive game Saturday, beating Auburn (23-33, 8-22) at Hawkins Field in Nashville, Tenn.
Wright earned his eighth victory of the season after allowing 2 earned runs on 5 hits with 9 strikeouts in 6 innings. He has won four consecutive starts, all coming against SEC teams. Junior Ben Bowden earned his team-leading 10th save after working out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth inning and setting the Tigers down in order in the ninth.
Auburn center fielder Anfernee Grier hit two home runs off Wright, including a shot in the fifth inning that cleared the scoreboard. Grier's first home run gave Auburn a 1-0 lead in the third inning.
KENTUCKY 7, MISSOURI 2
Kentucky right-hander Kyle Cody threw a complete-game in his final game at Cliff Hagan Stadium in Lexington, Ky., holding Missouri to one earned run as the Wildcats (32-24, 15-15) topped the Tigers (26-29, 9-20) in the regular season finale for both teams.
Cody (6-2) tied his career high in strikeouts with 9, while allowing 8 hits and 1 walk in his first career complete game. Kentucky first baseman Evan White had three hits and three RBI and extended his hitting streak to 15 games.
SOUTH CAROLINA 9, ALABAMA 7
South Carolina's John Jones hit a two-run single in the top of the fifth inning, one of 15 hits for the Gamecocks (42-13, 20-9) in Saturday's victory over Alabama (31-24, 15-15) in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
The Gamecocks, who earned their first SEC Eastern Division title since 2012 with the victory, took a 3-0 led in the first inning. Gene Cone led off with a base hit up the middle and scored on Dom Thompson-Williams' RBI single down the third base line. After Jonah Bride reached on a base hit, Madison Stokes hit a two-run double to right field.
South Carolina extended the lead to 7-5 in the seventh inning without getting a hit. Alabama answered with a run in the bottom of the inning on Taylor's RBI single to cut the lead to 7-6. Alex Destino's RBI single in the eighth gave the Gamecocks an 8-6 lead, but Alabama scored in the bottom of the inning to cut the lead to 8-7. TJ Hopkins' two-out RBI single in the top of the ninth gave South Carolina an insurance run.
TENNESSEE 5, GEORGIA 2
Tennessee (29-27, 9-21) scored three runs in the top of the ninth inning to get a series-clinching victory over Georgia (27-29, 11-19) at Foley Field in Athens, Ga.
Tyler Schultz led off the ninth for Tennessee with a double to right-center field. With two outs, Brodie Leftridge hit an RBI single up the middle to score pinch-runner Matt Waldren for a 3-2 lead. Leftridge and Hall executed a double steal later in the inning, moving to second and third with two outs, before Senzel hit a two-run double off the right field wall to provide the final margin.
MISSISSIPPI 3, TEXAS A&M 2
Mississippi (40-16, 18-12) scored single runs in the second, fourth and sixth innings to earn a victory over Texas A&M (41-13, 20-10) in College Station, Texas.
The Rebels took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when J.B. Woodman, who singled to start the inning and stole second, scored on Ryan Olenek's RBI single. Woodman reached on a fielder's choice in the fourth inning and scored on a Colby Bortles RBI single for a 2-0 lead.
The Aggies cut the lead in half in the fifth inning when Austin Homan, who walked to start the inning, scored on Boomer White's sacrifice fly. Mississippi got that run back in the sixth inning, taking a 3-1 lead when Tate Blackman scored on Henri Lartigue's sacrifice fly. Homan hit a one-out double for Texas A&M in the seventh and scored on an RBI single down the left field line by J.B. Moss to cut the lead to 3-2.
Sports on 05/22/2016