Needing a win to claim a fourth consecutive division championship, Arkansas suffered its worst loss of 2022 on the final day of the regular season.
The fifth-ranked Razorbacks, who are likely to tumble in the polls, lost 18-5 at Alabama on Saturday at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The Crimson Tide won the series with two consecutive victories after Arkansas won the series opener Thursday.
Arkansas (38-16, 18-12 SEC) could have split the SEC West title with Texas A&M with a victory. The Aggies won 12-5 at Ole Miss on Saturday to win the division outright.
It is the first time since 2017 Arkansas did not win the division.
The Razorbacks will be the No. 3 seed at next week’s SEC Tournament in Hoover, Ala., and will play either Georgia or Alabama in Hoover on Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.
Arkansas was plagued Saturday by poor command by its pitchers. The Razorbacks and Crimson Tide each had 11 hits, but 8 Arkansas pitchers combined for 11 walks, 3 hit batsmen and 4 wild pitches.
The Crimson Tide (29-25, 12-17) scored six runs in the second and fourth innings, and capped a five-run fifth with a grand slam by by Bryce Eblin to take an 18-3 lead.
Alabama had three six-run innings during the series. The Crimson Tide scored six runs during the fifth inning of Friday’s 8-6 victory.
Prior to the series in Tuscaloosa, the Razorbacks had not allowed six runs in an inning since a March 3 game against Southeastern Louisiana.
Arkansas mistakes fueled Alabama’s big innings in the finale. The Razorbacks’ first three pitchers — Jaxon Wiggins, Kole Ramage and Hagen Smith — threw wild pitches that allowed runs to score.
The Crimson Tide also scored a run in the fourth when Zane Denton was hit by a pitch from Smith, and another run scored in the inning on an error by Arkansas first baseman Brady Slavens.
The six-run fourth followed a solo home run by Arkansas’ Cayden Wallace in the top of the inning that pulled the Razorbacks within 7-3. Alabama scored 11 straight in the fourth and fifth innings to run away with the game.
Arkansas’ final runs came in the sixth inning when Braydon Webb homered to score two runs.
The Razorbacks got off to a good start against Alabama left-handed starter Grayson Hitt and took a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Four consecutive Arkansas hitters reached in the inning, and Chris Lanzilli and Jalen Battles had back-to-back RBI singles to score Webb and Robert Moore.
Wiggins sat down the Tide in order in the bottom of the first, but things unraveled quickly for him in the second inning. Wiggins went into the stretch after he walked Drew Williamson in five pitches to lead off the inning. Dominic Tamez and Owen Diodati followed with consecutive singles, and Alabama tied the game 2-2 when Wiggins threw two consecutive wild pitches.
Wiggins was pulled after he fielded a bunt by Eblin and overthrew catcher Michael Turner for the first of the Razorbacks’ two errors. His 1 1/3-inning, 31-pitch start was his shortest of the season. He allowed 5 runs, 2 hits, 2 walks and struck out 2.
Ramage faced three batters and recorded one out in the second. Smith, making his first relief appearance, stranded a pair of base runners in scoring position to end the inning.
But Smith ran into his own trouble in the fourth. William Hamiter led off with a home run to put the Tide ahead 8-3. Alabama singled two more times before Smith was lifted following a fielder’s choice RBI for Tamez.
Smith allowed 5 runs, 3 hits and 2 walks, and struck out 4.
Alabama also scored runs against Evan Taylor, Elijah Trest and Miller Pleimann. Each of the Razorbacks’ relievers allowed at least one base runner, and all but Zack Morris walked a batter.
Morris and Gabe Starks were the only Arkansas pitchers who did not allow a run. Morris pitched around a single in the seventh inning, and Starks walked two in the eighth.
Hitt allowed 3 runs, 7 hits and 3 walks in a 4-inning start for the Crimson Tide. Antoine Jean earned the win in three innings of relief.
Arkansas lost a series to Alabama for the first time since 2016. The Crimson Tide had lost five consecutive series since a sweep at Ole Miss in April.
The losses were likely damaging to the Razorbacks’ chances to host a postseason regional. Arkansas’ RPI dropped to 33rd, according to WarrenNolan.com’s real-time RPI.
The Razorbacks would likely still be in good shape to host a regional with a good showing in Hoover next week. Arkansas has hosted a regional in each NCAA Tournament since 2017.