Bulldogs romp past Razorbacks in SEC Title game
No. 7 Arkansas (39-20, 17-13 SEC) had no answer to No. 1 Georgia’s (46-12, 23-7 SEC) bats as the Bulldogs run-ruled their way past the Razorbacks 11-1 in 7 innings for its first SEC title in school history.
After starter Tate McGuire recorded the first out via a flyout, the next four batters all reached to bring in 3 runs. After giving up 26 runs in the regular season finale between the two teams, Arkansas has now allowed 37 runs in their past 16 innings on the mound against the Bulldogs.
Designated hitter Jack Arcamone, who did not appear in the series in Fayetteville, capped the inning with a 2-run home run to hang a 5-spot on the Hogs.
Arkansas had plenty of traffic on the bases but after coming up with clutch hits in the first 3 games of the tournament, Arkansas went just 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position in the final and left nine runners on base.
The lone hit with a runner in scoring position did not produce a run, instead the lone run came on a Maika Niu solo home run in the sixth inning when the Razorbacks were already down 8-0.
Arcamone finished off his 2-for-3 day with a plate with a 2-run single to enact the run rule after just 7 innings. Arcamone was initially rung up by home plate umpire Derek Mollica but used the automatic ball-strike system to extend the at-bat before coming up with the key hit to end the game early.
Arkansas played the last 2 innings of the game without an ABS challenge after going 0-for-3 on the day.
The Razorbacks now await their hosting fate as the 16 regional host sites are revealed on NCAA Baseball’s social media channels 7:30 p.m. Sunday. The full field of 64 along with Arkansas’ regional opponents will be released 11 a.m. Monday as part of the selection show broadcast on ESPN2.
Live Updates:
No. 7 Arkansas (39-19, 17-13 SEC) looks to win the SEC Championship Game for the first time since 2021. The Razorbacks will face a familiar opponent in No. 1 Georgia (45-12, 23-7 SEC). The Bulldogs took two out of three during the regular season at Baum-Walker Stadium. Georgia starts righty Paul Farley (7-1, 4.99 ERA) while Arkansas will send righty Tate McGuire (1-0, 4.30 ERA) to the mound as a starter for the second time in the tournament. Farley allowed 4 earned runs in 1 ⅔ innings of work when the two teams met in the regular season. Below are live inning-by-inning updates between the Hogs and Bulldogs.
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Starting Lineups:
Arkansas:
LF Damian Ruiz
SS Camden Kozeal
C Ryder Helfrick
RF Zack Stewart
3B TJ Pompey
2B Nolan Souza
CF Maika Niu
DH Carter Rutenbar
1B Reese Robinett
RHP Tate McGuire
Georgia
3B Tre Phelps
C Daniel Jackson
CF Rylan Lujo
1B Brennan Hudson
LF Kenny Ishikawa
2B Ryan Wynn
DH Jack Arcamone
SS Kolby Branch
RF Ryan Black
RHP Paul Farley
Top 7th:
- Jordan Stephens replaced Jameson
- Ruiz struck out looking, 1 out
- Kozeal walked
- Helfrick struck out looking, 2 outs
- Stewart grounded out to second, 3 outs
Bottom 6th:
- Jackson Kircher replaced Gibler
- Phelps hit by pitch
- Jackson fouled out to first, 1 out
- Lujo walked, Phelps to second
- Hudson flied out to center, Phelps to third, 2 outs
- Lujo stole second
- Ishikawa walked
- Wynn walked, Phelps scored, Lujo to third, Ishikawa to second, Georgia 9, Arkansas 1
- Colin Fisher replaced Kircher
- Arcamone singled to right, Lujo scored, Ishikawa scored, Wynn to third, Georgia 11, Arkansas 1
- Branch struck out swinging, 3 outs
Top 6th:
- Caleb Jameson replaced Brown
- Souza struck out swinging, 1 out
- Niu homered to center, Georgia 8, Arkansas 1
- Rutenbar popped up to short, 2 outs
- Robinett grounded out to second, 3 outs
Bottom 5th:
- Wynn popped up to second, 1 out
- Arcamone struck out swinging, 2 outs
- Branch walked
- Black grounded out to short, 3 outs
Top 5th:
- Zach Brown replaced Farley
- Ruiz singled to third
- Kozeal singled to right, Ruiz to second
- Helfrick struck out looking, 1 out
- Stewart grounded out to first, Ruiz to third, Kozeal to second, 2 outs
- Pompey struck out looking, 3 outs
Bottom 4th:
- Cole Gibler replaced Eaves
- Lujo struck out swinging, 1 out
- Hudson grounded out to third, 2 outs
- Ishikawa fouled out to left, 3 outs
Top 4th:
- Souza struck out looking, 1 out
- Niu singled to left
- Niu stole second
- Rutenbar grounded out to short, Niu to third, 2 outs
- Robinett struck out looking, 3 outs
Bottom 3rd:
- Wynn struck out looking, 1 out
- Arcamone hit by a pitch
- Branch struck out swinging, 2 outs
- Black singled to center, Arcamone to third
- Steele Eaves replaced Coil
- Phelps singled to right, Arcamone scored, Black to third, Georgia 7, Arkansas 0
- Phelps stole second, advanced to third on a throwing error by the catcher, Black scored, Georgia 8, Arkansas 0
- Jackson grounded out to short, 3 outs
Top 3rd:
- Ruiz doubled to right
- Kozeal struck out looking, 1 out
- Helfrick singled to left, Ruiz to third
- Stewart struck out swinging, 2 outs
- Pompey grounded out to third, 3 outs
Bottom 2nd:
- Parker Coil replaced McGuire
- Black struck out swinging, 1 out
- Phelps doubled to right
- Jackson singled to right, Phelps scored, Georgia 6, Arkansas 0
- Lujo singled to left, Jackson to second
- Hudson flied out to center, 2 outs
- Ishikawa grounded out to second, 3 outs
Top 2nd:
- Souza grounded out to the pitcher, 1 out
- Niu grounded out to second, 2 outs
- Rutenbar doubled to left
- Robinett grounded out to short, 3 outs
Bottom 1st:
- Phelps flied out to right, 1 out
- Jackson walked
- Lujo doubled to left, Jackson scored, Georgia 1, Arkansas 0
- Hudson doubled to left, Lujo scored, Georgia 2, Arkansas 0
- Ishikawa singled to center, Hudson scored, Georgia 3, Arkansas 0, Ishikawa to second on a fielding error by the center fielder
- Wynn grounded out to the pitcher, Ishikawa to third, 2 outs
- Arcamone homered to right, Ishikawa scored, Georgia 5, Arkansas 0
- Branch grounded out to short, 3 outs
Top 1st:
- Ruiz grounded out to short, 1 out
- Kozeal struck out swinging, 2 outs
- Helfrick singled to left
- Stewart singled to left, Helfrick to second
- Pompey struck out swinging, 3 outs
