No. 14 Tennessee faced a narrow defeat against No. 3 Arkansas, losing 4-3 in the opening game of the NCAA Fayetteville Super Regional on Saturday at Baum-Walker Stadium. Despite a strong performance that included homers from key players to account for the Vols’ three runs, they struggled to generate consistent offense against Arkansas starter Zach Root, who pitched seven innings, allowing only two runs on a single hit.
Tennessee’s pitcher delivered a determined effort, recording five strikeouts over 5.1 innings, but suffered the loss after conceding four runs on eight hits and two walks. The scoring began in the second inning when Arkansas’s Cam Kozeal scored on a wild pitch. The Vols responded in the fifth inning, taking their only lead of the game when a hard-hit ball was ruled an error, allowing a run before Curley smashed his 14th home run of the season to put Tennessee ahead 2-1. However, Arkansas quickly regained the lead with a two-run homer the same inning, eventually extending their advantage to 4-2 with another run in the sixth.
In a late-game effort, the Vols’ relief pitchers held the Razorbacks scoreless for 2.1 innings, keeping Tennessee within reach. In the top of the ninth, Fischer hit a monstrous 25th home run, closing the gap to one run. Alas, Arkansas’s Gabe Gaeckle secured his second save with a groundout and a strikeout, derailing Tennessee’s comeback.
Looking ahead, Tennessee faces a critical match on Sunday, needing a win to keep their season alive and push the series to a deciding game three on Monday. The game is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. (ET) and will be broadcast on ESPN. This matchup remains a pivotal moment in their season, urging the team to rally and adapt to overcome the challenges they faced in game one.