UT can't make leads hold up, 15-8

Too bad for Tennessee's baseball team that Sunday's curfew wasn't a few hours earlier at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

The Vols saw some early leads slip away during a 15-8 loss to No. 7 Arkansas in an SEC game called after eight innings due to a curfew set before the game stating no inning was to start after 4:45 because the Razorbacks had a flight to catch.

UT (20-25, 6-15 SEC) led 3-0 in the first, 5-1 in the third, and 7-5 in the fifth.

"We came out and did exactly what you want to do in a Sunday game," said UT first baseman Cody Hawn, who was 3-for-4 with a three-run homer and five RBIs. "You always want to jump out ahead, especially in this because most Sunday games are usually a slugfest."

This one was no different.

Arkansas (29-12, 13-7) hit five home runs Sunday and UT hit three. Each team had 13 hits.

"It was awesome," said Arkansas first baseman Andy Wilkins, who hit a solo homer and three-run homer. "We haven't hit a lot of home runs. A lot of our runs have been big hits, doubles here and there. It's good to finally get some power shown."

Arkansas left with the series win as the Vols' chances of making the SEC Tournament took another blow. UT has three SEC series remaining.

"It puts more pressure on us, no question," UT coach Todd Raleigh said.

In the two losses to Arkansas - UT was beaten 9-3 Friday night - the Vols' pitchers walked 17 and hit five batters. Sunday, UT's eight pitchers combined for seven walks and three hit batters.

Junior left-hander Jeff Lockwood got his second start of the season and his first since getting a no-decision March 7 against Ohio. Lockwood went 3.1 innings and gave up three hits - including two solo homers - three earned runs, walked three and struck out two before being relieved by Danny Wiltz in the fourth.

That started the Vols' pitching carousel.

"To say we didn't pitch well would be the understatement of the century," Raleigh said. "It's two games in this series we gave ourselves no chance to win because of our walks."

However, UT still had a chance after seven innings when the Razorbacks' lead was 9-8.

The Vols' Matt Ramsey gave up a leadoff single and a walk starting the Razorbacks' eighth. Bryan Mogado relieved Ramsey.

Morgado gave up two consecutive RBI singles followed by Wilkins' three-run homer.

Morgado retired the next two, gave up a solo homer to Scott Lyons, and was relieved by Ryne Simpson, who ended the inning with a strikeout.

With the curfew looming and many of the 1,998 fans gone, the Vols didn't threaten in the eighth.

"It was just a gusty effort by our team," Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said. "Everybody's tired, hot, we're on the road, and it didn't look like we were going to be able to stop them. ... I'm just really proud of the team the way they hung in there and battled."

Dave Link is a free-lance contributor