SEC TOURNAMENT

Bernal's double in 9th lifts Hogs

Arkansas' Rick Nomura celebrates after scoring the game-winning run in the ninth inning of an SEC Tournament game against Tennessee on Tuesday, May 19, 2015, at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
Arkansas' Rick Nomura celebrates after scoring the game-winning run in the ninth inning of an SEC Tournament game against Tennessee on Tuesday, May 19, 2015, at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Ala.

HOOVER, Ala. -- Michael Bernal doubled into the left-field corner with two outs in the ninth to score Rick Nomura from first base as Arkansas outlasted Tennessee 2-1 late Tuesday night at the SEC Tournament.

Bernal's run-scoring extra-base hit off Andrew Lee (4-2) salvaged what had been a mostly fruitless effort by the Razorbacks, who left 15 men on base to Tennessee's two.

SEC Tournament

at Regions Park, Hoover, Ala. All times Central

TUESDAY’S GAMES

No. 11 Alabama 6, No. 6 Ole Miss 1

No. 7 Missouri 5, No. 10 South Carolina 1

No. 9 Auburn 6, No. 8 Kentucky 3

No. 5 Arkansas 2, No. 12 Tennessee 1

TODAY’S GAMES GAME 5

No. 3 Texas A&M vs. Alabama, 9:30 a.m.

GAME 6 No. 2 Vanderbilt vs. Missouri, 1 p.m.

GAME 7 No. 1 LSU vs. Auburn, 4:30 p.m.

GAME 8 No. 4 Florida vs. Arkansas, 8 p.m.

"He fell behind in the count, so it got to 3-1 and at that point I was just looking for something to drive hard," Bernal said. "We're playing for it all, so for us to win in that last inning was maybe a little bit later than we wanted to, but we're excited to be moving on."

Arkansas (34-20) advanced to face No. 4 seed on Florida in tonight's late game and improved its record to 10-11 in SEC Tournament openers.

The Volunteers (24-26) had their season come to an end after lofty preseason expectations put on them by Coach Dave Serrano.

Nomura started the game-winning rally with a two-out single to right field. Nomura got a good jump as Bernal drove a 3-1 pitch into the left-field corner. Christin Stewart's relay to the infield was off the mark and Nomura scored easily.

The Razorbacks finished 2 for 13 with runners in scoring position.

Arkansas right-hander Trey Killian took a perfect game into the fifth inning and faced one over the minimum through seven innings, but got only one run of support to spoil his gem. The junior left with a tough-luck no-decision after giving up a two-out RBI double to Benito Santiago in the eighth.

"I thought our pitchers did an incredible job tonight," Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said. "Killian was as good as I've seen him in a long time. Just really proud of him."

Zach Jackson (5-0) struck out two and allowed no hits over the final 1 1/3 innings as the Hogs gave up four hits.

Arkansas stranded nine runners at second or third base while the Volunteers stranded only one at second base.

Tyler Spoon, who went 3 for 5, doubled to the gap in right-center field to open the bottom of the seventh and moved to third on Brett McAfee's liner over shortstop. Clark Eagan popped up on the infield, then Nomura grounded sharply to shortstop A.J. Simcox, who delivered an off-target throw to the bag at second base, preventing a shot at a double play and allowing Spoon to score the game's first run.

Killian hit Jordan Rodgers with a pitch with one out in the eighth, then coaxed a potential double-play grounder from Chris Hall to the second baseman Nomura. Rodgers slid wide of second base into Michael Bernal, and the shortstop's relay throw was late to first base. Santiago, who entered the game with a .123 average, laced his first extra-base hit for his first RBI of the year into the left-center gap to score Hall.

Arkansas had one scoring opportunity after another against starter Andy Cox but could not punch a run across against the wild left-hander in three innings.

The Razorbacks left 14 men on base through the first seven innings, including the bases loaded in the first and fourth innings.

Arkansas leadoff batter Joe Serrano walked and moved to third on a pair of wild pitches while Bobby Wernes was working a walk in the first inning. Cox got Andrew Benintendi to break his wrists on a check-swing strikeout on a 3-2 pitch, then struck out Spoon looking. McAfee drew a two-out walk to load the bases before Cullen Gassaway struck out on three pitches.

Cox hit Bernal and Tucker Pennell with pitches in the second inning, but Santiago threw out Bernal trying to steal second and Cox retired Serrano on a prodigious pop fly to end the inning.

The Razorbacks put a pair of runners on with two outs in the third on Spoon's single, the first hit of the game, and McAfee's hit-by-pitch, but Cox wriggled free by getting Gassaway on a weak comebacker.

Arkansas loaded the bases with two outs in the fourth against reliever Kyle Serrano on singles by Pennell and Serrano and Wernes' walk, but Serrano struck out Benintendi looking to end the threat.

Meanwhile, Killian was dealing, just as he did in a 5-1 victory over Alabama here on April 30. The junior sat down the first 14 Volunteers with an economical pitch count before Jordan Rodgers broke up his perfect game with two outs in the fifth on a bloop single to center.

MISSOURI 5,

SOUTH CAROLINA 1

HOOVER, Ala. — Reggie McClain threw seven impressive innings to lead Missouri (30-26) past South Carolina (32-25) on Tuesday.

The seventh-seeded Tigers face No. 2 Vanderbilt today when the tournament moves to a double-elimination format. South Carolina is eliminated and in danger of missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 16 years.

Missouri jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning and had 11 hits on the day. Trey Harris led the Tigers with three hits. McClain (7-7) gave up just 1 run on 6 hits while striking out 4.

Brecklin Williams threw two scoreless innings of relief for his 13th save. South Carolina’s Jack Wynkoop (8-5) gave up four runs over seven innings. The Gamecocks’ Gene Cone had two hits.

ALABAMA 6, MISSISSIPPI 1

Geoffrey Bramlett pitched a complete game and struck out 10, leading Alabama (31-26) over Mississippi (30-26). The Crimson Tide plays Texas A&M today. Bramlett (8-3) allowed nine hits, all singles, and didn’t walk anybody. Alabama gave him all the cushion he needed with a four-run seventh inning, including Casey Hughston’s RBI double. Hughston had two hits and drove in two runs. JC Wilhite and Mikey White also had two hits for the Tide. Scott Weathersby (4-2) absorbed the loss after giving up three runs in six innings.

AUBURN 6, KENTUCKY 3

Daniel Robert and Jackson Burgreen each had three hits and Cole Lipscomb pitched 7 2/3 strong innings to lead Auburn (35-22) over Kentucky (30-25). The Tigers will face regular-season champion LSU (46-9) today. Lipscomb (8-2) allowed 2 runs on 4 hits while striking out 9. He didn’t issue a walk. Tom Ka’ai led off the seventh inning with a home run, one of his three hits, for Kentucky and had two RBI. Burgreen had a two-run triple in the fourth for Auburn. He and Robert both drove in two runs. Auburn is playing in its first SEC Tournament since 2013 and had lost five of its past seven games.

Sports on 05/20/2015

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