SEC Tournament Report

Hogs' ace finds touch in opener

Arkansas pitcher Trey Killian throws a pitch during an SEC Tournament game against Tennessee on Tuesday, May 19, 2015, at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
Arkansas pitcher Trey Killian throws a pitch during an SEC Tournament game against Tennessee on Tuesday, May 19, 2015, at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Ala.

HOOVER, Ala. -- Arkansas pitcher Trey Killian said prodding from pitching coach Dave Jorn to rekindle his fire after recent shaky starts helped produce his strong outing late Tuesday.

Killian threw a perfect game through two outs in the fifth inning and had faced only one batter over the minimum through seven shutout innings against Tennessee.

"That was fun," Killian said after his 101-pitch outing that covered 7 2/3 innings. "Coach Jorn got me in the bullpen this week and kind of challenged me. I don't feel like I had that fire that I had last year or earlier this year. Tonight I was just trying to bring that back out."

Killian brought it out, but as has often been the case during his career, he received scant run support and was not rewarded with a victory after allowing a game-tying double with two outs in the eighth inning. Arkansas rallied in the ninth inning on Michael Bernal's two-out RBI double for a 2-1 victory that went to reliever Zach Jackson.

"I was just trying to stay aggressive, pitch to contact," said Killian, who has made three excellent starts in Hoover. Killian has struck out 14, walked 1 and allowed 2 earned runs in 14 innings this season. Last year, Killian worked six scoreless innings and allowed four hits in a 4-0 victory over Texas A&M in the Hogs' SEC Tournament opener.

Killian didn't gripe about Arkansas' inability to cash in scoring opportunities Tuesday.

"No, I was just happy that it was almost like the old Trey Killian was back, like the pitcher you guys saw last year," he said.

Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said the team's lengthy road trip to Creighton and Georgia prior to the SEC Tournament allowed Killian to discuss a few things in a more focused environment.

"I kept waiting for the velocity to go down or him to lose it or start elevating fastballs and he never did," Van Horn said. "I could have left him out there, but I told him, 'You've done all you can do. Let Zach come in and get us through this inning and get you ready for the regional. I don't want to hurt you.'"

Benintendi struggles

Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said he thought slugger Andrew Benintendi was pressing in the Razorbacks' SEC Tournament opener.

Benintendi, who was named SEC player of the year by league coaches on Monday, went 0 for 5 with three strikeouts in Tuesday's 2-1 victory over Tennessee.

Benintendi left seven men on base, including four in scoring position, and suffered his first strikeouts since a four-strikeout game at Texas A&M on April 18.

"We're taking batting practice and there's 50 scouts over there watching and when he got done hitting, they all left," Van Horn said. "He's feeling a lot of pressure.

"We'll talk to him, relax him a little bit. He doesn't have to carry us. ... He was really overswinging. I haven't seen him swing that hard really in a while."

Chugging hard

Arkansas' Rick Nomura scored from first on Michael Bernal's double as Tennessee left fielder Christin Stewart's relay throw went awry on the final play of the Hogs' 2-1 victory. Had Stewart's relay been flawless, the play at the plate could have been a photo finish.

Nomura, who ranks with Andrew Benintendi and Brett McAfee as the fastest Razorbacks, said he was recalling a base-running tip from assistant coach Tony Vitello as he motored around the bases.

"Coach Vitello taught us don't try too hard, just use your knees and focus on your running form and everything will take care of itself," Nomura said.

Hard slide

Tennessee's Jordan Rodgers' hard slide wide of the bag toppled shortstop Michael Bernal to help prevent a double play in the critical eighth inning.

A still shot of the play showed Rodgers slid directly at Bernal about a foot wide of the bag instead of at second base.

Bernal said he had no problem with Rodgers' aggressive slide because he plays the same way.

"He tried to say it was a clean slide and it's a clean slide," Bernal said. "But according to our rules you've got to go straight into the bag. The slide didn't bother me, but after the fact I saw where his slide mark was and I got a little upset that [interference] didn't get called."

An interference call would have resulted in a double play and the end of the inning. Tennessee catcher Benito Santiago tied the game moments later with a double.

Hard hit

Texas A&M outfielder Nick Choruby crashed into the taped "402" designation on the centerfield fence after tracking down a deep blast from Alabama's Casey Hughston to end the eighth inning of the Aggies' 4-3 victory Wednesday. Choruby appeared to slam into a metal post, jarring the outfielder who fell to the ground after holding on to the catch.

Sports on 05/21/2015

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