Spanberger hits 3 HRs, Hogs throw first no-hitter in SEC Tournament history

Arkansas first baseman Chad Spanberger hits a home run during a game against Auburn on Thursday, May 25, 2017, at the SEC Tournament in Hoover, Ala.
Arkansas first baseman Chad Spanberger hits a home run during a game against Auburn on Thursday, May 25, 2017, at the SEC Tournament in Hoover, Ala.

No. 13 Arkansas set three SEC Tournament firsts Thursday in a 12-0 win over No. 24 Auburn in a seven-inning elimination game in Hoover, Ala.

Pitchers Dominic Taccolini, Matt Cronin and Josh Alberius combined for the first no-hitter in tournament history. It was Arkansas' first no-hitter since three pitchers did it against Oklahoma State in February 2006.

The pitching performance complemented a historic night at the plate by Arkansas junior first baseman Chad Spanberger, who hit home runs in his first three at-bats to become the first player with three homers at the SEC Tournament. Spanberger's 7 RBI also are a tournament record.

The Razorbacks (40-16) will play again at approximately 6:30 p.m. against either Florida or Mississippi State.

Arkansas 12, Auburn 0 - Middle 7th Inning

Jake Arledge singled to leadoff the seventh and scored on Luke Bonfield's fielder's choice RBI. Here comes the pitching staff with a chance for a combined no-hitter in the bottom of the inning. Auburn will bring its 8, 9 and 1 hitters to the plate.

Arkansas 11, Auburn 0 - End 6th Inning

Josh Alberius came out of the bullpen to work a perfect inning for the Razorbacks, inducing two groundouts and a long fly-out. Auburn still has no hits and the game will end after seven unless the Tigers score at least two.

Arkansas 11, Auburn 0 - End 5th Inning

Auburn has walked seven times and been hit by a pitch, but the Tigers still are hitless through five innings after Matt Cronin worked around a pair of walks in the fifth.

Cronin is above 70 pitches now and began to labor a little in the inning. The final out came on a 3-2 pitch that was grounded to Jax Biggers at shortstop.

Arkansas 11, Auburn 0 - Top 5th Inning

Auburn intentionally walked Chad Spanberger to load the bases then unintentionally walked Luke Bonfield on four pitches to extend the Razorbacks' lead.

Arkansas 10, Auburn 0 - Top 5th Inning

Jax Biggers led off with a triple to right field and scored on Jared Gates' one-out single. That brings the seven-inning run rule into play if the Razorbacks can preserve the shutout.

Arkansas 9, Auburn 0 - End 4th Inning

Overshadowed by Chad Spanberger's big game at the plate is the relief outing from Matt Cronin, who just struck out the side for the second consecutive inning, although he did have to work around a walk and a hit batter.

Cronin is up to 27 strikeouts in 15 1/3 innings this season. He might be the guy to eat up the rest of this game in order to save arms for tomorrow against Mississippi State.

Arkansas 9, Auburn 0 - Top 4th Inning

There is a run rule in the SEC Tournament and Arkansas might invoke it. Dominic Fletcher just added a two-out RBI double to score Luke Bonfield and the Tigers are making another pitching change.

The run rule is a 10-run lead after seven innings.

It's ironic that Arkansas is having this kind of offensive production against Auburn, who smacked around the Razorbacks last month with 29 runs in three games, including a 15-2 win in the series opener that tied Arkansas' worst ever under Dave Van Horn.

Arkansas 8, Auburn 0 - Top 4th Inning

Chad Spanberger just set an SEC Tournament record with his third home run of the game - this one a grand slam - to break the game wide open. Spanberger has 7 RBI tonight, also a tournament record.

This home run came off left-hander Andrew Mitchell over the wall in center field.

According to Phil Elson on the Arkansas radio broadcast, Spanberger has 13 home runs in his past 106 at-bats. It's even more impressive when you consider he has six since last Thursday when he hit the go-ahead home run at Texas A&M.

Arkansas 4, Auburn 0 - Top 4th Inning

Auburn starter Davis Daniel has allowed four straight Razorbacks to reach in the inning, including Jake Arledge on a bases-loaded RBI single to extend Arkansas' lead. Daniel is being replaced by left-handed reliever Andrew Mitchell.

Daniel walked Jax Biggers, gave up a single to Grant Koch and walked Jared Gates on a 3-2 pitch before Arledge placed a single into shallow center field. Unless Eric Cole hits into a double play in the next at-bat, Chad Spanberger will come up in the inning with runners on.

Arkansas 3, Auburn 0 - End 3rd Inning

Matt Cronin hasn't pitched a lot this year, but he has been effective when he does. He struck out Auburn's 1, 2 and 3 hitters after inheriting runners on first and second with no outs in the inning. That increased his strikeout total to 24 in 14 1/3 innings this season. He also has the team's lowest ERA.

Cronin's velocity hit 94 mph during the sequence, which is the highest number I've seen from him. He also had a good looking curve in that inning and got a called third strike to end the inning on a good inside fastball.

Arkansas 3, Auburn 0 - Bottom 3rd Inning

Dominic Taccolini issued two more walks to leadoff the third and his day is over. Matt Cronin will replace him.

Taccolini walked four of the nine batters he faced. He really was missing his spots bad in the third.

Arkansas 3, Auburn 0 - Top 3rd Inning

Chad Spanberger just went deep again - his second home run in two at-bats tonight and his 16th this season. This is his fifth home run in the past four games and second multi-home run game in the past week. He also hit two at Texas A&M last Saturday.

The homer - a towering shot into the trees behind the right field wall - scored Eric Cole, who singled with one out.

Arkansas 1, Auburn 0 - End 2nd Inning

Dominic Taccolini issued a walk for the second consecutive inning, but worked around this one, too, when Jay Estes lined out to Jax Biggers to end the inning.

The Razorbacks went 1-2-3 against Auburn's Davis Daniel in the top of the inning. Jake Arledge, Eric Cole and Chad Spanberger are up in the third.

Arkansas 1, Auburn 0 - End 1st Inning

Dominic Taccolini worked around a one-out walk with a couple of groundball outs, including a double play from Auburn's three-hole hitter, Dylan Ingram, to end the inning.

Although Arkansas is playing its second game of the day, neither team is well-rested. Auburn lost to Florida last night in a game that lasted until between 1 and 2 o'clock this morning. Whoever wins will have had to grind it out.

Arkansas 1, Auburn 0 - Top 1st Inning

Just like earlier today, Arkansas is on the board with a first-inning home run. Chad Spanberger's team-leading 15th homer was a solo shot off Auburn starter Davis Daniel.

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