The University of Arkansas softball team's stay at the SEC Tournament was a short one. Tennessee pitcher Ashley Rogers made sure of it.
The junior right-hander tossed a one-hitter to help the seventh-seeded Lady Vols notch a 1-0 upset over the SEC co-champion Razorbacks on Thursday evening in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Arkansas (40-9) has been one of the top power-hitting teams in the country this season, leading the SEC in home runs. But Rogers controlled the Razorbacks' lineup, which was missing SEC home run leader Braxton Burnside because of an undisclosed injury.
The Lady Vols advance to play Alabama in today's second semifinal at 5:30 p.m.
Arkansas Coach Courtney Deifel said it was a frustrating night but also credited Rogers.
"It was one of those old-fashioned pitchers' duels you don't see too much anymore because the game's so offensive," said Deifel, whose team earned a bye to the tournament quarterfinals. "But I thought both pitchers threw with a ton of guts.
"I was disappointed in our offense because I don't think we made her do a lot different. She's a very good pitcher, so don't get me wrong. I'm tipping my hat to her. But I don't think we made her get us out in different ways."
Tennessee (41-12) turned the tables on the Razorbacks, using the long ball to score the only run of the game. Catcher Ally Shipman hammered a solo home run leading off the top of the fifth off Arkansas starter Mary Haff (23-6).
Arkansas could never figure out Rogers, who pitched her second complete game in two days. Rogers, who allowed only Aly Manzo's single to right field leading off the bottom of the fifth inning, struck out 12 and walked three. Her gem against Arkansas game after throwing 174 pitches in Tennessee's 3-2 win over Texas A&M in nine innings on Wednesday.
The Razorbacks were also without Burnside, who suffered an injury earlier in the week, Deifel said. The All-SEC first-team infielder, who ranks second in the country with 24 home runs, was in the dugout but not in uniform Thursday evening.
Deifel said the injury occurred on Tuesday but gave no other specifics.
"She couldn't go today," Deifel said. "We are optimistic at this point with how she is progressing that she will be ready to go for our regional. We fully expect her to be ready for that."
Arkansas put runners on a few times against Rogers but were unable to execute much its coach's chagrin.
"The thing that was most frustrating to me was we didn't execute our bunts," Deifel said. "We had a lot more chances than them. We had three situations where if we got a bunt down it kinda changes the situation and we didn't execute and to me that's inexcusable.
"It's postseason. You have to find a way to grind it out. And it just didn't go our way today."
Haff said it was just a tough night for the offense, but the team would be ready for the NCAA Tournament.
"We never really got anything going," Haff said. "I think we chased a lot of balls out of the zone ... in this league with a pitcher like Rogers you have to try to capitalize when you have runners on and we just didn't do that.
"That's not how we play Arkansas softball and just chalk it up as a learning experience and just move on and be better next time."
Haff, who was named SEC co-pitcher of the year earlier this week, allowed two hits over seven innings. She struck out five and did not walk a batter.
Shipman was the only Lady Vol to reach base against Haff. The junior lined a two-out double in the top of the seventh off the left-center field wall in addition to hitting her eighth homer of the season.
The sixth-ranked Razorbacks are all but assured a spot in the NCAA Tournament field, but they will now await word on if it will host an NCAA regional. Fayetteville was named as one of 20 possible host sites two weeks ago. That number of 20 will be cut to 16 on Sunday's NCAA Selection Show, which will begin at 8 p.m. on ESPN2.
At a glance
SEC SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
At Rhoads Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
TUESDAY’S GAME
South Carolina 3, Auburn 1
WEDNESDAY’S GAMES
Mississippi State 3, Mississippi 1
LSU 7, South Carolina 3
Tennessee 3, Texas A&M 2 (9)
Kentucky 3, Georgia 0
THURSDAY’S GAMES
Tennessee 1, Arkansas 0
Florida 6, Mississippi State 2
Missouri 4, LSU 1
Alabama 5, Kentucky 1
TODAY’S SEMIFINALS
All times Central
Florida vs. Missouri, 3 p.m.
Tennessee vs. Alabama, 6:30 p.m.
SATURDAY’S CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Semifinal winners, 5 p.m.
