Arkansas wins SEC West with Game 1 win over Florida

Patrick Wicklander reacts during Arkansas' game against Florida on Thursday, May 20, 2021. Picture courtesy SEC Media Pool.
Patrick Wicklander reacts during Arkansas' game against Florida on Thursday, May 20, 2021. Picture courtesy SEC Media Pool.

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas defeated Florida 6-1 on Thursday to clinch at least a share of the SEC West championship in front of 11,084 at Baum-Walker Stadium.

The No. 1 Razorbacks (40-10, 20-8 SEC) also took a big step toward locking up their first conference title since 2004. With the series-opening victory, Arkansas can clinch at least a share of the SEC title with a win in either of the final two games of the series Friday or Saturday.

With Thursday’s loss, the No. 8 Gators (35-17, 17-11) fell out of contention for the SEC crown. Florida is still in contention to win the SEC East.

Arkansas freshman Cayden Wallace hit an opposite-field home run to right field to give the Razorbacks a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning and a three-run homer to left field with two outs in the eighth to put the game out of reach.

Wallace and Arkansas catcher Casey Opitz each had three hits. Opitz, a switch hitter, had an RBI single from the left side of the plate to tie the game in the fourth, and an RBI single from the right side to cap the two-run fifth.

Half of the Razorbacks’ runs came against Florida starter Tommy Mace, who allowed 5 hits, walked 4 and struck out 8 in 4 2/3 innings. Mace (5-1) suffered his first loss this season.

Arkansas starter Patrick Wicklander (5-1) struck out a career-high 11 in a six-inning start. Wicklander struck out the side in the sixth before giving way to the Razorbacks’ star reliever Kevin Kopps, who retired nine of 10 batters he faced in the final three innings.

Kopps pitched through a brief, but heavy rain shower in the eighth inning. He walked Cory Acton with one out, but struck out the Gators’ leadoff hitter Jacob Young and got two-hole hitter Nathan Hickey to ground out to strand a runner at second base.

Arkansas first baseman Brady Slavens made a diving stop on the ground ball from Hickey, then dove to first base to complete the out. It was one of two stellar defensive plays behind Kopps. Third baseman Jacob Nesbit, who entered the game as a pinch runner and defensive replacement in the fifth, fielded a ball bare handed and threw out Kirby McMullen by a step for the second out of the seventh inning.

The Razorbacks clinched a division for the seventh time in program history. Arkansas also won outright or shared the division in 1999, 2004, 2007, 2011, 2018 and 2019.

Mississippi State (38-13, 18-10) can still tie Arkansas in the division race, but the Razorbacks swept the Bulldogs in March and hold a tiebreaker. Mississippi State rallied to defeat Alabama 4-2 on the road Thursday.

Arkansas would clinch the division outright with one more win or one Mississippi State loss this week.

EARLIER

Arkansas 6 Florida 1 - FINAL

Kopps gets a three pitch strikeout to start the inning.

The next batter flies out to left for the second out.

Kopps gets another punch out to end the game.

Arkansas 6 Florida 1 - End 8th

Arkansas hits two fly balls to start the inning. One to center and one to left and there are two outs.

Webb gets ahead in the count 3-1 and ropes a double down the left field line. That ball had so much spin on it that it hit in fair territory then kicked into the stands for a ground rule double.

After two straight balls to Goodheart O'Sullivan comes out to visit with his pitcher. After falling behind 3-0 Florida elects to automatically walk Goodheart to get to Wallace.

Wallace hits a home run over the foul poul in left to give the Hogs a 6-1 lead. The play is now under review. The home run is confirmed. Hogs lead 6-1.

That'll do it for Scott. Jordan Butler in to pitch.

Scott - 1.0IP, 2H, 3R, 3ER, 1BB, 0K, 17 pitches

Slavens' strikes out looking to end the inning.

Arkansas 3 Florida 1 - Middle 8th

Kopps allows a one-out walk, but that's it. He strikes out two and gets a ground ball that Slavens bobbles, but then fields and dives to the bag to get the out.

Arkansas 3 Florida 1 - End 7th

Slavens strikes out swinging to start the inning.

Franklin works the count full and then walks.

Moore strikes out swinging and that's it for Van Der Weide. Right handed Christian Scott in to pitch for Florida.

Van Der Weide - 2.0IP, 2H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB, 3K, 37 pitches

First thing Scott does is throw the ball away on a pick off. Franklin advances to second now. A light to moderate rain has started to fall at Baum-Walker now.

Nesbit grounds out to third. The throw is wide, but the first baseman tags Nesbit before he can reach the bag to end the inning.

Arkansas 3 Florida 1 - Middle 7th

Kevin Kopps coming into the game for Arkansas.

Wicklander - 6.0IP, 3H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 11K, 96 pitches.

Kopps retires the first batter on an easy two hopper to Battles at short.

The next batter hits a slow roller to Nesbit who charges, barehands and gets the runner. The play is reviewed and the call stands.

Kopps gets the next batter to strike out on the cutter to end the inning.

Arkansas 3 Florida 1 - End 6th

I forgot to mention earlier that Nesbit came in to run for Welch last inning and Webb came in to left field in the top of this inning.

Webb leads off the inning with a ground ball to shortstop.

Goodheart gets a good piece of the ball, but flies out to the warning track in right-center field for the second out.

Wallace strikes out on a pitch in the dirt to end the inning.

Arkansas 3 Florida 1 - Middle 6th

Wicklander is dealing. He strikes out the side to give him 11 strikeouts on the day. That's a season and career high for Wicklander. His previous career high was 9 against Georgia this year.

Arkansas 3 Florida 1 - Bottom 5th

Goodheart grounds out on a two hopper to the first baseman.

Wallace sneaks one just inside the pole down the right field line and the Hogs lead 2-1. The ball had the distance, the only question was would it stay fair and it did.

Slavens walks and Mace's pitch count is in the high 90s.

Franklin chases a ball low and away for the second out.

Slavens advances to second on a ball in the dirt.

Moore walks and that will be it for Mace.

Trey Van Der Weide in to pitch.

Mace - 4.2IP, 5H, 2R, 2ER, 4BB, 8K, 104 pitches. Both runners are his responsibility.

Florida brings in the lefty to face Smith and Van Horn counters by pinch hitting Charlie Welch.

Charlie Welch hits a swinging bunt up the first baseline. Since the pitcher is left handed he has to turn and he loses his footing. Bases loaded for Opitz.

Opitz hits a line drive just beyond the reach of the shortstop. Slavens scores and the Hogs lead 3-1.

Battles hits another flare, this time it's caught by the second baseman to end the inning.

Arkansas 1 Florida 1 - Middle 5th

Wicklander walks the leadoff batter after getting behind 3-0.

Wicklander's offspeed gets Thompson looking for the first out.

Opitz blocks a ball in the dirt, but he can't find it. The runner advances to second.

Wicklander gets a strikeout looking for the second out.

Wicklander works around the leadoff walk by getting a flyout to end the inning.

Arkansas 1 Florida 1 - End 4th

Franklin is plunked in the back to start the inning.

Moore strikes out, but the ball gets by the catcher on the third strike so Franklin advances to second.

Smith strikes out on a pitch that he thought was low for the second out.

Opitz comes through again, this time with a single through the right side. Franklin comes home standing up and this game is tied.

Battles hits a flare into center. Opitz was running on the play so he's at third and Battles cruises into second. O'Sullivan comes out to visit Mace. The home fans are calling the Hogs and they are loud.

Gregory strikes out on an offspeed on the outside to end the inning.

Florida 1 Arkansas 0 - Middle 4th

Wicklander gets two strikeouts and a fly out to right in a nine-pitch inning. Just what the Hogs wanted, he had thrown 50 pitches in three innings before that.

Florida 1 Arkansas 0 - End 3rd

Opitz starts things off for the Razorbacks with a double just over the first base bag and down the right field line to the corner.

Battles jumps on the first pitch he sees and flies out to right. Opitz moves to third.

Florida pulls the infield in with one out in the third inning.

Gregory works the count full and then swings at ball four in the dirt to strike out.

Goodheart works a seven-pitch walk to put runners on the corners. O'Sullivan comes out of the dugout and he's going to talk to his pitcher.

Mace walks Wallace on four pitches to load them up for Brady Slavens.

Slavens pops out to center to end the inning.

Florida 1 Arkansas 0 - Middle 3rd

Thompson singles up the middle to start the third.

Wicklander gets ahead of Acton and gets him to strikeout swinging for the first out.

Young tries to bunt, but it's popped up in the air. Wicklander can't quite catch it, but Opitz gets it off the bobble and throws out the lead runner at second. Young reaches on the fielder's choice.

Wicklander gets ahead 0-2, but Hickey gets a hit right over the outstretched glove of Robert Moore. Young moves to third.

Wicklander gets a big strikeout to leave two Gators and keep the score 1-0.

Florida 1 Arkansas 0 - End 2nd

Franklin hits one almost exactly where he caught the last out. The ball is just short of the wall and that's the first out of the inning.

Moore strikes out swinging and the bat slips from his hands and lands in the Florida dugout. Everyone is OK, but Moore put some pace on that swing.

Smith strikes out looking on a call that looked in. He voiced his displeasure.

Florida 1 Arkansas 0 - Middle 2nd

A pop up to short starts the inning for Wicklander.

Calilao hits a homerun over the Razorback bullpen in left field to put the Gators up 1-0. There was no doubt about that one.

Opitz frames a pitch that looked low and out to get a strikeout looking.

Rivera works the count full and gives a ball a ride, but it's caught at the 375 sign in left-center field by Franklin.

Arkansas 0 Florida 0 - End 1st

Gregory strikes out to start the bottom of the first.

Goodheart gets a good piece of one, but hits it to straight away center field for the second out.

Wallace barely makes contact, but the swinging bunt rolls up the third baseline and Wallace is safe at first without a throw.

Wallace steals second on a ball in the dirt that got away from the catcher.

After working a full count, Slavens pops out to left field to end the inning.

Arkansas 0 Florida 0 - Middle 1st

Wicklander sets down the Florida lineup in order.

A pop fly to first, a groundout to third and a strikeout on a 96 mph fastball get the Hogs in the dugout.

Lineups

Florida

LF Jacob Young

C Nathan Hickey

CF Jud Fabian

DH Kris Armstrong

1B Kendrick Calilao

3B Kirby McMullen

SS Josh Rivera

RF Sterlin Thompson

2B Cory Acton

P Tommy Mace

Arkansas

LF Zack Gregory

DH Matt Goodheart

RF Cayden Wallace

1B Brady Slavens

CF Christian Franklin

2B Robert Moore

3B Cullen Smith

C Casey Opitz

SS Jalen Battles

P Patrick Wicklander

Pregame

Arkansas has a one-game lead in the SEC race and a two-game lead in the SEC West entering the weekend. The Razorbacks will clinch at least a share of the division championship with a win Thursday.

Florida trails Arkansas by two games in the SEC race and trails Tennessee by one game in the SEC East entering the series. The Gators are still in the hunt to win both championships.

Arkansas is the third SEC team to win its first nine series, joining the 2013 Vanderbilt and 2018 Florida teams. The Razorbacks have won 10 consecutive series against SEC teams, dating to a 2019 super regional win over Ole Miss.

Florida has won five consecutive series against Missouri, Auburn, Vanderbilt, Kentucky and Georgia.

Arkansas’ Kevin Kopps was named SEC co-pitcher of the week following 6 2/3 innings of relief at Tennessee last week. Kopps allowed a run during the ninth inning of the series finale, which snapped a consecutive scoreless innings streak of 28 — one inning shy of the program record….Florida outfielder Jud Fabian enters the series with an SEC-high 16 home runs.

Arkansas will expand to full capacity at Baum-Walker Stadium for the remainder of the season. Attendance has been limited to between one-half and two-thirds capacity this season

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