FAYETTEVILLE — Six-run innings have been the downfall for Arkansas against Alabama this weekend.

Alabama rallied for six runs in the eighth inning to defeat Arkansas 11-6 before 7, 886 at Baum Stadium. Arkansas led 3-2 before the Tide got consecutive home runs from Brandon May and Kent Matthes and an RBI triple from Tyler Odle.

Alabama finished with five home runs, including back-to-back home runs by Alex Avila and May in the fourth inning against Arkansas starter Justin Wells. Matthes had a home run Friday when Alabama scored six runs in an 11-7 victory over Arkansas on Friday. The two losses sink Arkansas (27-20, 9-13 SEC ) deeper in the SEC standings after the Razorbacks began the day in 10 th place overall in the league. Alabama and Ole Miss are tied for first place in the SEC West with

1 Arkansas 2 / 2 games behind the division leaders. The top eight teams will advance to the SEC Tournament at Hoover, Ala., that begins May 21. Arkansas last failed to make the tournament in 2001, when the Razorbacks finished at the bottom in the SEC West.

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Alabama (28-21, 12-11 ) moved above. 500 in the league for the first time this season and clinched its third consecutive SEC series victory. Arkansas had won its previous three SEC series after losing its first four.

Alabama has pounded Arkansas pitching for 22 runs and 30 hits in two games, and the Tide hit five home runs Saturday for the first time since 2000. Ben Tschepikow hit a three-run home run and a triple for the Razorbacks.

“We’ve been able to put multiple runs together after having some innings where nothing happened,” Alabama Coach Jim Wells said. “The big inning wins a lot of games, and that’s kind of what we’ve been doing lately.”

Wells (3-1 ) settled down and pitched into the eighth after Avila and May’s consecutive home runs in the fourth. The right-hander from Bryant finished with 10 strikeouts, but was charged with eight runs, including the back-to-back home runs to May and Matthes.

Wells was finally lifted for Sam Murphy, prompting a mock cheer from what was left of an announced crowd of 7, 886 at Baum Stadium.

“We’re trying to save [Stephen ] Richards for when we have a chance to win a game,” Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said after Wells allowed two home runs and six hits in the eighth. “Before we knew it, we were down two or three, then it was one run after another. They’ve put together two great innings in two games and it’s hard to overcome that.”

Alabama used some aggressive base running in the eighth to go along with its home run power. Josh Rutledge started the inning with a single and a stolen base. Avila dropped a short single into right field and Rutledge beat the throw home to tie the game 3-3. Later in the inning, catcher Kyle Moore hustled around from first base and scored on a triple by Odle to put the Tide ahead 7-3.

“Rutledge is a good base runner and he saw it on his own,” Wells said of the run that tied the game. “He instinctively knew what to do and our third coach said he didn’t have to wave him in. That’s just good base running.”

Arkansas will attempt to salvage a victory today behind left-hander Cliff Springston, who pitched a complete game in his last start against Ole Miss. Alabama, which began league play by getting swept at Kentucky, will try to sweep Arkansas behind right-hander Robert Phares.

“We’ve got seven [SEC ] games left and every one of them is big,” Matthes said. “It’s still neck-and-neck for a lot of teams, and it would be good to get out of here with another win and take the SEC West title.”