Hogs allow season-high 8 runs in loss to Vols

Arkansas starter Barrett Astin (17) delivers a pitch as Tennessee left fielder Vincent Jackson leads off from first during the fourth inning Friday, May 10, 2013, at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville.

— Tennessee catcher Ethan Bennett drove in five runs and the Volunteers beat No. 14 Arkansas 8-3 Friday at Baum Stadium.

Bennett hit a RBI single in the the fourth inning and a two-run double in the sixth to give the Volunteers the lead in each of the innings. He also drove in a pair of runs in the ninth with a two-out, two-run single.

The Arkansas pitching staff allowed a couple of season highs by surrendering eight runs and 13 hits to the Vols in the series opener. The Razorbacks are 1-4 in home conference series openers.

Barrett Astin (4-3) started the game on the mound for Arkansas and tied his career high with eight strikeouts, but lasted just 5 2/3 innings after allowing three runs on seven hits.

The Razorbacks used four relief pitchers, Trent Daniel, Brandon Moore, Michael Gunn and Trey Killian, to finish the game. Daniel allowed an unearned run and Moore was charged with the other four runs.

Tennessee starting pitcher Zack Godley (5-6) earned his fifth win of the season by tossing his fifth complete game. The right-handed senior allowed three runs on four hits and struck out eight batters.

Arkansas first baseman Dominic Ficociello answered the first Tennessee lead with a two-run home run that scored Brian Anderson, but the Razorbacks were unable to take the lead back after the the two runs driven in by Bennett in the sixth. The home run was Ficociello’s third of the season and gave him 10 RBIs.

Tennessee (20-26, 7-16 Southeastern Conference) scored a run in both the seventh and eighth innings and added three more in the ninth. A bunt laid down by shortstop A.J. Simcox scored right fielder Pierce Bily in the seventh and left fielder Vincent Jackson hit a solo home run in the eighth. After Bennett’s RBIs in the ninth, Simcox scored the final run of the game on a wild pitch. The shortstop scored three of the Volunteers’ runs.

Arkansas (32-17, 15-9 SEC) cut Tennessee’s lead to one run in the bottom of the seventh with a RBI fielder’s choice that scored Jordan Farris before the Volunteers outscored the Razorbacks 4-0 in the final two innings. The freshman second baseman broke an 0-for-14 hitting slump with a leadoff double in the inning, but that was the last hit the Razorbacks could muster.

The second game of the series between Arkansas and Tennessee is scheduled to start at 6:05 p.m. on Saturday at Baum Stadium and will be televised by Cox Sports Television. Junior right-hander Ryne Stanek (6-2, 1.87 ERA) will take the mound for the Razorbacks and another junior right-hander, Nick Williams (2-3, 4.94 ERA), will get the nod for the Volunteers.