State Farm, All-State and Geico combined apparently don’t have enough insurance to cover these Razorbacks.

For upon carrying an 8-2 lead over Auburn into the eighth inning, Arkansas lapsed into a 12-10, 10-inning defeat Sunday closing a three-game SEC West series at Baum Stadium.

Having lost 5-2 to Auburn Friday night before former Texarkana College junior transfer pitcher Justin Wells beat the Tigers, 5-4 Saturday, the Razorbacks (17-13, 3-8 ) still haven’t prevailed in a three-game SEC series in four tries.

They’ll try again next weekend at Florida after hosting Oral Roberts in a 6: 30 p. m. Tuesday nonconference game at Baum Sta- dium.

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Auburn improves to 20-12 and 6-6.

The Tigers seemed certain to stay below SEC. 500 until scoring four in the eighth and four in the ninth and winning it in the 10 th on Brian Fletcher’s 2-run single off reliever Stephen Richards, the left-hander who saved Wells’ Saturday victory.

A two-out, ninth-inning throwing error by shortstop Scott Lyons in the ninth exacerbated the Razorbacks’ worst unraveling since March 14 when they lost a 9-run lead at Baum Stadium in a 15-11 loss to Georgia the second game of the SEC season. One scored on the error and enabled Kevin Patterson to single home the tying run after Fletcher’s infield hit to Lyons.

Arkansas left fielder Jacob House committed a throwing error in Auburn’s 4-run eighth but those eight-inning runs off reliever Shaun Seibert were all earned.

Travis Hill finally retired Auburn in the eighth. He was replaced by Richards in the ninth after Lyons ’ errant throw.

Arkansas squandered big offensive days by center fielder Brett Eibner, 3 for 5 with a 2-run home run and RBI double, and Tim Smalling, 2 for 4 with a homer and 2 RBI, and Chase Leavitt, 2 for 4 with two RBI, and four scoreless innings by freshman middle reliever Kendall Korbal.

For Auburn, Fletcher went 4 for 6 with 4 RBI and a homer, and Hunter Morris went 3 for 4 with a homer and 2 RBI.

Before losing Sunday’s game, Arkansas lost its coach. Dave Van Horn was ejected in the 10 th inning. Van Horn believed home plate umpire Morris Hodges not only missed what he believed was an unchecked swing by Auburn’s Joseph Sanders on a 1-1 pitch called a ball but then failed to act on Arkansas’ request he consult first base umpire Mark Chapman before Van Horn emerged from the dugout and the situation escalated.

First base umpire Chapman may have been distracted. Upon receiving the pitch, initially registered as a strike on the scoreboard, Arkansas catcher Jeff Nutt made a pick-off throw that baserunner Hunter Morris beat back to first.

“ It’s pretty obvious, ” Van Horn said of Sanders ’ swing being unchecked. “ We all knew he swung. I feel like if he had asked him right when we asked him to instead of me having to come out there, then there we go, we are going to get the call. The sad was thing after we finally got him to ask is the first base umpire backed him up. ”

Sanders eventually walked, loading the bases with two out as Matt Hall had walked and Morris was hit by a pitch. That set up Fletcher’s 2-run single to right-center.

Arkansas third baseman Logan Forsythe gave what was left of the attending 6, 831 reason to cheer when he reached into the stands to catch Kevin Patterson’s foul fly.

Some weren’t in a cheering mood. A lingering portion vocally reminded the Razorbacks the game never should have reached a controversial 10 th frame.

No coach would or should condone their methods, but like those caustic critics, Van Horn of course knew this one should have been sealed in nine given Arkansas’ sizzling start.

Lyons ’ miscue opened the gates. And the Razorbacks, after responding to Auburn’s 4-run eighth with two in their eighth on Eibner’s double and Jacob House’s single, never had another base runner after Forsythe walked to lead off the ninth then was sac-bunted to second before Smalling popped up and Leavitt struck out.

“ We had to make the play, ” Van Horn said. “ We didn’t make it and they got them another at bat and another at bat. And you know we had a chance to win in the bottom of the ninth. We had a runner at second and one out and we just didn’t get a hit. ”

So now at fifth place in a six-team division, how can these Hogs regroup ?

“ I don’t know, ” Van Horn said. “ We just have to get through it. That’s a big flip in the standings, a big game right there. ”

It doesn’t get any easier off Sunday’s SEC swoon with Summit Conference champion Oral Roberts (20-7 ) coming Tuesday.

Who pitches against ORU ?

“ We’ll look at it tomorrow and try and figure it out and piece it together as best they can, ” Van Horn said. “ Oral Roberts has a great team. ”