Alabama scored six runs in the fifth inning and the Crimson Tide rallied to beat fifth-ranked Arkansas 8-6 on Friday to even the series at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
The Razorbacks (38-15, 18-11 SEC) potentially missed on an opportunity to clinch a share of the SEC West title. Arkansas entered the day in a tie with Texas A&M for first place in the division, and the Aggies trailed Ole Miss 11-6 in the sixth inning at the time the Razorbacks’ game ended.
Saturday is the final day of the regular season. Arkansas is scheduled to play Alabama at 1 p.m. and Texas A&M is scheduled to play Ole Miss at 1:30 p.m.
Arkansas starting pitcher Connor Noland and reliever Zack Morris combined to allow five hits and two walks in the fifth inning, which saw Arkansas’ 4-1 lead turn into a 7-4 deficit.
Alabama catcher Dominic Tamez, who began his career with the Razorbacks, chased Noland with an RBI single that pulled the Crimson Tide within 4-3. After Morris walked Zane Denton to load the bases, Tommy Seidl hit an RBI single that dropped near the sliding glove of right fielder Chris Lanzilli to tie the game.
Owen Diodati followed with a two-run single to right field to give Alabama a 6-4 lead. Morris was chased when Seidl scored on a bunt back to the pitcher by Jim Jarvis.
Morris, who has been one of Arkansas’ most trusted relievers during the second half of the regular season, faced four hitters and did not record an out.
Noland was the losing pitcher in a 4 1/3-inning start that included 5 runs, 8 hits, 2 walks and 4 strikeouts. It was the first time this year Noland started the second game of a series. Will McEntire started Thursday’s series opener in order to give Noland an extra day of rest.
Alabama (28-25, 11-17) added to its lead when Andrew Pinckney led off the sixth inning with a solo home run against Zebulon Vermillion to put the Crimson Tide ahead 8-4.
The Razorbacks cut the lead to 8-6 in the seventh inning on Lanzilli’s two-out double that scored Cayden Wallace and Robert Moore.
Lanzilli came back to the plate with Wallace and Moore aboard in the ninth inning, but he struck out swinging at a 1-2 breaking pitch from Dylan Ray.
Arkansas stranded seven base runners. Both teams had 11 hits.
Ray entered the game to create a right-on-right matchup against Laznilli and earned his sixth save. He replaced left hander Brock Guffey, who pitched two scoreless innings.
Braydon Webb led off the eighth inning with a single against Guffey, but he was erased when Jalen Battles grounded into a double play. Wallace singled to the opposite field on a two-strike pitch to lead off the ninth and Moore’s single through the left side brought Lanzilli to the plate.
Lanzilli went 3 for 5 with 3 RBI. His two-out single to left field in the top of the fifth inning put the Razorbacks ahead 4-1. It followed a two-out RBI double by Michael Turner that scored Battles.
Arkansas went ahead 1-0 in the second inning when Battles’ ground out allowed Brady Slavens to score from third base. Slavens added an RBI single to right-center field in the fourth inning to score Lanzilli, who led off with a double.
Noland retired Alabama’s first seven batters, but ran into trouble in the third. The Crimson Tide had two infield hits and a walk to load the bases before Noland struck out Pinckney looking to strand three.
Alabama led off the fourth with three consecutive singles against Noland, including an RBI hit by Denton to cut the Arkansas lead to 2-1.
It was the third consecutive start in which Noland allowed five runs. Thirteen runs have been earned during that stretch, including all five runs Friday.
Alabama right hander Jacob McNairy won his sixth game with a five-inning start. McNairy allowed 4 runs, 6 hits and 3 walks, and struck out 7.
The Crimson Tide clinched a spot in the SEC Tournament with the victory. Arkansas will be the No. 2 or No. 3 seed at the tournament.