Arkansas downs LSU, but falls to Texas A&M in SEC Tournament semifinals

HOOVER, Ala. — The Arkansas Razorbacks opened the 2023 Southeastern Conference Baseball Tournament at The Hoover Met with a dramatic Kendall Diggs walk-off, 11thinning solo home run to knock off Texas A&M.

Unfortunately, the Razorbacks couldn’t win the rematch with the Aggies on Saturday to reach the SEC Tournament title game.

The Hogs lost to the Aggies 5-4 after defeating the Louisiana State University Tigers 5-4 on Thursday.

In the semifinal loss to A&M, the Aggies jumped out to a 1-0 lead after three innings and a 4-0 advantage after six innings.

The Razorbacks (41-16) scored once in the seventh inning on Ben McLaughlin’s pinch-hit RBI single to cut the deficit to 4-1, only to see A&M get that run back in the eighth inning.

The Hogs tried to mound a rally as they scored three times in the ninth inning on John Bolton’s two-run double and an A&M error.

Arkansas was just 5-for-21 (.238) with runners on base, failing to take advantage of numerous run-scoring opportunities throughout Saturday’s ballgame.

Caleb Cali ended the game with three hits in a losing effort.

In the win over LSU, for the second time this season, the Razorbacks took down LSU and the SEC Pitcher of the Year as the Hogs tagged Paul Skenes for a season-high five runs in the fourth and held on for the win.

Down 2-0, Arkansas scored five runs in the fourth inning. RBI singles from Cali and Peyton Holt, who won a 10-pitch at-bat, evened the game at two apiece before the Hogs took the lead on a catcher’s interference call with two outs. Jace Bohrofen then ripped a two-run single to put the Razorbacks up 5-2.

LSU chipped away with a run in the eighth inning and a one-out solo home run in the ninth, closing its deficit to one. Arkansas relief pitcher Hunter Hollan would not give in, however, retiring the final two batters of the game to seal the 5-4 win.