No. 3 Arkansas (47-13, 20-10 SEC) picked up a huge win over No. 14 Tennessee (46-18, 16-14 SEC), 4-3, on Saturday evening in Baum-Walker Stadium in the first game of the Fayetteville Super Regional. The Razorbacks are one win away from reaching the 2025 College World Series, while the Volunteers have to come back down 1-0 in the series.
Arkansas baseball vs Tennessee: Fayetteville Super regional, game one
Arkansas got on the board first in the bottom of the second inning. 2B Camden Kozeal rocketed a leadoff single up the middle, and DH Kuhio Aloy reached on an infield single to place runners on first and second. 3B Brent Iredale struck out looking, and 1B Reese Robinett grounded out to first to move the runners into scoring position. Tennessee RHP Marcus Phillips threw a wild pitch that allowed Kozeal to score from third to give the Hogs a 1-0 lead. CF Justin Thomas Jr. struck out to end the inning.
Tennessee took the lead in the top of the fifth with LF Dalton Pargo reaching on an error at first to open up the frame. 2B Dean Curley followed up by crushing a two-run home run for his 14th bomb of the season. LHP Zach Root retired the side in order after allowing his first base hit of the game, but not after the Volunteers took a 2-1 lead.
Arkansas began the bottom of the fifth with both CF Charles Davalan and SS Wehiwa Aloy grounding out. RF Logan Maxwell drew a two-out walk, and C Ryder Helfrick crushed a two-run homer to left field to hand the Razorbacks the lead back. It was his 14th homer and the ball traveled at just 85 MPH.
The tempers began to boil over in the top of the sixth, with Andrew Fisher at the plate. In his earlier at-bat, the Tennessee antics we all know and love began to take over for the Vols first baseman. But in the sixth, it was Root who had the last say after Fisher hit into a double play. Afterward, both dugouts were given a warning by the umps.
Disclaimer: I’m all for letting the kids play
— Noah Bieniek (@NoahB77_) June 7, 2025
However we’ve seen players ejected and suspended for much less than this in a postseason college baseball setting.
Zach Root was way overboard here. Warning both teams for this was a slap in the face to Tennessee. pic.twitter.com/Er1wTGi6ii
DH Kuhio Aloy led off the bottom of the sixth by grounding out, but Iredale singled through the left side. Phillips was relieved by LHP Dylan Loy, who gave up a single to Robinett on the first pitch he threw. Loy was immediately relieved by RHP Brayden Krenzel. Thomas flew out to right center on three pitches, and Tennessee made another pitching change with LHP David Brandon Arvidson taking over on the mound.
Davalan jumped on him with a two-out RBI single to left center to cash in Iredale from second to extend the Arkansas lead to two, 4-2, while Robinett advanced to third. Wehiwa Aloy flew out to right field with Volunteer RF Reese Chapman taking away a potentially extra-base hit at the wall to end the inning.
Root was excellent through seven innings in his 17th start of the year while allowing two runs (one earned), a hit and two walks with six strikeouts on 92 pitches (60 strikes). He was relieved by RHP Gabe Gaeckle to begin the top of the eighth. He went on to retire the side in order.
After Gaeckle recorded the first out of the top of the ninth by making SS Gavin Kilen foul out to left, 1B Andrew Fischer hit a solo shot to right field to cut the lead to one to give Tennessee a chance for a late comeback. Gaeckle locked in and made CF Hunter Ensley ground out to short and got LF Dalton Bargo to strike out. He picked up his second save of the year in his 17th appearance of the season on 25 pitches (15 strikes).
The Razorbacks and the Volunteers will meet back up in Baum-Walker Stadium for the second game of the Fayetteville Regional on Sunday. The first pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.