Arkansas Drops Game One of Tennessee Series, 3-1

FAYETTEVILLE – No. 12 Arkansas (35-14) dropped Saturday’s series opener to No. 3 Tennessee (39-5), 3-1, in front of a sold-out crowd at Bogle Park.

Arkansas falls to 35-14 overall and 11-8 in conference play. Saturday’s attendance of 3,410 is the second-highest in program history.

Despite the loss, redshirt senior RHP Chenise Delce (18-6) had a commanding outing in her 15th complete game. Delce spun 7.0 innings and curbed Tennessee to two earned runs on four hits – its fewest hits since April 6 vs. Baylor. The right-hander struck out four and worked around one walk. The Oklahoma City product held Tennessee hitless until the top of the fifth. Delce retired the first eight batters she faced Saturday afternoon. Additionally, Delce retired the side in the first and second frames.

Freshmen Reagan Johnson and Atalyia Rijo led Arkansas with one hit each. Johnson finished 1-for-3 with an RBI and Rijo went 1-for-2 while scoring Arkansas’ lone run of the ballgame. Johnson has recorded a hit in 10 of her last 11 games. Rijo has recorded a hit in back-to-back games. Redshirt junior Rylin Hedgecock walked twice.

Arkansas and Tennessee exchanged zeroes until the fifth. Tennessee jumped on board in the top of the fifth on a solo home run to take a 1-0 lead.

The Razorbacks clawed away at the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Atalyia Rijo smacked a two-out double to right and then Johnson drove her in on a single to center to even it at 1-1.

The Volunteers responded with a two-run top of the sixth for a 3-1 lead. An RBI single and throwing error led to Tennessee’s final two runs.

Up Next

Arkansas looks to even the series at noon CT Sunday on ESPN2. Monday’s series finale is set for 6 p.m. on SEC Network.

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