Zack Stewart’s impressive hitting, including two home runs, powered No. 12 Arkansas (37-19) to an 8-4 victory over No. 23 Tennessee (38-19) at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. The Wednesday afternoon win in the second round of the SEC Tournament sends the Razorbacks to the quarter-final.
Stewart finished with three RBI. His performance marks his fourth consecutive game with a home run, and his fourth and fifth in that span.
Razorbacks’ Early Offensive Surge
Arkansas came out swinging, scoring five runs on seven hits against Volunteer starting pitcher Evan Blanco. The Hogs hit three home runs in the game.
Camden Kozeal hit a solo shot, his team-leading 18th of the season. Stewart followed with a two-run home run, putting Arkansas ahead 3-0 in the first inning.
TJ Pompey singled to third and advanced to second on a throwing error. Nolan Souza then ripped a double down the right field line, extending the Hogs’ lead to four in the first.
Stewart’s Second Homer Extends Lead
Stewart belted his second home run of the game in the third inning, increasing the Razorbacks’ advantage to 5-0. After hitting three home runs in the final weekend series of the regular season at Kentucky, Stewart’s form has continued into the SEC Tournament.
His season slash line now stands at .283/.409/.600 with 13 home runs and 35 RBI. Stewart is the 49th player in league history and the fourth Razorback to hit multiple home runs in Hoover.
Pitching and Pompey’s Late Homer Secure the Win
Tate McGuire started on the mound for the Hogs, pitching three shutout innings with three strikeouts. Parker Coil, James DeCremer, and Cole Gibler came out of the bullpen and combined for six innings, allowing four runs (two earned) with seven strikeouts.
After Tennessee cut the lead to two, Pompey hit a three-run home run in the fifth inning. It was his 15th of the campaign, extending the lead back to five runs.
- Arkansas secured an 8-4 win.
- It marked their fifth consecutive victory against Tennessee.
- It was their 14th win in their last 16 games against the Volunteers since the 2019 season.
Seventh-seeded Arkansas will play fifth-ranked and second-seeded Texas at 3 p.m. Friday, May 22, on SEC Network. The Razorbacks are seeking their first semifinal round appearance since 2023.