GAME OVER
Well, that's all she wrote. The Gators couldn't muster a comeback in the bottom of the ninth, though they really, really tried.
Mooney walked to start the inning, prompting an Arkansas pitching change, and Avery Barnes got a single right of the pitcher to put two batters on base with no outs. It marked the third time in the game UF had two runners on with no outs.
Jonathan Pigott followed by nearly lining a ball underneath the third baseman's glove, but the defender made a great play to dive, catch the ball and throw Pigott out at first. Both runners moved up, and then Preston Tucker walked to load the bases.
But instead of a miraculous, walk-off grand slam, Josh Adams hit into the game-ending double play. Tough luck.
The Gators are now 0-5 in the postseason under Kevin O'Sullivan, and they will play the loser of the No. 6 Georgia vs. No. 3 Mississippi game tomorrow at 10 a.m. central time, or 11 a.m. back in Gainesville.
MID NINTH
Justin Poovey comes in for UF to retire the Razorbacks in the ninth. He gets one out right away, but then Arkansas extends their lead to three runs with a solo homer from Zach Cox.
Cox was intentionally walked earlier in the game to load the bases, and now we see why he was so dangerous. That might be it for the Gators.
The inning ends shortly after that, but the damage was done. It's time for a miracle comeback for UF.
END EIGHTH
The inning starts off decently well for the Gators - a McArthur walk gets the leadoff runner on base - but then things go back to normal for the team without offense for the last four innings.
A ground out, a strikeout and a fly out end the inning. UF has just three outs left in this game to make up the deficit.
If it's any consolation, the first game of the SEC Tournament last year saw a ninth-inning comeback from LSU and then a win for the Tigers in the 10th inning. I'm just saying.
MID EIGHTH
Another error for the Gators winds up costing them a run. Mike Mooney at short boblbed a ground ball and the runner reached first base. Larson got the next batter out, and then O'Sullivan replaced him with another true freshman - Alex Panteliodis.
Panteliodis' first act of duty was to give up an RBI single, doubling the Razorbacks' lead. UF now has two runs to make up.
It could have been worse, but Mooney made a nifty running catch in the short outfield grass to prevent another run from scoring. Six outs left for UF.
END SEVENTH
Well, that was fast. Again, the Gators are going three up, three down. After a first half of the game that saw 11 runs cross the plate, we've got nothing in the fifth, sixth or seventh.
MID SEVENTH
Larson should be commended for his effort. He gets a quick groundout, then intentionally walks a hitter (Zack Cox) with 25 home runs on the season, but then got the next batter to ground out right back to him. The inning ends without Arkansas adding to its lead.
TOP SEVENTH
That does it for Tony Davis. After walking the first two batters of the seventh inning, Davis got one out on a bunt pop-out and left the game.
UF coach Kevin O'Sullivan has decided to switch to freshman Greg Larson. It's a big stage for the true freshman, but he has to get UF out of a jam.
END SIXTH
Well, the sixth inning went by about as fast as the fifth. The Gators had a runner on base, but a line drive out resulted in a double play because a UF runner was caught off-guard. The score remains the same, 6-5 in Arkansas' favor.
Three innings remain for UF to make a comeback.
END FIFTH
Well, the Razorbacks answer with a 1-2-3 inning of his own. This game is finally speeding up.
MID FIFTH
Is that a 1-2-3 inning I see? For the first time all game for the Gators, the Arkansas bats are silenced for three quick outs. Tony Davis is getting it done.
END FOURTH
Slowly, UF is getting back into this game. A 4-run lead for Arkansas is down to 3 after a long inning for the Gators. After a leadoff single from Matt den Dekker, the center fielder finally scored on a wild pitch from Keuchel. The pitcher was then pulled from the game.
A couple of walks later, Preston Tuck hits a ball very weakly through the middle for a two-RBI single. He crushed the ball in his first two at-bats, and in his third at-bat, he hits it slowly and gets the best result.
MID FOURTH
Davis comes in and gets his first batter out no problem. Mercifully, the inning ends for UF.
TOP FOURTH
Well, there goes UF's lead. It was very short-lived.
A throwing error by Tucker prevents the Gators from (presumably) turning the double play, or at least getting a lead runner at second base with one out. So instead, the inning continues, and with two outs, a pinch hitter for Arkansas in the ninth spot in the order gets a single up the middle to tie the game.
The next batter hits a bloop single over Mooney, and the Razorbacks have a 3-2 lead. Both runs are unearned because of Tucker's throwing error. After a walk, Travis Sample hit a double just under Brandon McArthur's glove at third base, and all three runners on base came home to put Arkansas ahead 6-2.
That marked the end of Locke's day, and the Gators have some work to do now to make up the deficit. Tony Davis comes in to replace Locke.
END THIRD
For the second straight inning, the Gators got runners on first and second base with no outs, both on walks this time.
A nice bunt from Pigott moved both runners - Mike Mooney and Avery Barnes - into scoring position for the bat of Preston Tucker. Tucker hit another laser, but this one went right to second base. Mooney scored on the ground ball, and then the Razorbacks' second baseman bobbled the ball while trying to throw to first for the easy out.
Tucker reached first safely, and both runners moved up on a double steal during Josh Adams' at-bat. After a long at-bat, Adams grounded out to second base - this time without a bobble from the second baseman - and Barnes scored from third to give UF the lead. Another groundout from McArthur ended the inning.
UF scored two runs on no hits in that inning.
MID THIRD
An incredibly long half-inning just took place despite there being only one baserunner. Locke seemed extremely worried about keeping the runner on first base, and instead lost focus on batters.
But after all the pickof attempts, the Gators made it out of the inning without giving up another run. Arkansas' lead is still just one.
END SECOND
Right after Arkansas took the early lead, the Gators nearly struck back with a run of their own. A leadoff single from Josh Adams and a walk from Brandon McArthur put runners on first and second base with no outs.
A sacrifice fly from Matt den Dekker put Adams on third with one out, but Teddy Foster struck out and Hampton Tignor popped into foul territory to end the UF threat. Close, but no cigar.
MID SECOND
Arkansas' Zack Cox led off the inning with a double to left-center field, putting pressure on Locke right away. The lefty got the next batter to hit a line-drive out, but UF third baseman Brandon McArthur tried to throw to second base for the double play. Instead, the ball went over the runner's head and into right field, allowing Cox to move to third.
The next batter grounded out to shortstop, but Cox easily made it home. Arkansas' inning ended on the next pitch, but the Razorbacks strike first.
END FIRST
Keuchel got off to a great start, striking out Avery Barnes on three pitches. Jonathan Pigott did the same thing, and Preston Tucker really got a hold of a pitch, sending to right field.
But here in Regions Park, the dimensions are way bigger than back home at McKethan Stadium, so the ball only went to the wall. Arkansas right fielder Chase Leavitt made a great leaping catch to record the third out. That would have been a line-drive home run in Gainesville, but Tucker still made great contact.
MID FIRST
With a runner on second base and two outs, Arkansas first baseman Andy Wilkins hit what almost surely would have been an RBI single up the middle. But instead, the second-base umpire got in the way and was hit by the ball.
The ruling on the field kept the runner at second base for some reason - he should have at least been allowed to get to third base. So he didn't score, and then the next batter popped up to shortstop on the very next pitch.
Arkansas can't be happy with that, and Locke got very lucky that no runs scored.
PRE-GAME
Well, we're here at Regions Park in Hoover, Ala., for the SEC Baseball Tournament. We've got all the Dr Pepper you would ever want, plenty of Golden Flake chips and a nice view from the press box upper deck.
They're announcing the starting lineup now for both teams, and the Gators and Razorbacks are set to throw the first pitch in a few minutes.
The pitching matchup today is between UF's Stephen Locke (4-1, 4.88 ERA) and Arkansas' Dallas Keuchel (7-3, 3.89). Arkansas, the No. 7 seed in the tournament, will be batting first against the No. 2-seeded Gators.
