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SEC TOURNAMENT - 3rd ROUND AT HOOVER AL

Razorbacks make history in 12-0 win

1664 days ago
SEC Network
Photo: Arkansas Athletics

HOOVER, Ala. -- Three Arkansas pitchers combined for the first no-hitter in SEC Tournament history and Razorbacks junior Chad Spanberger became the first player to hit three home runs in an SEC Tournament game as No. 4 seed Arkansas rolled to a 12-0 run-rule victory against No. 8 seed Auburn.

"I think that the pitchers and hitters kind of feed off each other," said Arkansas LHP Matt Cronin. "Although it makes it more fun out there when you have 12 runs behind you."

Spanberger also set an SEC Tournament single-game record with seven RBIs.

The Arkansas first baseman started early, hitting a home run in his first at-bat to give the Razorbacks a 1-0 advantage. Spanberger struck again in his next at-bat, blasting a two-run shot in the third. The SEC Tournament records were set in the fourth when Spanberger stayed perfect at the plate and crushed a grand slam.

The Tigers didn't give him the chance to do any more damage in his next trip to the plate, intentionally walking him in the fifth. He reached on a fielder's choice in the seventh.

"The grand slam in the fourth put us in pretty good shape, giving us the opportunity to save some pitching and relax a little bit," said Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn.

The first-ever SEC Tournament no-hitter came in the 510th game of the tournament. Senior starter Dominic Taccolini threw two innings and freshman Matt Cronin struck out six batters across three innings. Josh Alberius closed out the game on the bump, keeping Auburn scoreless in the final two frames. It was the 13th no-no in Arkansas history.

"I was just pitching it like any other game," said Alberius. "I wasn't thinking about the no-hitter. I was just out there trying to get outs and hit spots. It's a team effort tonight, it's not just on the pitching staff, it's the defense as well, so it's a great team effort tonight."

Arkansas sophomore Jax Biggers also had a big night at the plate, becoming the third player with two triples in an SEC Tournament game. That mark was last reached in 2000 by Kentucky's Andy Green.

This was first time the Razorbacks have won a run-rule shortened SEC Tournament game, while the Tigers had never played in a run-rule game in the tournament.

UP NEXT: The Razorbacks (40-16) will play in Game 14 Friday night against the loser of Friday's matchup between No. 1 seed Florida and No. 5 seed Mississippi State. The game will air on SEC Network after the conclusion of Game 13. Auburn falls to 35-24 on the season as the Tigers' SEC Tournament run comes to an end.