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Arkansas Razorbacks' Wehiwa Aloy (9) throws the ball to first base as Arkansas Razorbacks take on Ole Miss Rebels during the SEC baseball tournament at Hoover Met in Birmingham, Ala., on Friday, May 23, 2025. Jake Crandall/ Montgomery Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Aloy's double whammy costs Hogs in SEC quarterfinals against Rebels

Originally posted on Arkansas Razorbacks on SI
By Daniel Shi | Last updated May 23, 2025 8:15 PM ET

HOOVER, Ala. — Arkansas shortstop Wehiwa Aloy had just four errors on the season on 192 chances coming into the game, but a costly error in the first inning opened the door for all five runs in a 5-2 loss in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament.

" Today didn't go well," coach Dave Van Horn said. " But I feel good about our team. I feel good about our pitching. Like you said, defense has been solid. We've swung the bat pretty well statistically if you look at it.

"We've been playing for this all year, to get where we are now. It's like I tell them, you can learn from today, maybe learn from how you felt this week not playing. We're going to have that same type of week, we've got to be a little bit sharper come next Friday."

Because of the new single elimination format, the Hogs are one and done and now await the start of the NCAA Tournament.

"We can see it as a positive and use it as a restful time," second baseman Cam Kozeal said. "Come closer together as a team, spend some time that way, practicing, just spending time together. We're excited to go and compete in the regional."

Starter Zach Root walked the leadoff hitter on a full count but dialed up a can of corn 6-4-3 double play ball on the first pitch to third baseman Luke Hill.

Aloy not only dropped the ball, but also overthrew Reese Robinett at first base, allowing runners on second and third with no outs instead of bases empty, two outs.

RBI singles from third baseman Judd Utermark and right fielder Ryan Moreman gave Ole Miss an early 2-0 lead.

The Hogs got a chance to atone for its mistake with another double play chance, this time down to third baseman Brent Iredale. He only managed a 5-4 fielder's choice with Kozeal's throw dragging Robinett's foot off the bag.

Catcher Austin Fawley made the Razorbacks pay to the fullest extent with a three-run homer.

Fawley Bomb: Hoover Edition@fawley_austin x #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/hJ67AQMLig
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) May 23, 2025

That would be all the offense that the Rebels would need. The eight scoreless innings that followed from the Razorbacks' staff would be in vain.

Only one of the five runs against Root was earned.

Arkansas' offense was held silent for most of the game, managing just solitary runs in the first and second innings.

The Ole Miss quartet of Riley Maddox, Will McCausland, Mason Morris and Connor Spencer held the Razorbacks to just five hits.

Maddox allowed just two runs in 5 2/3 innings of work, striking out seven. He lasted just four innings, allowing three runs with three strikeouts when the teams met in the regular season.

Kozeal hit his 13th homer of the year little-league style. Moreman and center fielder Isaac Humphrey crashed into each other at full speed, taking each other out, allowing Kozeal to circle the bases.

Well, it goes down as an inside-the-park home run but we just hope everyone's ok pic.twitter.com/oHv7wb5lDW
— Arkansas Baseball (@RazorbackBSB) May 23, 2025

Both outfielders remained down for a few moments. Humphrey was able to continue while Moreman was lifted from the game.

”I didn't have a good vantage point sitting in the dugout low,” Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco said. “It looked like Hump [Humphrey] had a beat on it, I thought he was going to run it down, and then all of a sudden Ryan got in there. It's just one of those plays that we've seen so many times in baseball, guys just trying to make a play, and unfortunately those things happen.”

Aloy had a chance to atone for his earlier error in the seventh at the plate. He came up to the plate with runners on second and third with one out representing the tying run.

Morris threw Aloy four straight offspeed pitches to strike him out. Logan Maxwell flew out to end the threat on the next pitch.

The tying run never came to the plate in the eighth or the ninth.

Gabe Gaeckle, Cole Gibler and Christian Foutch combined for five scoreless innings of relief.

Gibler continues his ridiculous strikeout rate, striking out four of the five hitters he faced. He now has 53 strikeouts in 26 2/3 innings.

Gib Nasty pic.twitter.com/auiyG8mYjb
— Arkansas Baseball (@RazorbackBSB) May 23, 2025

Arkansas did cut down a runner at home to end the top of the fourth with a good relay started by Maxwell in right field.

"The message going forward is that we've got to tighten up as a group," Van Horn said. "We can't let that happen again, and we need to have a good week back in Fayetteville and get ready to go."

The Hogs now await its fate on selection Monday to find out who they will play in the regional.

They have almost certainly locked up a Top 8 seed, securing them home field advantage through the first two rounds. The selection show is tentatively scheduled for 11 a.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN2.