Razorbacks shut out for first time since ’22

An Alabama freshman pitcher with a 7.88 ERA in three SEC games shut down the No. 1-ranked University of Arkansas baseball team.

Zane Adams, a left-hander who last season played for Porter (Texas) High School, pitched eight innings to lead the No. 17 Crimson Tide to a 5-0 victory over the Razorbacks on Sunday at Sewell-Thomas Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Adams (3-2) matched the eight innings he had combined to pitch in three SEC games — against Georgia, South Carolina and Kentucky — in which he had allowed 7 runs, 10 hits and a .313 opponents’ batting average.

“What an effort Zane Adams gave us,” Alabama Coach Rob Vaughn said. “He had good stuff and mixed pitches. What an effort from the young pup.”

Adams was a mid-week starter before moving into the SEC rotation two weeks ago because junior Hagan Banks sustained a season-ending arm injury.

Prior to Sunday, Adams’ longest outing was 4 1/3 innings against Troy on March 6.

“He threw a lot of strikes and kept some guys off balance,” Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said. “We let some good pitches go by and swung at bad pitches. Got ourselves out a lot.

“But give him credit. He was ahead in the count, and we didn’t get him early. We hit some balls hard early and they went at people. I think our hitters got a little frustrated, pressing a little bit.”

Arkansas (30-5, 12-3 SEC) suffered its first shutout in a 96-game span.

Ole Miss had been the last team to shut out the Hogs in a 2-0 win at the College World Series on June 6, 2022, to end Arkansas’ season.