HOOVER, ALA. (KFSM) – Entering 2017, there had never been a player hit three home runs in a single game in the SEC Tournament. There also had never been a no-hitter thrown in the life of the conference championship.
Arkansas did both of those things in a seven inning, 12-0 rout of Auburn to keep their SEC Tournament hopes alive.
Chad Spanberger blasted three home runs in his first three at-bats, the final being a grand slam in the fourth inning, as Arkansas built an 8-0 lead. The Razorbacks’ first baseman hit a solo home run in the first inning and then added a two-run blast in the third. Spanberger now has a team high 17 home runs on the season and drove in a record seven runs in the game.
The Arkansas pitching staff would not be outdone as they combined to throw the first no-hitter in SEC Tournament history but it wasn’t your average effort. The Razorbacks used three different pitchers and issued seven walks but the combination of Dominic Taccolini, Matt Cronin and Josh Alberius held Auburn hitless and struck out seven.
Cronin entered the game when it was still in question after Taccolini walked the first two batters of the third inning but the left-hander struck out the side to get out of the jam. Spanberger then blew the game open in the next half inning.
Jax Biggers also became the first Arkansas player with two triples in a game.
