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HOOVER, Ala. — No. 12 Arkansas (39-20) fell 11-1 to No. 4 Georgia (46-12) in seven innings Sunday at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in the SEC Tournament championship game. The seventh-seeded Razorbacks were seeking their first SEC Tournament title since 2021.
Georgia scored five in the first inning and never looked back, building an 8-0 lead before Maika Niu’s solo home run — his ninth of the season — in the top of the sixth put Arkansas on the board. The Bulldogs answered with three more in the bottom half and retired the Hogs in order in the seventh to close out the run-rule win.
Damian Ruiz (2-for-4, 2B), Ryder Helfrick (2-for-4) and Niu (2-for-3, HR, RBI) each collected multiple hits for Arkansas. Camden Kozeal added a hit and a walk to cap a strong week in Hoover.
Kozeal was one of two Razorbacks named to the SEC All-Tournament Team. Pitcher Gabe Gaeckle also earned all-tournament honors following his six-inning, nine-strikeout performance against No. 5 Texas on Friday.
Arkansas now awaits its NCAA Tournament fate. The full 64-team field, top 16 national seeds, and regional pairings will be announced at 11 a.m. today on ESPN2.
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