By Otis Kirk

Arkansas and Georgia had to wait out a two hour, 45-minute delay on Sunday to start the SEC Tournament championship game, but the Bulldogs made short work of the day with an 11-1 run-rule win over the Razorbacks in Hoover, Ala.

The Bulldogs jumped on starter Tate McGuire for five runs in the bottom of the first and were never threatened after that. The Bulldogs only had 10 hits in the game to nine for Arkansas, but the Hogs just getting the big hit. Dave Van Horn commented on the loss.

"Congratulations to Georgia," Van Horn said. "They played great. Their starting pitcher did a great job against our offense. He gave up a few hits here and there. We just couldn't get the hit and get over the hump."

Paul Farley (8-1) started for the Bulldogs and worked four innings. He gave up six hits and struck out a half dozen batters. Georgia used four pitchers on the day and only the last pitcher, Jordan Stephens, gave up a walk. Farley, Zach Brown, Caleb Jameson and Stephens combined to allow the one run on nine hits, one walk and fanned 11 Razorbacks.

Maika Niu hit a solo home run for the Razorbacks in the top of the sixth off Jameson. The Hogs stranded nine runners on the day including five in scoring position.

"We spotted them a couple of runs there in the first and then they hit the big three-run homer," Van Horn said. "We're down five and we knew we didn't have a lot of things go our way where we were with out pitching. You could see we were a little sluggish and tired. No excuse. Georgia just got after us."

It was designated hitter Jack Alcamone who hit the home run in the first. It was his first at bat in the SEC Tournament. He also hit a two-run single in the bottom of the sixth.

Van Horn was asked if he felt maybe Sunday's game could have gone differently if the Bulldogs didn't get the home run from Alcamone in the first?

"Oh yeah," Van Horn said. "We've been swinging the bat fairly well the last five or six games. We've hit some balls out of the park. Five is a lot different than two. It was a change up and he left it right up there. He hammered it. But they put up five we need to at least score and we didn't do it."

Arkansas has been on the road since heading to Kentucky the Wednesday before that series. As it turns out in a surprise decision Arkansas (39-20) will not be hosting a regional.

"We have been on the road for 12 days," Van Horn said. "We will regroup, get home and be ready to make a run."

Shortstop Camden Kozeal and pitcher Gabe Gaeckle were named to the All-SEC Tournament team. Kozeal was 7-13 in the SEC Tournament with three home runs. Gaeckle pitched six innings out of the bullpen in the win over Texas to pick up his fourth win of the season. In that game, he allowed three hits, walked one and fanned nine. Kozeal felt the team used the long road trip to improve.

"I think we got a lot better," Kozeal said Sunday. "We were gone for about two weeks. The team got closer and stronger. A lot of good memories made."

Georgia added one run in the second, two more in the third and then three in the bottom of the sixth.

The Razorbacks used Parker Coil, Steele Eaves, Cole Gibler, Jackson Kircher and Colin Fisher on the mound. They combined to allow the 11 runs on 10 hits, walked five and struck out six. Gibler pitched two innings Sunday allowing just one walk and striking out two.

"They are a different lineup to navigate than anyone else," Gibler said. "I think we'll be excited to go on the road."

Van Horn didn't know the team wasn't hosting during his press conference, but was asked if he felt the team had done enough to host a regional?

"Yeah, I mean I think we helped ourselves the last couple of weeks," Van Horn said. "I think it's about the whole year. We won seven of 10 series in the SEC and won three games here. We won a lot of teams. I hope we get to play at home."

Georgia (46-12) is ranked fourth in the country. Won the regular season SEC as well as this tournament. The SEC Tournament championship was the first in the school's history.

Arkansas will find out Monday morning where it will play in a regional. It's expected the Razorbacks will be a No. 2 seed wherever they get sent.