NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Vanderbilt scored three runs in the sixth inning to take the lead, and the sixth-ranked Commodores defeated second-ranked Arkansas, 7-6, in the regular-season finale Saturday at Hawkins Field.
The Commodores (37-17, 19-11 SEC) won the series after dropping the opening game 8-2 on Thursday. Vanderbilt rallied from a six-run deficit in the eighth inning to win 10-8 on Friday.
Arkansas (39-15, 20-10) failed to win the SEC outright. The Razorbacks shared the regular-season championship with Florida.
Because of tiebreakers, Florida will be the No. 1 seed at next week's SEC Baseball Tournament in Hoover, Ala.
As the No. 2 seed, Arkansas is scheduled to play Wednesday at approximately 12:30 p.m. against an opponent that will be determined by a single-elimination game the day before. The Razorbacks will begin play in Hoover during the double-elimination portion of the tournament.
Arkansas relief pitchers Parker Coil and Gage Wood each balked with a runner at third base, and Enrique Bradfield hit a one-out infield single to score Jonathan Vastine as the Commodores took a 7-6 lead in the sixth inning. All three runs were charged to Coil, who allowed three hits and faced four batters.
The Razorbacks failed to score after putting lead-off runners aboard in the seventh and eighth innings. Peyton Holt struck out to strand runners at first and second base in the seventh inning, and Jared Wegner grounded out to strand two runners in the eighth.
Caleb Cali singled with one out in the ninth before Brady Slavens hit into a game-ending double play against Vanderbilt right-hander Nick Maldonado, who earned his eighth save.
Arkansas led on two different occasions. Two runs scored in the second inning after shortstop Vastine threw away a potential inning-ending double-play ball.
Vanderbilt took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the second when Troy LaNeve hit a three-run home run against Arkansas starter Hunter Hollan. It was the second home run of the series for LaNeve, who had not homered prior to a three-run, go-ahead home run in the eighth inning Friday.
Hollan was hit hard six days after throwing a complete game against South Carolina. The left-hander allowed 4 runs on 8 hits, and struck out 4 in 2 2/3 innings.
Arkansas regained the lead, 6-4, with a four-run fifth inning. Kendall Diggs, Slavens and Peyton Holt all had RBI singles, and Caleb Cali was credited with an RBI on a groundout that scored Diggs.
The fifth-inning rally began moments after LSU lost 9-5 at Georgia, which clinched the SEC West title for the Razorbacks and guaranteed Arkansas would finish at least tied for the league's best record.
The Razorbacks claimed their sixth regular-season conference championship and fourth as a member of the SEC. Arkansas has a won league title two of the past three seasons.
This year's championship team joins past SEC champions from Arkansas in 1999, 2004 and 2021. The Razorbacks also won Southwest Conference championships in 1989 and 1990.
Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn has led the team to the last three conference titles. The program's two SWC championships and first SEC title were won under former coach Norm DeBriyn.
Arkansas clinched its eighth SEC West title, four of which have come since 2018. Van Horn, who has coached the Razorbacks since 2003, has won seven division championships.
Arkansas first baseman Brady Slavens runs toward home plate during a game against Vanderbilt on Saturday in Nashville, Tenn. The Razorbacks lost, 7-6, costing Arkansas the outright regular-season SEC championship. (Photo by Camden Hall/Arkansas Athletics)