Liam Doyle struck out 10 batters, but gave up 11 hits and three home runs as No. 8 Arkansas evened its series with No. 17 Tennessee with an 8-6 decision at Baum-Walker Stadium late Friday.

Doyle, the Vols' ace moved into a Game 2 starting role, got off to a rare shaky start and Tennessee's (41-14, 16-13 SEC) bats were unable to overcome it after the Razorbacks (42-12, 19-10) took the lead for good in the fourth inning.

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Doyle (9-3) went 4.2 innings and was responsible for allowing all eight of Arkansas' runs. Relievers Austin Breedlove, Brandon Arvidson and Tanner Franklin combined to allow just two hits over the last 2.4 innings.

After the Vols put together their best hitting performance in weeks in a 10-7 win in Game 1 on Thursday, the Tennessee lineup totaled a game-best 14 hits, with Andrew Fischer going 3-of-5.

Cannon Peebles was 2-of-4 with two RBI and Levi Clark cut the Vols' deficit to two run with a two-run home run in the seventh. Tennessee put the tying run on base in the eighth and at the plate in the ninth, but couldn't take advantage.

Brent Iredale, Ryder Helfrick and Logan Maxwell each homered for Arkansas.

Liam Doyle was in some rare trouble in the bottom of the first inning.

Charles Davalan led off with a single and Logan Maxwell singled to left-center to post runners on the corners for Arkansas with just one out. Then Doyle tossed back-to-back strikeouts and got Tennessee out of the frame unscathed.

The momentum carried over to the offense in the top second when Dean Curley doubled to right-center to lead-off the frame. Two outs followed, but Cannon Peebles paid off Curley with a single to left that scored him and gave the Vols a 1-0 lead.

Manny Marin followed it up with a single, but Tennessee was unable to add more before the Razorbacks answered in the bottom half.

Following another lead off single, this one from Cam Kozeal, Brent Iredale homered to left-center to put the Razorbacks up, 2-1 with no outs.

Justin Thomas Jr. singled and Davalan doubled to right-center for Arkansas' fifth and sixth hits in just two innings and it put two on with one out.

Kuhio grounded out to score another run and stretch the Razorbacks' lead to 3-1, though Doyle held the deficit there with his fifth strikeout through two.

Looking to respond, Andrew Fischer smacked a lead-off double to the gap in right-center to give the Vols a runner in scoring position to begin the third. Dalton Bargo delivered with a double of his own to the corner in left and Fischer scored to cut the Arkansas lead to, 3-2 with one out.

An infield single from Curley gave the Vols runners on the corner and led the Razorbacks to a pitching a change. Cole Gibler was called out of the bullpen and got a strikeout, but his walk of Levi Clark loaded the bases for Tennessee.

Peebles came through again, knocking a single to center and scoring Curley and Bargo to put the Vols back in front at 4-3.

Doyle's struggles continued in the bottom third, though. He gave up a lead-off walk and then allowed his second home run off of Ryder Helfrick for another lead change that put Arkansas up, 5-4.

Tennessee's bats were silent in the fourth, and the Razorbacks extended their lead to 6-4 in the bottom frame when Maxwell homered to right with one out.

Doyle was one out away from getting out of the bottom fifth still down a couple of runs, but Thomas singled to short and Iredale scored on a throwing error. Davalan singled to right in the next at-bat and the Arkansas lead was 8-4.

The sequence ended Doyle's night and Austin Breedlove replaced him. Peebles gunned a throw to Gavin Kilen to snuff out Davalan's steal attempt at second.

Tennessee tried to get something going in the sixth when Andrew Fischer doubled to right with two outs to put two on, but both runners were left stranded when Hunter Ensley lined out to right.

The Vols recaptured some life at the plate in the seventh when Clark sneaked a ball over the glove of Maxwell and the wall to score two runs and trim their deficit to 8-6 with two outs.

The defense provided a jolt in the bottom seventh when Kilen charged a ball, stepped on the bag at second and darted it to Fischer at first to complete a 6-3 double play that kept Tennessee within two going into the eighth.

Marin wore a pitch to start the eighth and Fischer singled through the right side to again give the Vols runners on the corners with one out. But Ensley grounded into a double play and Tennessee came away empty-handed.

Tennessee and Arkansas will play in the series finale on Saturday.

It will be the final game of the regular season for both teams before the SEC Tournament begins at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama next week.

The Vols are slated to start freshman right-handed pitcher Tegan Khuns (2-2, 3.78 ERA), while the Razorbacks are starting right-hander Gage Wood (1-1, 5.51 ERA).

First pitch is set for 3 p.m. ET on SEC Network.

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