For the second time in less than a week, Tennessee will play for its season.

The Vols strung together just two hits--both home runs--in a 4-3 loss to Arkansas in the first game of a best-of-three series in the Fayetteville Super Regional at Baum Walker Stadium on Saturday.

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Tennessee (46-18), which beat Wake Forest in a winner-take-all game last Monday, needs a win in Game 2 on Sunday to extend its season another day and keep its hopes of another College World Series run alive.

Dean Curley recorded the Vols' first hit in the top of the fourth inning with a two-run homer that gave Tennessee the lead. Andrew Fischer provide the other with a solo shot that pulled it within a run down to its final two outs.

Other than that, the Vols struggled against Razorbacks' (47-13) starting pitcher Zach Root, who struck out six and allowed just one hit and two runs in 7.0 innings of work.

Vols' starter Marcus Phillips allowed eight hits, four runs and struck out five in 5.1 innings.

Marcus Phillips was in trouble early.

The starting Tennessee pitcher gave up a four-pitch walk against the first batter he faced in the bottom of the first inning, then an infield single allowed another runner to reach to put two on with one out for Arkansas.

Ryder Helfrick stepped up to the plate looking to take advantage of the two base runners, but his grounder to Gavin Kilen at short set up a 6-4-3 double play that got Phillips and the Vols out of the inning unscathed.

The momentum didn't carry over to the plate in the following frame. Tennessee went down in order for the second-straight innings, and back-to-back hits to lead off the bottom second put two on for the Razorbacks again--this time with no outs.

Phillips came back with his first strikeout, and inched closer to getting the Vols out of the inning with a ground out that moved both runners into scoring position. But an 0-1 pitch was in the dirt and then off of Stone Lawless, scoring Cam Kozeal from third and giving Arkansas a 1-0 lead.

Phillips tossed his second strikeout in the following at-bat to limit the damage there. He continued to make things hard on himself, though.

The Razorbacks loaded the bases with just one out in the third, and were threatening to add to their lead when Kozeal grounded into another timely double play that kept the Tennessee deficit at one run.

Despite the Vols' defensive efforts to keep Arkansas from adding to its lead, the offensive woes continued into the fourth. Tennessee had no answers for Zach Root, who hadn't given up a hit through four frames.

After Phillips stranded a runner in scoring position in the bottom fourth, Dalton Bargo reached on a fielding error to become the Vols' first base runner in the top fifth. Dean Curley delivered Tennessee's first hit--a two-run home run to left-center to go up 2-1.

Arkansas hit back in the bottom frame. After Wehiwa Aloy drew a walk, Helfrick homered to left to pull the Razorbacks in front again at 3-2.

The Vols were unable to respond in the sixth after Kilen drew a one-out walk. Andrew Fischer grounded into an inning-ending double play in the next at-bat.

Brent Iredale singled through the right side in the bottom sixth and Tennessee went to the bullpen for the first time. Phillips was pulled and replaced by Dylan Loy, but his outing was brief after giving up a single against the batter he faced.

Brayden Krenzel took over for Loy and a fly out recorded the second out, before Brandon Arvidson replaced him. Charles Davalan singled to left center and Iredale scored to stretch the Razorbacks' lead to 4-2.

Aloy nearly added three more runs to that lead when he sent an Arvidson to the wall in right. Reese Chapman snatched it there to keep the Vols within striking distance heading into the seventh.

Tennessee made up some of that distance down to its last two outs in the ninth when Fischer homered to right to cut the Arkansas lead to 4-3, but a ground out and strikeout followed to send the Vols into another elimination game.

Tennessee and Arkansas will play Game 2 on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET.

A win for the Razorbacks will punch its ticket to the CWS in Omaha next week. A Vols victory will force a winner-take-all Game 3 on Monday.

Game 2 will are on ESPN.

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