FAYETTEVILLE - The view from the bottom is never pretty. Just ask Arkansas.

Hopeful that this weekend's home series against Auburn would begin a turnaround in Southeastern Conference play, the Razorbacks instead fell further down the ladder. In a game where Arkansas put up little offensive fight - and the Tigers did all the little things right - a 5-2 loss against the Auburn on Friday in front of 2,641 at Baum Stadium now has the Diamond Hogs in unfamiliar and unwanted territory. At the bottom of the SEC standings.

And make no mistake, the Razorbacks (16-12, 2-7) aren't happy to be there.

"I think there's a lot of pressure, but we put that on ourselves," junior second baseman Ben Tschepikow said. "We've got to start winning games. We're what, 2-7 now and we've been in games but we just don't know how to win right now.

"Honestly, it's a little embarrassing right now with the way we're playing. The way we're swinging, defense, pitching, everything is just embarrassing. That's really what it comes down to."

Against the Tigers on Friday, it was the offense which couldn't come through. Aside from a two-run home run by Jeff Nutt in the second inning, Arkansas never seriously threatened. And on the other side, Auburn (19-11, 5-5) did everything it had to do - from sacrifice bunts to stolen bases - to push across plenty of runs for the win.

"I thought our kids executed everything we asked them to," Tigers coach Tom Slater said. "That's probably why we got the win.

"You've got to credit (third base) coach (Bill) Mosiello for making a lot of good offensive calls with the bunts and some of the steals. And then obviously our kids are the ones that have to execute it."

Cliff Springston (4-1) worked eight innings for Arkansas and actually gave the Diamond Hogs a chance, giving up four earned runs while scattering nine hits.

But on this day, the bats weren't willing to help the Razorbacks' pitcher out.

"Realistically we didn't do anything offensively," Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said. "We set it up a couple of times with some runners on base, then we didn't get a big hit. It looked like we kind of broke through with that Tuesday, but obviously tonight was a different situation.

"We just didn't get the big hit, disappointed with that and naturally disappointed with the loss. Give (Auburn) credit. They played well, bunted well, played good defense and their pitcher threw strikes when he needed to. But we just didn't counter offensively."

Now, Arkansas is tied for last in the SEC race along with Mississippi State as the urgency kicks into high gear.

"We've already talked about that," Van Horn said. "I mean that's beating a dead horse, it's not doing anything except making them nervous and getting that look in their eye like fear.

"You know, as a coach right now you've just got to try to get them ready for the game. Hopefully they know how to run the bases, know the signs, know how to bunt and you just let them play and try to keep them motivated."