For a team that’s had its share of late-game struggles this season, Friday night in Tuscaloosa felt different.
Arkansas built a lead in the eighth inning and this time didn’t give it back.
The 22nd-ranked Razorbacks survived a ninth-inning scare to beat ninth-ranked Alabama 7-5 in the SEC series opener at Sewell-Thomas Stadium, snapping the Crimson Tide’s 18-game home winning streak in front of 5,075 fans.
The Hogs improved to 22-13 overall and 6-7 in SEC play. Alabama dropped to 26-9 and 8-5 in conference games.
The Crimson Tide hadn’t lost at home since Opening Day against Washington State, the longest such streak in college baseball this season.
Arkansas can take the series Saturday with first pitch set for 4 p.m. on SEC Network.
Parker Coil Slams Door
What made Friday different from so many close losses this year was closer Parker Coil getting the final three outs when it mattered most.
Alabama made things interesting in the ninth when left-hander Ethan McElvain hit Bryce Fowler with a 2-2 pitch and Justin Lebron and Brady Neal followed with singles.
Neal’s two-run hit pulled the Tide within 7-5 and sent the Razorbacks to the bullpen for the third time.
Coil came on and didn’t flinch. He stranded Neal by striking out Eric Hines swinging to end the game and earn the save.
It was the kind of finish Arkansas had been searching for — a lead built late, tested immediately and ultimately defended.
Six Runs, One Inning, One Statement
The rally that gave the Razorbacks the lead they’d eventually protect started with a bang from Camden Kozeal.
He led off the eighth with an opposite-field home run 350 feet to left field against Alabama left-hander Matthew Heiberger, cutting the Crimson Tide’s lead to 3-2.
Brennan Holt then made a strong defensive play at second base to take a hit away from Ryder Helfrick, keeping the inning alive.
Nolan Souza followed with a double down the right field line and scored on Zack Stewart’s one-out RBI single through the right side to tie the game.
After Heiberger struck out Reese Robinett for the second out, Kuhio Aloy smashed a double past third base and Alabama turned to closer Hagan Banks.
He made the pitch he needed — but Baseball America’s No. 4 MLB Draft prospect, shortstop Justin Lebron, couldn’t handle it, committing both a fielding error and a throwing error on the same two-out ground ball.
Lebron’s fielding miscue allowed pinch runner Landon Schaefer to score from third. His errant throw to first let Aloy come home and Arkansas led 5-3.
TJ Pompey made sure there was no doubt. He took Banks deep on the second pitch he saw, a two-run shot 383 feet to left field — to push the lead to 7-3 and cap the six-run frame.
Van Horn’s Challenge Answered
Hogs coach Dave Van Horn had called out his upperclassmen at the start of the week, saying they needed to step up at the plate.
Friday night in Tuscaloosa, they did exactly that — just later than anyone might’ve hoped.
Arkansas had managed just one run through the first seven innings despite starter Hunter Dietz doing his part.
Dietz was sharp in a career-high 107 pitches, allowing three hits and three walks while striking out nine.
The only runs charged to him came on solo home runs when Hines launched one 425 feet over the scoreboard in left field in the second inning with a 110 mph exit velocity and Neal connected for a 379-foot shot to left-center in the sixth to put Alabama ahead 2-1.
Freshmen Flash, Tide Retakes Lead
Arkansas got its first run in the fifth inning thanks to a pair of freshmen.
Christian Turner beat the shift with a single to left field and moved to third when Carter Rutenbar singled in an eight-pitch two-out at-bat.
Turner scored on Kozeal’s RBI double to right-center but Rutenbar was thrown out at the plate trying to score the go-ahead run.
It’s a sequence that summed up the Razorbacks’ offensive frustrations through most of the night.
Alabama reliever Gabe Gaeckle then got into trouble in the seventh. Luke Vaughn drew a leadoff walk and Holt singled after failing twice to lay down a bunt.
Vaughn scored on Fowler’s fielder’s choice RBI to push the Tide’s lead to 3-1 with runners stranded at second and third when Jason Torres struck out to end Gaeckle’s 28-pitch inning.
That’s when Gaeckle was replaced and the Razorbacks finally caught fire.
Alabama Starter Kept Hogs Quiet
Credit goes to Alabama starter Tyler Fay for keeping Arkansas off the board for most of the night.
He allowed one run on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts across six innings on 98 pitches.
The Crimson Tide’s formula was working until the eighth inning unraveled with errors, hard contact and a two-run homer that shifted all the momentum.
Heiberger took the loss, allowing four runs — two earned — on four hits and a walk. Gaeckle earned the win after his one-inning appearance in which he allowed one run on one hit and two walks.
The Razorbacks held on when it counted Friday.
Now they’ll try to back it up Saturday.
