FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas won the second game of a three-game set against No.8 LSU 4-3 in 10 innings courtesy of a Hudson White walk-off hit. The Razorbacks secured the series and improved to 7-1 in SEC play.
“I just felt like White had swung the bat well all night,” coach Dave Van Horn said. “He lined out to short. I felt good about him getting a hit. I didn’t know he was going to hit a double. But I like the matchup there. It was just a great game. I’m really proud of the team, the way they fought.”
In a cleanly fielded game by both teams, a routine grounder slipped under the glove of shortstop Michael Braswell III with one out in the bottom of the 10th for the first error of the series committed by either team in the series. White hit a double down the left field line. Will Edmunson’s speed proved to be the difference, walking the game off and scoring from first.
“I was just looking for something up and over the plate,” White said. “That’s what I got. I was able to put a swing on it. Will (Edmunson) is a really good baserunner and he was able to score.”
The Razorbacks had its hands full with LSU ace Luke Holman who entered the day with the third-best ERA nationally and tops in the SEC (0.78). Peyton Stovall wasted no time welcoming Holman to Baum-Walker Stadium, hitting the first pitch for a double into the left-center field gap for a leadoff double but Holman recovered to retire the next three Hogs.
After both teams stranded two runners in the second, Stephen Milam led off the top of the third with a single to left out of the nine-hole to set up the inning. Molina looked to have worked in and out of trouble getting to 0-2 on Josh Pearson with the bases loaded and two out, but Pearson got the last laugh, hitting a two-out two-run single to left to open the scoring.
Arkansas bats came to life in the bottom of the fourth. The Hogs put its fourth straight leadoff batter aboard with a Ross Lovich walk. Ty Wilmsmeyer, who continues to give Van Horn good production out of the nine-spot, drove in the first run on an RBI double into the left-field corner. Peyton Stovall tied the game at two with a RBI groundout and Ben McLaughlin followed with a go-ahead double to right. Holman allowed as many runs in the fourth as he had the entire season (three earned runs in 37 2/3 innings).
Molina started the sixth but lost his command, grazing Josh Pearson on the jersey before walking and allowing an infield single to load the bases with no outs. Van Horn opted to turn to Christian Foutch in a tough spot with the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position. After pinch-hitter Ashton Larson tied the game with a sac fly, Foutch got a 4-3 DP off the bat of Milam to extinguish the threat and retire the side. Stovall alertly tagged the runner in front of him on his way to second before throwing to first.
The Hogs put runners in the corners with one out in the bottom of the seventh, Jared-Sprague Lott opted to try and bunt the go-ahead run home, but the first baseman Jared Jones crashed and had ample time to throw out Wehiwa Aloy at the plate.
Outside of the one scare, Griffin Herring had no problem mowing down the Razorbacks, striking out eight in 4 2/3 innings scoreless work.
“It was just sweet winning the game [and] winning the series,” Van Horn said. “Now we have a chance to sweep somebody that’s really good. It’s like I told the players, it’s rare when you get a chance to sweep anybody in this league and if you get a chance, don’t get happy. Show up and play hard.”
The series concludes 2 p.m. Saturday with the Hogs looking to sweep the Tigers. The game will be streamed on SEC Network+.
