Baseball
Hogs drop final midweek contest to Missouri State
The Razorbacks’ two-out rally brought the winning run to the plate in the ninth inning Tuesday, but they fell 6-4 to the Missouri State Bears.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Innings flew by Tuesday night at Baum-Walker Stadium.
Down to a last out and facing a five-run deficit, No. 4 Arkansas had collected just two hits all game.
They were able to get the winning run to the plate, but they were not able to complete the comeback, losing 6-4 to the Missouri State Bears.
The visitors opened the scoring in the third inning, and for a while, it looked like it may be all they needed to beat the Hogs.
Missouri State left fielder Spencer Nivens took Razorback sophomore right-hander Will McEntire deep to center field for a two-run homer.
Sophomore catcher Dylan Leach responded with a leadoff blast in the bottom of the frame, cutting the lead to 2-1, but Arkansas mustered just one baserunner between that longball and the ninth inning.
Senior righty Kole Ramage took the mound in the fourth, picking up six outs but widening the gap on the scoreboard. Center fielder Hayden Moore doubled with one out in the fifth, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on Nivens’ RBI groundout.
After scoreless outings from senior righty Zebulon Vermillion and junior lefty Zack Morris, things fell apart in the ninth for the Razorbacks.
Sophomore right-hander Heston Tole walked the leadoff batter, who scored on a home run by catcher Drake Baldwin to make it 5-1. The Bears tacked on another insurance run after first baseman Mason Greer’s double and two wild pitches by freshman lefty Nick Griffin.
With two outs and a runner on second, junior second baseman Robert Moore hit an RBI single to get the rally going.
A hit batsman and a throwing error later, senior shortstop Jalen Battles represented the tying run with the bases loaded. He delivered a two-run single and took second base on another throwing error, giving Leach a chance to tie it with a knock.
Leach hit a hard grounder to shortstop, and the Bears recorded the final out to seal the 6-4 victory.
Arkansas is set to play next at 7 p.m. Friday in Auburn, Alabama, for the first of three games against the No. 19 Tigers, who trail the Razorbacks by two games in the standings.
The series opener will stream live on the SEC Network+.
