Hogs hold off late Alabama rally to keep win streak going

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Arkansas made things look a little closer against the Alabama Crimson Tide on Friday night to open a weekend series with a 5-3. Giving up three runs after getting a 5-0 lead will tend to make things look a little close.er  It also may have had a little to do with Hagen Smith being out by that time after another quality start. Those are getting routine.

The Razorbacks extended their winning streak to 11 games and are on the best 13-game start in SEC play in program history at 12-1. Smith threw six scoreless innings for his fifth shutout performance of the season while lowering his ERA to 1.53. He gave up two hits and three walks while striking out six batters on 96 pitches (56 strikes) and took a no-hit bid to the sixth. The Bullard, Texas, native passed David Walling (283) for third all-time in strikeouts in Razorback history and is 13 punch outs away from tying Matt Carnes for second-most (301).

The Hogs jumped on the Crimson Tide early with back-to-back jacks in the top of the first inning. After Wehiwa Aloy worked a one-out walk, Ben McLaughlin launched his sixth home run of the season to left field and Jared Sprague-Lott followed up with a solo shot to left five pitches later off of Alabama pitcher Ben Hess for his fourth dinger of the year.

Arkansas put up a two-run frame in the top of the third with two outs and runners on the corners after Sprague-Lott was hit by a pitch and Kendall Diggs sent a single to right. Hudson White planted a single to right field for his 11th run batted in of the season while reaching 100 career RBIs. Diggs scored on the next pitch after Hess threw the ball to the backstop to give the Hogs a commanding 5-0 lead.

Alabama put up a three-run rally in the bottom of the eighth to cut the deficit to two and Gabe Gaeckle came out of the Arkansas bullpen to put out the fire with one out and runners on the corners. He struck out pincher hitter William Hamiter and forced Evan Sleight to ground out to second to get the Razorbacks out of the jam in his 12 relief appearance of the season. Gaeckle tossed a perfect ninth inning to obtain his sixth save of the year.