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Holt’s big day at plate can’t overcome Hogs’ pitching problems
HOOVER, Ala. — Peyton Holt’s first career multi-homer game was not enough to power No. 5 Arkansas (43-14) past No. 2 Kentucky (40-13) in a 9-6 elimination-game loss Thursday at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in the SEC Tournament.
The Razorback outfielder led the charge offensively, bashing a pair of home runs and matching his career high with four RBI in Thursday’s setback. For the season, Holt is now slashing .309/.409/.468 with six homers and 23 runs batted in.
Working on a pitch count, Razorback ace and SEC Pitcher of the Year Hagen Smith tossed 36 pitches over his two-inning start. The junior left-hander, who was charged with his first loss of the year, struck out four while allowing two unearned runs on two hits and a walk, lowering his nation-leading season ERA to 1.48 and raising his season strikeout total to 154.
Kentucky scored twice in the first inning on a pair of errors before extending its lead to 6-0 with a run in the fourth and three more in the fifth. Arkansas, however, responded with a four-spot in the top half of the sixth, thanks to Wehiwa Aloy’s RBI groundout followed by Holt’s three-run homer – his first of the day – with two outs in the inning.
Aloy collected his team-leading 55th RBI of the season to put the Razorbacks on the board before Holt’s three-run blast cut the deficit to 6-4. Right-hander Brady Tygart made his first relief appearance of the season in the bottom half of the sixth and tossed a scoreless frame before he was tagged by the Wildcats for three runs (one earned) in the seventh.
Trailing by five, Arkansas got one back on Holt’s second homer, which was a one-out solo shot to left in his very next at-bat. Jared Sprague-Lott chipped in with a two-out solo blast in the ninth, but the Razorbacks would come up short, 9-6.
Sprague-Lott was one of three Hogs, including Holt and Stovall (2-for-4), to record multiple hits in Thursday’s game. The senior third baseman, who finished 2-for-5, is slashing .295/.431/.494 with eight homers and 25 RBI on the season.
In relief, Mason Molina also emerged from the bullpen and spun two scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Over his last two appearances, the junior left-hander has tossed five scoreless frames with five strikeouts in relief.
Up next, Arkansas, expected to be one of the top eight national seeds in the NCAA Tournament, awaits its postseason fate. The selection show is scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday, May 27, on ESPN2/ESPNU.
Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.
Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: 5-23-24
With Tye Richardson, Tommy Craft, and Chuck Barrett. Produced by Christian Johnston.
Phil Elson drops in from Hoover, Nick Schmidt joins to talk Hagen Smith’s record-breaking season.
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Ruscin & Zach on Arkansas’ almost win in the SEC Tournament
We are the post game following Arkansas almost win against South Carolina. Then DQ tells us about a new Top 100 albums of all time list and arguments ensue.
Razorbacks can’t manage to rally in ninth; fall to South Carolina
HOOVER, Ala. — Despite a one-out rally in the bottom of the ninth inning, No. 5 Arkansas (43-13) lost to South Carolina (35-21), 6-5, Wednesday afternoon at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in the SEC Tournament opener.
Arkansas, the No. 2 seed, will now play third-seeded Kentucky in an elimination game at 9:30 a.m. Thursday morning on SEC Network with Dave Neal (play-by-play) and Chris Burke (analyst) on the call. Razorback ace and SEC Pitcher of the Year Hagen Smith (9-0, 1.52 ERA) will start on the mound against Wildcat right-hander Trey Pooser (4-1, 4.34 ERA).
South Carolina fended off Arkansas all afternoon, opening the scoring in the top of the first inning before retaking the lead in the third, fifth and ninth. Sophomore right-hander Ben Bybee started on the mound and went 2.1 innings against the Gamecocks, allowing two runs on three hits and three walks with one strikeout before departing the ballgame.
After falling behind by a run in the first, Jared Sprague-Lott’s two-strike single to right in the bottom of the second inning tied the game up. South Carolina retook a one-run lead in the third before Ryder Helfrick’s pinch-hit sacrifice fly scored Ben McLaughlin from third in the fourth inning and evened the game at two apiece.
In relief of Bybee, fellow sophomore right-hander Christian Foutch was the first to emerge from the bullpen, firing 1.2 scoreless innings with three strikeouts to allow the Razorback offense to even the game at two entering the fifth. For the season, Foutch now owns a 0.86 ERA with 19 strikeouts over 21.0 innings of relief work over 18 appearances.
South Carolina used a two-run homer in the fifth to reopen a 4-2 advantage, but Arkansas punched back in the seventh. Following back-to-back leadoff singles by pinch-hitter Will Edmunson and Kendall Diggs, Peyton Stovall, who finished 3-for-5 with two doubles and an RBI, drove in Edmunson from second on an RBI double to straightaway center field.
McLaughlin’s sacrifice fly to left later in the inning scored Diggs from third, as the Razorbacks erased their two-run deficit to tie the game at four. Jake Faherty, meanwhile, tossed two scoreless innings on the mound with three punchouts, raising his season strikeout total to 21 while lowering his season ERA to 1.54 in 11.2 innings over 14 appearances.
True freshman Gabe Gaeckle worked the final two frames, striking out three but allowing a two-run homer in the top half of the ninth. The Hogs, however, would not go quietly when faced with another two-run deficit, scratching out a one-out rally in the bottom of the ninth thanks to three consecutive singles by Stovall, Hudson White and McLaughlin.
McLaughlin’s one-out single to left center scored Stovall from second and cut South Carolina’s lead to one, but Arkansas could not complete the comeback and, ultimately, suffered a 6-5 defeat in its SEC Tournament opener.
Eastside Liquor Halftime Podcast: 5-22-24
With Matt Jones, Christian Johnston, and Colton Little
The guys talk about the SEC baseball tournament, NBA playoffs, PGA Tour and more!
Clay Henry and Grant Hall join!
Grant Hall not expecting long outing from Hagen Smith at SEC Tournament
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Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: 5-22-24
With Tye Richardson and Tommy Craft. Produced by Christian Johnston.
Phil Elson, Joe Tipton and Clay Henry join!
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