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Big inning simply too much for Hogs to overcome against Auburn
AUBURN, Ala. — The Auburn Tigers salvaged the final game of a three-game series against No. 1 Arkansas, 8-6. Two late homers propelled the Tigers after the Razorbacks held two separate four-run leads.
“It’s hard to recover when you give up six in one inning,” coach Dave Van Horn said. “We had plenty of chances to score today. We left a lot of runners on. We are swinging the bats better in my opinion. We did swing at too many pitches out of the zone. We’ve got to clean that up a little bit before this week.”
The Razorbacks were held to just one single the first time through the order as Christian Gonzalez pitched three clean innings. However, the Razorbacks broke through in the fourth when Jared Sprague-Lott hit a 3-run homer off the scoreboard in left field. The Richmond transfer had been 2-for-17 to start SEC play. Kendall Diggs tacked on another run with a double into the left-field corner.
Mason Molina started his outing firing on all cylinders, retiring six of the first seven in the first two innings, but loaded the bases in the fourth with one out on two walks and a hit batter. However, like so many times throughout the weekend, the pitching staff worked out of trouble. An infield fly pop-up and a flyout to right kept Auburn off the scoreboard. Diggs added a run with an RBI triple into the right-field corner for Arkansas’ fifth run.
Cooper McMurray, who struck out seven times in the first two games, was Auburn’s hero. McMurray reached his first four at-bats, including an RBI single in the fifth, Arkansas avoided more trouble after Ty Wimsmeyer fired a one-hop strike to third to gun down Cooper Weiss.
In the sixth, Cooper Dossett came on in relief and immediately gave up a lead-off homer to Mason Maners. Gabe Gaeckle then came in and didn’t fare any better, giving up a double and two walks, including a bases-loaded walk to cut the lead to 5-3. Ike Irish scratched another run on a fielder’s choice off Colin Fisher, then McMurray whacked a go-ahead 3-run homer.
The Razorbacks cut the lead in half in the seventh and had the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position, but a grounder right back to the mound off the bat of Wilmsmeyer got Sprague-Lott caught in a rundown attempting to score at home.
“Just too many little missed opportunities to get one here, maybe two there,” Van Horn said. “Runners at first and second or second and third, one out, things like that. We just didn’t drive people in all the time. Credit to Auburn. They fought back after we had them on the ropes.”
Arkansas clinched the series Friday night, but will look to regroup against Arkansas-Little Rock at Baum-Walker Stadium Tuesday 6:30 p.m. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
Helfrick’s late homer delivers win over Auburn without Van Horn
AUBURN, Ala. — It was Ryder Helfrick’s turn this time. Arkansas got a 6-5 win here over Auburn on Friday night and even without coach Dave Van Horn, someone stepped up when it was needed the most.
Van Horn missed the game for a personal matter, according to a press release before the game. In a press conference after a 1-0 win Thursday night, Van Horn said his daughter was in the window to deliver triplets.
Pitching coach Matt Hobbs was the manager Friday night and he was juggling pitchers after starter Brady Tygart got behind 3-0 and then it turned into a race that even included the home plate umpire Jeff Wright getting a fastball in the face mask area that knocked him down in the eighth inning and he was taken out as a precaution. It took over a half-hour to find the equipment for somebody else to take over.
After a scoreless tie going into the ninth inning, Helfrick came in as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning after Parker Rowland was lifted for a pinch-hitter. He had a .105 in 19 at-bats and hadn’t gotten a hit since the Grambling State game.
This time, he took a 90-miles an hour fastball 405 feet over the tall green wall in left field and provided the one-run margin for the Hogs’ 15th straight win. It was his second homer of the year.
The Hogs overcame Auburn leads in the first, third and sixth innings. Relief pitcher Will McEntire closed out the game in the ninth with a pair of strikeouts and a routine ground out.
It might not have been possible except the Tigers couldn’t manage to get people across home plate, despite leaving a small village on the bases during the game.
Tygart struggled with command and lasted only 3 2/3 innings. Tygart allowed 3 runs, 3 hits and 5 walks, and struck out 4.
Auburn starter Chase Allsup allowed 4 runs (3 earned) on 5 hits and 1 walk with 5 strikeouts in 6 innings. Armstrong took the loss after he allowed 2 runs (1 earned) in 2 1/3 innings.
The Razorbacks will go for the second straight sweep in their second SEC series of the year Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. It will be available to see on ESPN+. You can also listen to the game on ESPN Arkansas 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home.
Former pitcher Scott Tabor enjoying watching Hagen Smith, Will McEntire
Razorbacks go on the road and shut out Auburn, 1-0, behind strong pitching from Smith, McEntire, Gabe Goeckle.
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