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Hogs fall to Bama in OT after controversial no call to end regulation
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Hogs finish off sweep of McNeese State, 18-5
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Powered by Ben McLaughlin’s four hit-day and Ross Lovich’s four-RBI game, No. 2 Arkansas (13-2) completed its weekend sweep of McNeese (8-8) with an 18-5 run-rule on Sunday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium.
The Razorbacks, winners of 30 consecutive non-conference home weekend series, picked up their second series sweep in as many weekends after taking all three games against Murray State at Baum-Walker Stadium one week ago.
Arkansas posted crooked numbers in the third, fifth and sixth innings to power its way to its fifth run-rule win of the season. Two-out RBI singles from Peyton Stovall (2-for-5, 2 RBI), Wehiwa Aloy (1-for-4, 1 RBI) and McLaughlin (4-for-5, 2B, 3 RBI) in the bottom half of the third helped the Hogs jump out to an early four-run lead.
Starter Mason Molina worked three scoreless innings before McNeese broke through with a run in the fourth and four more in the fifth to take a 5-4 lead, their first of the weekend series. Molina, the junior left-hander, departed the game in the fifth, finishing his afternoon with four strikeouts but four runs allowed on three hits and three walks.
The Cowboys’ one-run lead would not last long, however, as the Razorbacks answered with six runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth to retake control of the game. Ty Wilmsmeyer (2-for-3, 2 RBI) put Arkansas back in front with his two-RBI single before Lovich (1-for-4, 4 RBI) blasted a three-run homer, his first as a Hog, to extend the lead to 10-5.
Arkansas added eight more runs in the bottom of the sixth, capitalizing on five walks, four hits and one hit-by-pitch to put the game away for good. With the 10-run rule in effect, right-handers Gage Wood and Dylan Carter combined to work a scoreless top half of the seventh and secure the Razorbacks’ series-sweeping 18-5 win.
Wood, who was credited with the win to improve to 2-0 on the year, struck out three over 2.1 innings of one-run ball in relief. Carter, meanwhile, made his season debut in his return from Tommy John surgery, retiring both batters he faced.
The Razorbacks, now riding a nine-game winning streak, return to action Tuesday, March 12, for their final tune-up before SEC plays begins this weekend. Arkansas will host longtime adversary Oral Roberts in the first night game this season at Baum-Walker Stadium, with first pitch between the Hogs and Golden Eagles set for 6 p.m. on ESPN+.
Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.
Hogs sweep Cowboys, clinching last non-SEC series
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — No. 2 Arkansas (12-2) swept Saturday’s doubleheader against McNeese (8-7), holding off the Cowboys, 3-1, in game one before earning an 11-1 run-rule win in the nightcap at Baum-Walker Stadium.
With the pair of wins, the Razorbacks clinched their 30th consecutive non-conference home weekend series. Arkansas has not lost or tied a non-conference regular season weekend series at Baum-Walker Stadium since dropping two-of-three games against South Alabama during the 2014 campaign.
The Hogs will go for their second consecutive weekend series sweep in tomorrow’s finale against the Cowboys. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday, March 10, on SEC Network+ with left-hander Mason Molina set to take the mound.
Game 1: No. 2 Arkansas 3, McNeese 1
Arkansas ace Hagen Smith struck out nine on 64 pitches over four scoreless innings in the Razorbacks’ 3-1 series opening win. The junior left-hander, working on a pitch count, allowed just one hit while issuing three free passes in the outing.
Wehiwa Aloy’s RBI single in the third, and Hudson White’s RBI double in the fourth was all Smith needed. Win the win, he improved to 2-0 with a 2.12 ERA, 40 strikeouts and a .107 batting average against in 17.0 innings on the year.
Smith raised his career strikeout total to 239 with Saturday afternoon’s pitching performance to move past Razorback great Kevin Kopps (232) for sixth most all-time in program history.
In relief of Smith, veteran Will McEntire fired two innings of one-run ball with a pair of strikeouts. True freshman Gabe Gaeckle, meanwhile, tossed the final 2.2 innings to earn his third save of the season, striking out three along the way.
Ben McLaughlin (2-for-4, 2B) and White (2-for-4, 2B) finished with multi-hit games to lead the Hogs’ offense. Peyton Stovall, making his season debut after breaking his foot in the preseason, went 1-for-4 in his return to the lineup.
Game 2: No. 2 Arkansas 11, McNeese 1 (8)
A one-run contest through four innings of play, Arkansas broke out for four runs in the fifth, one in the sixth and five more in the eighth to cruise to an 11-1 run-rule win against McNeese in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader.
The Hogs mashed four home runs in the nightcap, including Kendall Diggs’ game-winning solo shot in the bottom of the eighth. Jayson Jones (1-for-4, 1 RBI), Wehiwa Aloy (2-for-3, 4 RBI) and Stovall (2-for-4, 3 RBI) also went yard in game two.
Peyton Holt (2-for-3) and true freshman Nolan Souza (3-for-4), meanwhile, turned in multi-hit games in the Razorbacks’ lopsided series-clinching win. Through his first eight collegiate games, Souza, the Honolulu, Hawai’i, native, is slashing .400/.538/.600 (8-for-20) with four runs scored, two doubles, one home run, five RBI and two stolen bases.
On the mound, right-hander Brady Tygart was impressive yet again. The junior fired four scoreless innings with eight strikeouts, allowing just three hits while walking a pair of batters to lower his season ERA to a microscopic 0.90.
In relief, left-hander Parker Coil struck out three over 1.1 innings of one-run ball. Veteran righty Koty Frank punched out one and earned his third save of the season, retiring all eight batters he faced over the final 2.2 innings.
Hogs collapse in OT against No. 16 Tide
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Arkansas fell 92-88 in overtime at No. 16 Alabama in the regular season finale on Saturday afternoon inside Coleman Coliseum.
The Razorbacks never trailed in regulation and led by as many as 15 in the first half but a late Crimson Tide run pulled the home team even when Latrell Wrightsell Jr. sank a 3-pointer with 21 seconds remaining to make the score 74-74. Khalif Battle’s 3-pointer as time expired was no good to send the game to overtime. Alabama took its first lead of the game on a free throw in OT and took the lead for good on an Aaron Estrada layup with 2:03 left, closing the game making their final six shots from the field.
After a hot-shooting first half, the Hogs cooled in the second half going 9-for-27 (33%) from the field and only making one 3-pointer. Shooting a perfect 13-for-13 from the free throw line kept Arkansas in control most of the second half with the Razorbacks going 24-for-27 (89%) on the day.
Arkansas used a red-hot start in the first half leading the entire time and growing a 15-point lead with 6:24 remaining in the half. The Hogs shot 51.5% (17-for-33) in the half led by Trevon Brazile’s 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting and helped by a 22-14 advantage in paint points.
The Arkansas defense was also stellar forcing eight turnovers with five steals while holding Alabama to just 12-of-33 (36%) shooting from the field, including 4-of-12 from 3-point range. The Razorbacks, however, ended the half on a cold stretch making just one of their final seven shots from the field to allow the Crimson Tide to cut the lead to six, 42-36, at the break.
Battle led Arkansas with 22 points and was joined by four other Hogs in double digits. Makhi Mitchell added 18 points with Tramon Mark (13), Trevon Brazile (12) and El Ellis (11) combining with Battle to score 76 of the Razorbacks’ 88 points. The Razorbacks’ bench outscored Bama 28-16 led by Mitchell’s 18.
Alabama had six players in double figures led by Mark Sears’ 22 points. The Crimson Tide made up points by outscoring Arkansas by 10 (16-6) in second chance points and 13-6 in fastbreak points.
The Razorbacks head to Nashville next week for the SEC Tournament at Bridgestone Arena beginning on Wednesday night.
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