Arkansas got Bulldogs’ starter Ryan Webb out of the game in the seventh inning and then rode Kevin Kopps again for eighth straight league series win.
Kopps on long outing, shutting down Georgia to clinch series
Kevin Kopps didn’t have any problems with throwing 54 pitches Sunday to down the Bulldogs after throwing 54 in Friday night’s win.
Van Horn after Hogs come from behind with series-clinching win
Arkansas got behind Georgia early, then came back from a 3-0 deficit to win their eighth SEC series of the year, keeping pace in standings with Mississippi State.
Fifth inning mistakes cost Hogs momentum in loss to Georgia
For once, the Razorbacks looked human.
Two defensive miscues in the top of the fifth undid a two-run lead as Arkansas stumbled to a 7-3 loss against Georgia on Saturday night at Baum-Walker Stadium.
The Hogs, now 35-9 overall on the year, move to 16-7 in SEC play.
The Bulldogs (28-17, 11-12 SEC) opened the scoring in the top of the first with a solo home run. Razorback starter Peyton Pallette settled down to strike out two in the inning, keeping the deficit at one.
A sacrifice fly by Robert Moore in the bottom of the second tied the game, 1-1, before Matt Goodheart’s RBI double to left center in the third put Arkansas ahead. Brady Slavens’ RBI groundout a few batters later gave the Hogs a two-run lead entering the fourth.
The 3-1 advantage seemed safe with Pallette on the mound. The right-hander struck out eight over his first four innings of work, blowing away hitters with his pitch mix.
Two costly errors on one play in the top of the fifth, however, spoiled Pallette’s night and erased Arkansas’ lead. With a runner on third, an infield single turned into a two-error round tripper as Georgia capitalized on two Razorback misthrows and tied the game at three.
With Pallette out of the game, the Bulldogs took a two-run lead in the top of the seventh on a two-run homer. Arkansas loaded the bases in the bottom half of the inning but could not take advantage. Georgia’s bullpen held the Hogs scoreless for the final 6.1 frames of the night.
Georgia went on to score twice more in the top of the ninth, using six unanswered runs to overcome its early deficit and win the second game of the series, 7-3.
Tomorrow’s rubber game begins at 2 p.m. on SEC Network+.
Right-hander Caleb Bolden will start for the Razorbacks, who still have an opportunity to win their eighth consecutive conference series of the season.
Van Horn on Hogs beating themselves to a degree in 7-3 loss
Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn on defensive errors, Bulldogs’ relievers shutting down the Hogs in loss that sets up Sunday matchup for series.
Hogs looking to clinch series with Georgia tonight behind Pallette
After averaging nearly 10 runs a game in last weekend’s series, Arkansas’ narrow 3-0 pitcher’s duel win Friday night over Georgia was a little different.
“We just kept striking each other out,” Dave Van Horn said later about Patrick Wicklander and the Bulldogs’ Liam Sullivan over the first six innings. “Just a tough night to hit.”
The Razorbacks had just three hits off Sullivan, but back-to-back doubles by Robert Moore and Casey Opitz pushed across a run in the second inning. It looked like it was going to have to be enough for awhile.
“It was just good enough,” Van Horn said. “A good rally there in the eighth after a little bit of attrition. We were real fortunate that we won the ballgame honestly. Sullivan pitched an outstanding game for them.”
Now he just needs that kind of start from right-hander Peyton Pallette in today’s game that will probably start on time at 6 p.m. The rain that delayed Friday’s game nearly an hour and a half has cleared out.
You can hear the game online HERE or on ESPN Arkansas at 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home. The game will be televised on the SEC Network.
The pregame show online and the radio with Phil Elson and Bubba Carpenter will start at 5:30 this afternoon.
Van Horn will be looking for a long outing from Pallette. After the closer, Kevin Kopps, came in for Caden Monke (who got one big out in the sixth), he did his usual thing Friday night and shut the Bulldogs down the rest of the night.
With an announced crowd of 6,745 and covid restrictions being relaxed, the Hogs coaches weren’t wearing masks and most fans didn’t bother with any mask theater, either.
And Moore had another big-time hit, delivering a two-out blooper in the eighth inning that sort of landed in really short center by accident, bringing in two runs for the final margin.
“I didn’t hit it hard,” Moore said later. “But I was able to stay through one and stay up the middle with a breaking ball and good things happened.”
Plus that pitching coming through again.
Van Horn said Kopps will be available again after throwing 54 pitches Friday night over three innings.
“Oh yeah, he’ll be available,” he said about maybe the best reliever in college baseball this year.
Now he just needs a strong outing from Pallette to lock down a series win tonight.
He’ll worry about Sunday’s pitching rotation later.
With a one-game lead over Mississippi State in the SEC West, Van Horn is taking it one game at a time right now. The Bulldogs beat South Carolina on Friday night, 9-0, so there won’t be much breathing room heading down the stretch.
Which is going to set up an interesting couple of weeks.
Van Horn on ‘super job by our pitching staff’ in 3-0 win
The Hogs got strong pitching from Patrick Wicklander, Caden Monke and Kevin Kopps (13 strikeouts, 1 walk) to shut out Bulldogs.
Moore on big hit late, giving some cushion for Hogs’ win
Arkansas second baseman Robert Moore (2-for-3, 2 RBI, 2 walks) got a two-run hit in the eighth and scored early run against Georgia on Friday night.
Kelley in position for success in Pioneer League at Presbyterian
Nate Olson wasn’t surprised Kevin Kelley has moved on from Pulaski Academy to college level and thinks it’s a good spot in Pioneer League.
Bulldogs know they face tall mountain with weekend series
Georgia radio announcer Jeff Dantzler previews the matchup with the Razorbacks this weekend with the Halftime crew on ESPN Arkansas.
Torres on Musselman blending high school talent with portal
Fox Sports Radio’s Aaron Torres thinks Eric Musselman, new assistant Gus Argenal, will do solid job of blending local talent with quality transfers.
