Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said after just one practice in shorts and helmets he was thinking the offense would be off and it was.
Hogs’ bats wake up late to overtake Auburn, even series
It took some late-night heroics from Arkansas’ bats but a five-run seventh inning got a lead and a single run in the eighth was enough for a 6-5 win.
The win by the Razorbacks evened the series.
The Hogs were led by a team effort that saw four different players record an RBI and three bullpen arms hold Auburn to just two runs in over six innings of work.
Arkansas improved to 21-4 on the season, including 6-2 in the SEC, with the win.
Auburn starter Jack Owen continued the Tigers’ dominant pitching from Thursday night into the start Friday, dealing 5.1 scoreless innings and allowing his squad to claim a 4-0 lead before his departure.
But the Razorbacks pounced on the Tiger bullpen in the seventh, rallying for five runs to grab the advantage heading into the eighth.
The Tigers answered the call the following inning, knotting the game up at five, but there was no denying Arkansas on Friday, as the Hogs produced a run off of a wild pitch in the bottom half, reclaiming the lead.
Razorback reliever Kevin Kopps was phenomenal in relief again in game two, punching out two to earn the save and the win for the Hogs.
Zebulon Vermillion lasted 2.2 innings in the starting effort and was relieved by Peyton Pallette who dazzled Friday night, allowing just one run on two hits in 4.1 innings of work while notching five strikeouts.
The crucial seventh inning was kickstarted by a Christian Franklin double off the right-field wall, awakening the Baum-Walker faithful. Base hits by Cayden Wallace and Casey Opitz followed to bring the Hogs within two runs.
In one of the biggest at-bats of the game, pinch-hitter Zack Gregory took Auburn reliever Richard Fitts to deep left field off the wall, coasting into third with an RBI-triple.
Robert Moore tied the game later in the inning with a bullet single back up the middle to give the Hogs a one-run, 5-4 lead.
After a game-tying home run by Tiger outfielder Steven Williams, the Razorbacks worked a couple walks and loaded the bases with one out, and Wallace scored from third on a wild pitch as the ultimate game-winning score.
The Hogs and Tigers will meet for the weekend’s rubber match at Baum-Walker on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Van Horn after Hogs battle back to down Auburn
Razorbacks coach Dave Van Horn was pleased to see the way his team recovered from a slow start to get one-run win to even series with Tigers.
Pallette on relief appearance shutting Auburn down
Peyton Pallette came to the mound with two outs in the third and worked 4.1 innings of relief and shutting down the Tigers in 6-5 win.
TRUSTING THE PROCESS: Tom Murphy, ADG-Whole Hog Sports
Tye and Tom on his love for gardening, interviewing legends, Fayettetchill, growing up in a military family, ol’ glory football days and more!
Williams may have just been tired of dealing with portal, says Torres
Fox Sports Radio’s Aaron Torres thinks Roy Williams didn’t care to have to re-recruit his players every year and decided to retire.
McPherson on hyper-active Muss going after transfers
Kevin McPherson of Pig Trail Nation thinks there will be more transfers because Eric Musselman is constantly working the portal.
Tabor on Wicklander, Kopps’ strong performances in loss
Patrick Wicklander and Kevin Kopps pitched well enough for a win, but errors behind them were just too much for Hogs to overcome in 2-1 series-opening loss, says former Razorback Scott Tabor on The Morning Rush.
Errors spoil strong pitching from Wicklander, Kopps in loss
Strong outings from Patrick Wicklander and Kevin Kopps fell by the wayside as Arkansas, undone by one too many defensive lapses, dropped a 2-1 decision to Auburn on Thursday night at Baum-Walker Stadium.
The loss snaps the Razorbacks’ eight-game win streak, moving Arkansas to 20-4 overall on the year and 5-2 in SEC play.
Wicklander impressed in his second consecutive start, striking out the Auburn side in the top of the first to begin his outing. The left-hander ultimately went six innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on seven hits and a walk while striking out eight.
A solo home run in the third was the only true damage against Wicklander before one of Arkansas’ three errors on the night proved costly. The Tigers took advantage of the Razorbacks’ defensive lapse in the fourth inning, advancing a runner to third on a misthrow.
The Auburn base runner would eventually score on a sacrifice fly to left as the unearned run against Wicklander extended the Hogs’ deficit to two.
Braydon Webb got one back for Arkansas in the bottom half of the frame, launching his third homer of the year over the wall in the left. The outfielder’s blast, Arkansas’ nation-leading 46th home run this season, brought the Razorbacks within one.
It was ultimately all the Hogs scored as they were unable to get it going against Auburn starter Cody Greenhill and the bullpen.
Arkansas mustered four hits on the night, including two by Cayden Wallace, who extended his hitting streak to eight consecutive games.
Kopps finished off the final three innings of the ballgame, taking over at the start of the seventh in relief of Wicklander. The right-handed reliever was filthy, striking out eight of the first nine batters he faced in his scoreless outing.
Arkansas looks to even the series against Auburn tomorrow evening. First pitch in game two is at 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network+.
