By Otis Kirk
FAYETTEVILLE -- No. 7 Arkansas jumped out to an 8-0 lead and then had to hold off Texas A&M who scored the next seven runs.
The 8-7 win allowed the Razorbacks to get a sweep against the Aggies. This was much needed after last weekend's sweep at the hands of Georgia. Dave Van Horn was proud of his squad that has been hit extremely hard by injuries to key players, but still finds ways to get the job done.
"Well, it ended up being a great weekend for us, obviously, especially coming off an 0-4 week and two tough losses at Georgia last weekend," Van Horn said. "Two one-run losses and one of them a walk-off with a big lead going into the bottom of the ninth."
The Hogs broke a scoreless tie with two runs in the bottom of the third and then added another in the fourth. However, it was the fifth where they exploded for five runs and appeared to be on their way to an easy win. One of the unlikely heroes on offense was shortstop John Bolton who went 3 for 3 on the day and knocked in a pair of runs. He's hitting .202 on the season and was benched last weekend in a game.
"Really good weekend," Van Horn said. "Laid down three or four bunts, took some walks, scored runs, stole a base, got three hits today, drove in two runs, I know he scored a run I think, it seemed like. Today was his day. You never know when it’s going to be your day to really help the team on the offensive side. He always helps the team on the defensive side. If he can get his confidence going, I think he’s going to continue to hit and start being a force and a threat down at the end. It’d be great."
Arkansas used five pitchers in the game with starter Cody Adcock working four innings to pick up the win. Adcock (4-1) allowed one hit, no runs, three walks, struck out four and hit one batter. Parker Coil worked the final 1.2 innings to earn his first save of the season. Zack Morris, Christian Foutch and Ben Bybee were the other Arkansas pitchers. Van Horn noted he was pleased to see Coil face the final six hitters since the bullpen was thin.
"Obviously we’re way down in our pitching," Van Horn said. "We had maybe another freshman available, a lefty that hasn’t pitched but maybe an inning or two, and maybe not in conference at all. And we had Ben McLaughlin, our DH, and that’s all we had left. We found a way to win the game.
"Parker Coil came in and said, ‘Hey, give me the ball. I’m good.’ In the ninth inning he gave up a leadoff home run with two strikes, but it really wasn’t a bad pitch. It was down and the big lefty just got it. That’s the way the game works some times."
Van Horn was asked if he was counting outs remaining considering the lack of available arms?
"I count outs every game," Van Horn said. "Every game I’m looking. We need six more, seven more, three more, two more. Whatever. You’re always counting outs and trying to figure out how you want to get them. Hindsight is 20-20, we probably should have left Morris in, but from what he’s shown us throughout this season, you look at the numbers, we’ve left him in maybe one hitter too long and thing bang, there you go.
"We just thought Foutch would come in and really pitch well after what happened the other day and it didn’t go that well. If he could’ve just given us four outs. That out and a couple more, three more, I think we would’ve felt a lot better about where we are. When that didn’t work out, then we were scrambling."
In the bottom of the third, Bolton bunt singled to get on base starting the inning. He got to third base on wild pitches. Kendall Diggs then hit a sacrifice fly to left field getting Bolton home. Caleb Cali then delivered a two-out single. He stole second then scored on a single by Jace Bohrofen.
In the bottom of the fourth, Brady Slavens and Parker Rowland walked to start the inning. Bolton bunted them over to second and third. Diggs hit a sacrifice fly to center that allowed Slavens to score for a 3-0 lead.
In the fifth, Cali walked and then Bohrofen and McLaughlin singled to plate both. Hunter Grimes then reached on an error by the A&M first baseman that also allowed McLaughlin to score. Slavens walked and then Bolton singled to right field allowing both Grimes and Slavens to score.
Texas A&M coach Jim Schlossnagle obviously wasn't pleased to see his team swept by the Hogs.
“This was a tough, tough weekend for us,” Schlossnagle said. “That’s the deal. There’s no getting around that and it comes after a time we had been playing some pretty good baseball. Sure I am proud of the way they fought back and didn’t give up, but we are not in this for moral victories.
“There’s not a category for moral victories - just for wins and losses and the end result is no wins and three losses this weekend. Nobody is going to feel sorry for you so you have just got to keep playing the game, play clean baseball and give yourself the best chance. We did not do that to the best of our ability.”
The Aggies scored three runs in the top of the sixth, two in the seventh and then one each in eighth and ninth. In the ninth, trailing 8-6, A&M left fielder Jace LaViolette greeted Coil with a home run. But then Coil retired the next three Aggies to end the game.
Arkansas (33-11, 14-7) will be in North Little Rock on Tuesday night to host Lipscomb at Dickey-Stephens Park. The game is set to start at 6 p.m.
Friday, April 28, Arkansas 10 - Texas A&M 4
Former Bryant standout Will Ledbetter didn't start the game, but entered in the second and pitched well for 5.2 innings to pick up the win. Brady Tygart returned after an extended absence due to an injury. He started and worked an inning.
Ledbetter (6-2) allowed two hits, three runs, walked a trio and struck out eight. Tygart walked one but didn't allow a hit in his inning. Former Batesville right-hander Gage Wood has emerged as a key member of the Arkansas bullpen. Wood worked 2.1 innings, allowing one hit, no runs, walking a hitter and striking out five to earn his fourth save.
Jace Bohrofen led the offensive attack with three hits and knocked in two runs. Ben McLaughlin and Kendall Diggs each had two hits. McLaughlin plated two runners and Diggs one. Dave Van Horn was pleased with what he got out of McEntire.
"McEntire gave us everything he had. He got up to 90 pitches," Van Horn said. "I felt like when I took him out he was tired, and he looked tired, and he didn’t fight me at all. I just felt like (Christian) Foutch would come in, and honestly they have a hard time elevating on him, and he just jumped a fastball in about 95 and hit it out of the park. And they were back in the game."
The Aggies got two runs in the seventh, but could have gotten more except for a big strikeout by Wood.
"Well, it was big," Van Horn said. "It was the game. If they catch us there and get a base hit and tie it, it's gut-wrenching that we're one out away from going into the next inning with a four-run lead, and there's a walk, you bring in somebody and give up a two-run homer, and then next thing you know they've got the bases loaded. If they get a hit there to tie it or take the lead, it's two nights in a row we've got that feeling again like 'Oh, man. This is unbelievable.' But Wood came through and made some good pitches, some breaking balls there. He's got a little bit of a high-carry fastball that's pretty effective. We felt like six outs was what we really wanted him to get at the most. He ended up getting seven, but it worked out."
Arkansas (33-11, 14-7) now only trails LSU (33-8, 13-5) in SEC West action.
Photos Courtesy of Craven Whitlow CW3 Action Sports
