By Otis Kirk

In the wildest game of the season, No. 12 Arkansas defeated Kentucky 16-12 with both teams putting together some big innings.

Arkansas (36-19, 17-13) started the game in an unreal fashion with the first 10 hitters all reaching base before Kentucky could record an out. The Razorbacks led 10-0 after the top of the first and then 11-0 after 2 1/2 innings. Dave Van Horn then saw his team have to fight off a fierce Kentucky rally that eventually tied the game at 12 after five innings.

"We had a lot of good at bats," Van Horn said. "We fought a little bit. Early in the game we got a bunch of clutch hits. We left some guys in the middle of the game at second and third twice with less than two outs. Then we had the bases loaded and one out and didn't score there. Those three innings if we could have just scored a couple, three more runs we had a chance to put them away. Credit to them they got out of it and put together a really big inning on us."

Kentucky trailed 12-3 entering the bottom of the fifth, but then plated nine runs to tie the game. The big hit in the inning was a grand slam by Carson Hansen. The Wildcats sent 14 hitters to the plate in the fifth with nine getting hits and one walking.

"That didn't defeat us so to speak," Van Horn said. "We hung in there and fought back."

The Razorbacks got some outstanding relief pitching from Parker Coil and James DeCremer. Coil (3-0) got the win after pitching 1.2 innings allowing three hits, no runs and striking out one. He gave way to DeCremer who worked the final three innings to earn his first save of the season. DeCremer allowed two hits, no runs and struck out two. Neither Coil or DeCremer walked anyone. DeCremer pitched twice in the series also working on Thursday night.

"He pitched good Thursday, but we extended him a little bit," Van Horn said. "He only threw [34] pitches. He got ahead in counts. He just did a great job of mixing. His fastball was up to 95 (miles per hour). He pitched really well."

Van Horn was asked how hard it is as a coach to keep his composure when the team is blowing an 11-0 lead?

"It's hard on everybody," Van Horn said. "It's hard on the players in the field, the coaches and staff. Everybody. You are just thinking where's this thing going? I told the team after the game the last two days we just found a way to grind it out. You've got to stay calm."

The Razorbacks broke the 12-12 tie in the top of the sixth inning. TJ Pompey and Alexander Peck walked to start the inning. Christian Turner struck out, but then Damian Ruiz was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Camden Kozeal then singled to plate both Pompey and Peck to give Arkansas the lead they never surrendered.

To add some insurance in the top of the ninth Arkansas got solo home runs by Zack Stewart and Nolan Souza. Stewart has now hit 11 home runs on the season and in each game against Kentucky in this series. Van Horn was obviously elated to see his team put up some insurance runs in the last inning.

"Stewart fought off some good pitches today," Van Horn said. "He didn't miss too many. He got one and didn't miss that one. He had four hits and had a great weekend. Those were big runs for us."

Arkansas will now head to Hoover directly from Lexington as they prepare for the SEC Tournament where they will be the 7-seeded team.

"Yesterday we won the game whether we deserved to or not," Van Horn said. "Today, the first inning was one of the best I've been around as a coach in a long, long time. We had nine in before we even made an out. But to give it up and then win the game. It didn't break our spirit."

Arkansas finished with 14 hits. Stewart had four of them while Ruiz and Kozeal each added three. Kozeal only needed a home run to hit for the cycle. Stewart plated four runs and Ruiz three.

The Razorbacks used five pitchers with Tate McGuire getting the start. He was followed to the mound by Cole Gibler and then Steele Eaves. Both Gibler and Eaves struggled. McGuire worked 2.1 innings and gave up a pair of hits, two runs, walked one and then fanned four. But Gibler surrendered seven hits and runs in two innings. He walked a pair and struck out three. Eaves faced three hitters with each getting a hit. He gave up three runs though just one was earned.

Kentucky (31-20, 13-17) sent nine pitchers to the mound. They combined to give up 14 hits, walked seven and struck out a dozen. They also hit five Arkansas batters and had two wild pitches.

The SEC Tournament starts on Tuesday with Kentucky playing on that day and then Arkansas will have its first game on Wednesday.