FAYETTEVILLE -- No. 3 Arkansas' weekend series against No. 1 LSU started off on the right foot, but then quickly got untracked during a doubleheader on Saturday. 

LSU took a run-rule 12-2 win in the first game on Saturday and then took the series with a 14-5 victory Saturday night. Arkansas broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the 10th with eight runs to take a 9-3 victory on Friday.

On Saturday, Dave Van Horn recapped the weekend particularly Saturday's pair of losses.

"Well, they are awfully talented," Van Horn said of LSU. "Disappointed in the way we played today. I just didn’t think we fielded the ball very well, especially the second game. Obviously we didn’t hit well with runners in scoring position. We left, I would say on the day we left at least 20 runners on, maybe more. 

"How do I evaluate it. We’ve got to get better. That’s for sure if we’re going to be competing with teams like LSU."

In the first game of the doubleheader, starter Will McEntire (4-1) struggled and took his first loss of the season. In 4.1 innings, McEntire allowed nine hits, seven runs, all earned, walked one and struck out two. 

"Well, he didn’t command the ball today," Van Horn said. "I mean, he was behind in the count. I think he had one inning that was pretty good. Other than that, it was just a fight for him. He was up in the zone. You’ve got wind blowing out about 10 miles an hour, air’s a lot thinner today, ball was flying. They were hitting some balls hard that just backspun. You’ve got to pitch down in the zone, and he didn’t do it."

Austin Ledbetter worked two innings in relief. He allowed six hits, five runs, all earned, walked a pair and struck out two. Gage Wood worked 0.1 inning and allowed a hit.

Arkansas had three hits in Saturday's first game including a two-run home run by Jared Wegner. LSU starter Ty Floyd (4-0) kept his record perfect on Saturday and pitched a nice game against the Hogs. In 6.1 innings, Floyd allowed three hits, two runs, one earned, two walk, seven strikeouts and did hit three batters. 

In the nightcap, Wegner once again started the top of the first off with a home run. This one was a two-out solo shot. Brady Slavens followed Wegner’s shot with a double. Then LSU starter Thatcher Hurd hit a wild streak and walked three hitters in a row allowing Slavens to score for a 2-0 lead.

However, that lead was short lived. In the bottom of the first with one out, Cody Adcock walked Tre’ Morgan. Dylan Crews followed with a two-run shot over the fence to tie the game.

The Razorbacks regained the lead 4-2 in the top of the third. Jace Bohrofen singled to start the inning. Kendall Diggs was hit by a pitch. Third baseman Caleb Cali followed with a double that plated both Bohrofen and Diggs.

LSU tied the game at 4 in the bottom of the third. The Tigers broke open the game in the bottom of the fourth with six runs crossing the plate. Gavin Dugas hit a two-run home run. White followed with a three-run shot.

Bohrofen doubled and then scored on a Reese Robinett ground out in the top of the fifth to cut the lead in half at 10-5.

But White put a finishing touch to the scoring in the sixth with his grand slam.

Neither starter figured in the decision. Griffin Herring pitched two innings for LSU to get the win. Herring (2-0) allowed two hits, one run, walked one and struck out a pair. Hurd last two innings getting the start. He allowed four runs and walked five hitters while striking out three.

Zack Morris worked one inning allowing three hits, four runs and walked one. Adcock pitched 2.1 innings in the start. He allowed three hits, four runs, walked one and fanned two. Dylan Carter, Ben Bybee and Christian Foutch also pitched for the Hogs.

Friday, March 24, Arkansas 9 - LSU 3 (10 innings)

Arkansas and LSU were tied at 1 after nine innings. It was the top of the 10th when Arkansas' bats exploded. Kendall Diggs walked to start the inning. With one out, Parker Rowland walked. Reese Robinett then pinch hit for John Bolton. Robinett broke the tie with a three-run shot over the fence for a 4-1 lead. Van Horn talked about sending Robinett, who played well in last week's win over Southeast Missouri State.

"Yeah, he was my first left-handed bat I had going and I think sometimes they kind of show you what you need to do a little bit," Van Horn said. "There’s some hints. I played him in the game on Tuesday and he hit an opposite field home run. He also got a big base hit to left-center with two strikes on him. I just thought he knows the strike zone a little bit, took the first pitch and… Anyway, I just felt like he could drive in a run for us. Fortunately he ran into one and he hit hard and the wind took it and he hit it a long way."

Tavian Josenberger and Peyton Stovall then singled. Jared Wegner walked to load the bases with one out. Brady Slavens hit a sacrifice fly that allowed Josenberger to score for a 5-1 lead. Then Jace Bohrofen was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Diggs then hit a grand slam to put the Hogs up 9-1.

"It was huge," Van Horn said. "I told the team after the game how one pitch here, one swing there can change the game. It can change the series. It can change how you manage things. And then I brought up Kendall Diggs. We have a four-run lead, game's not over. Two outs, two strikes, and he hits the ball in the seats, and all of a sudden we've got an eight-run lead. It gave us a chance to maybe sit someone down in the bullpen that we're going to use tomorrow."

Dylan Crews hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the 10th, but it was too little too late as the Hogs took the win.

Hunter Hollan and LSU's Paul Skenes put on a pitching classic. Hollan worked 5.1 innings, allowed three hits, walked one and struck out seven. Hagen Smith (4-0) picked up the win in relief working the final 4.2 innings. Smith allowed five hits, three runs, all earned, walked a trio and struck out eight. 

Skenes pitched seven innings allowing only two hits, one run, walked three and struck out a dozen. In all, LSU used four pitchers. Chase Shores (0-1) took the loss working two innings, allowing a hit, one run, walking a batter and striking out three. 

"What a game," Van Horn said. "I thought Hunter Hollan was amazing, pitching to that lineup on the road, wind blowing out about 15 mph pretty consistently and we had a full house for a 12 o’clock game on a Friday, kind of a late-arriving crowd. They kind of showed up in the second. It was full. He kept us in the game.

"Skenes was everything as advertised. I’ve never seen a better arm at this level. It’d unbelievable. Hagen came in and kind of put out the fire there and got us through an inning or two and you saw what happened. We finally broke loose, got a couple big hits and Reese Robinett came in and, I mean, you couldn’t ask for anything more. You’ve got a freshman pinch hitting on the road, LSU, and the first time he swung the bat, he hit it 400 feet opposite field to give us a three-run lead. I’m just glad we kept tacking on runs. I felt like we needed to keep scoring. I’ve been a part of a lot of games down here and no lead is safe."

Up Next

Arkansas (20-4, 4-2) will now return to Baum-Walker Stadium hosting Omaha (7-10) at 6 p.m. Tuesday night. LSU (21-3, 4-2) moved into a first-place tie in the SEC West with the Hogs.