Razorbacks complete third straight comeback win, sweep Crimson Tide
No. 22 Arkansas (24-13, 8-7 SEC) scored single runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to complete the sweep over the No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide (26-11, 8-7 SEC) 3-2 and complete the first half of SEC play with a winning record.
Alabama scored the first two runs and punched first for the third straight day. The Crimson Tide scored a run in the second inning off Tate McGuire , making his first SEC start. The Tide doubled their lead in the third, taking advantage of a leadoff error by the third baseman TJ Pompey.
McGuire threw just 52 pitches, allowing 3 hits, 2 runs (1 earned), walking 2 and striking out 1.
Despite being out-hit 9-6, Arkansas took advantage of its opportunities and waited out Alabama starter Myles Upchurch. Ryder Helfrick led off the sixth with a triple into the right-center gap before Maika Niu drove him in with a sacrifice fly.
Nolan Souza, who leads the team in batting average in SEC games (19-for-57, .333), tied the game with an RBI single up the middle in the seventh.
Alabama looked to be out of the eighth when Ashton Crowther picked off Ryder Helfrick with two outs attempting to go on the first move but first baseman Luke Vaughn dropped the ball when attempting to throw the ball to second base, allowing Helfrick to scamper into scoring position. Two pitches later, Camden Kozeal hit a go-ahead RBI double just fair inside the first base bag.
Arkansas pitchers worked out of jams all game, stranding 12 Alabama runners on base and also turning a double play. The Crimson Tide went just 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
In his first weekend as a reliever, Gabe Gaeckle got out of a massive jam in the seventh when Alabama put runners on second and third with no outs. Gaeckle struck out the next two hitters before inducing a flyball to left with the bases loaded in a 2-0 count.
Ethan McElvain bounced back from Friday’s poor outing, getting the final 6 outs without allowing a baserunner and striking out the side in the eighth.
Arkansas makes its yearly voyage to North Little Rock to take on Arkansas-Pine Bluff. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday and will be streamed on SEC Network+.
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No. 22 Arkansas (23-13, 7-7 SEC) looks to build on winning the first two games of the series over the No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide (26-10, 8-6 SEC), bringing their SEC record back to .500. Arkansas’ reworked rotation also coincided with the Razorback offense waking up. Arkansas is coming off their first double-digit scoring output in SEC play since March 20 against South Carolina.
Arkansas turns to a new starter for the second straight day. Righty Tate McGuire (0-0, 3.86 ERA) will make his first career SEC start. He does have 5 career starts, all in midweek games. Alabama counters with righty Myles Upchurch (4-2, 3.60 ERA) to try and avoid the sweep.
Starting Lineups:
Arkansas:
LF Carter Rutenbar
C Ryder Helfrick
CF Maika Niu
SS Camden Kozeal
LF Damian Ruiz
DH Kuhio Aloy
2B Nolan Souza
3B TJ Pompey
1B Reese Robinett
RHP Tate McGuire
Alabama:
CF Bryce Fowler
2B Brennan Holt
C Brady Neal
SS Justin Lebron
DH Eric Hines
1B Andrew Purdy
3B Jason Torres
LF Justin Osterhouse
RF Chase Kroberger
RHP Myles Upchruch
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Bottom 9th:
- Christian Turner replaced Rutenbar in right field
- Neal grounded out to second, 1 out
- Lebron grounded out to third, 2 outs
- Hines flied out to left, 3 outs
Top 9th:
- Souza grounded out to second, 1 out
- Pompey flied out to center, 2 outs
- Peck walked
- Rutenbar struck out swinging, 3 outs
Barring extra innings, Carter Rutenbar’s on-base streak will end at 14. Bama needs 1 to tie, 2 to win.
Bottom 8th:
- Ethan McElvain replaced Gaeckle
- Kroberger struck out swinging, 1 out
- Fowler struck out swinging, 2 outs
- Holt struck out swinging, 3 outs
Top 8th:
- Rutenbar flied out to center, 1 out
- Helfrick walked
- Niu flied out to center, 2 outs
- Helfrick stole second
- Kozeal doubled to right, Helfrick scored, Arkansas 3, Alabama 2
- Ruiz hit by a pitch
- Aloy grounded out to short, 3 outs
Arkansas getting all the breaks today. Alabama had the third out of the inning on a good pickoff but the first baseman dropped the ball. Camde Kozeal snuck one just inside the line to give the Hogs the lead for the first time today. Hogs 6 outs from a sweep.
Bottom 7th:
- Neal singled to right
- Lebron doubled to left, Neal to third
- Hines struck out swinging, 1 out
- Luke Vaughn replaced Purdy
- Vaughn struck out swinging, 2 outs
- Torres walked
- Osterhouse flied out to left, 3 outs
Top 7th:
- Ruiz doubled to left
- Aloy walked
- Ashton Crowther replaced Upchurch
- Souza singled to center, Ruiz scored, Aloy to second, Arkansas 2, Alabama 2
- Pompey struck out swinging, 1 out
- Alexander Peck replaced Robinett
- Peck grounded into a double play, short to first, Souza out at second
Bottom 6th:
- Gabe Gaeckle replaced Coil
- Torres flied out to right, 1 out
- Osterhouse singled to second
- Kroberger grounded into a fielder’s choice, Osterhouse out at second, third to second, 2 outs
- Fowler singled to right, Kroberger to third
- Holt lined out to center, 3 outs
Top 6th:
- Rutenbar flied out to left
- Helfrick tripled to right center
- Niu flied out to right, Helfrick scored, Alabama 2, Arkansas 1
- Kozeal grounded out to first, 3 outs
Bottom 5th:
- Fowler struck out swinging, 1 out
- Holt singled to the pitcher, bunt, advanced to second on a throwing error by the pitcher
- Neal struck out swinging, 2 outs
- Lebron intentionally walked
- Holt stole third, Lebron stole second
- Hines intentionally walked (2-0 count)
- Purdy grounded out to second, 3 outs
Arkansas used the intentional walk twice to load the bases with 2 outs. Parker Coil fell behind 3-1 to Andrew Purdy before getting a groundout. Hogs still trail 2-0 to the sixth.
Top 5th:
- Aloy struck out swinging, 1 out
- Souza struck out swinging, 2 outs
- Pompey singled to left
- Robinett flied out to left, 3 outs
Bottom 4th:
- Parker Coil replaced McGuire
- Purdy grounded out to second, 1 out
- Torres singled to left
- Osterhouse flied out to right, 2 outs
- Kroberger grounded out to short, 3 outs
Top 4th:
- Niu lined out to short, 1 out
- Kozeal grounded out to second, 2 outs
- Ruiz flied out to center, 3 outs
Bottom 3rd:
- Kroberger reached on an error by a throwing error by the third baseman
- Fowler flied out to center, 1 out
- Holt walked, Kroberger to second
- Neal lined out to right, 2 outs
- Lebron doubled to right, Kroberger scored, Holt to third, Alabama 2, Arkansas 0
- Hines popped up to third, 3 outs
Top 3rd:
- Souza reached on an error by the first baseman
- Pompey singled to left, Souza to second
- Robinett popped up to the pitcher, bunt, 1 out
- Rutenbar flied out to right, Souza to third, 2 outs
- Helfrick grounded out to second, 3 outs
Alabama misplayed the first two balls of the inning but the Hogs can’t take advantage. Robinett fails to get the bunt down.
Bottom 2nd:
- Lebron walked
- Hines singled to right, Lebron to third
- Purdy singled to right, Lebron scored, Hines to second, Alabama 1, Arkansas 0
- Torres struck out looking, 1 out
- Osterhouse grounded into a double play, second to short to first, Purdy out at second, 3 outs
Top 2nd:
- Kozeal struck out swinging, 1 out
- Ruiz struck out looking, 2 outs
- Aloy struck out looking, 3 outs
Bottom 1st:
- Fowler grounded out to second, 1 out
- Holt grounded out to short, 2 outs
- Neal fouled out to third, 3 outs
Top 1st:
- Rutenbar grounded out to second, 1 out
- Helfrick flied out to left, 2 outs
- Niu struck out swinging, 3 outs
