FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) – Grant Koch did everything he could to keep Arkansas from getting swept by Ole Miss in a doubleheader on Friday. Then the rest of the Razorbacks offense caught up.
The Hogs’ catcher had a two-run home run and a RBI double but it took a three run eighth inning for Arkansas to secure a 7-4 win over the Rebels inside Baum Stadium.
Just like game one of the doubleheader, Ole Miss jumped out to an early lead as the Rebels chased Arkansas starter Kacey Murpy from the game after just one and 2/3 innings. But Jake Reindl came through with the biggest performance in his Arkansas career.
Reindl threw six and 1/3 innings while giving up one run and struck out five as he improved to 2-0 on the season. Evan Lee picked up his first save as he recorded the final three outs after the bullpen allowed the first two runners to reach base in the ninth inning.
In a tie game in the bottom of the eighth, Arkansas took a 5-4 lead thanks to a two-out RBI single by Jax Biggers. Eric Cole added a pair of much needed insurance runs as his single to right drove in both Biggers and Dominic Fletcher.
Ole Miss 4, Arkansas 1
GAME ONE – Ole Miss saw their offense explode in the late innings on Thursday night in the SEC series opener and that rolled into the start of Friday’s doubleheader.
The Rebels pushed across four runs and forced Arkansas starter Trevor Stephan to throw 40 pitches in the first inning and that was enough as the Razorbacks dropped the second straight game of the series 4-1.
Ole Miss got a RBI single from Colby Bortles to start the scoring in the top half of the first while Nick Fortes followed with a two-run double down the left field line. The Rebels added another run to take a 4-0 lead before Stephan settled down and got out of the inning.
Stephan finished the game going six innings while striking out five and needed just 53 pitches to finish his final five innings of work.
Just like Thursday’s series opener, Arkansas’ only offense came on a solo home run as Grant Koch hit his team high 10th home run of the season in the fifth inning.
