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Diamond Hogs Use Big Inning to Stem Tide

The Razorback baseball team moved to 2-0 in SEC play after an 8-4 win over Alabama Saturday afternoon at Baum Stadium.

The Razorback baseball team moved to 2-0 in SEC play after an 8-4 win over Alabama Saturday afternoon at Baum Stadium.

Arkansas scored first when Jake Wise single to bring home Dominic Ficociello in the bottom of the first. They added another run in the second, then exploded for five in the third to put the game away.

That was more than enough for starter Ryne Stanek. The sophomore right-hander retired the first six in a row on his way to a 5.2 innings, five hit, two run, four strikeout performance. With the win, Stanek moves to 5-0 on the year.

Dave Van Horn had to use only two pitchers in this one, as Brandon Moore threw the final 3.1 innings.

After the Hogs added their second run when Derek Bleeker scored on a throwing error, Alabama got one back in the top of the third on a Taylor Dugas double.

But Arkansas came back in a big way in the bottom of the inning. Two singles by Ficociello and Matt Reynolds followed by a walk to Wise loaded the bases for Jacob Morris, who worked back from an 0-2 count to draw a walk and bring home Ficociello.

After an Alabama pitching change, Bleeker doubled to right center, scoring Wise and Reynolds, but the Razorbacks weren’t done. The next batter was Matt Vinson, and he made it back-to-back doubles with a shot down the right field line. That scored Morris and Bleeker to make it a five-run inning for the Razorbacks.

The teams traded scoreless frames until the top of the sixth when two Alabama singles and two fielder’s choices scored another run for the Tide and chased Stanek from the game. Moore came on and induced a groundout to end the inning.

With the score 7-3 Arkansas, Alabama used a Matt Reynolds error and two singles to score another run in the eighth, but Reynolds atoned for his mistake with a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Joe Serrano to make it 8-3.

The Crimson Tide added an unearned run in the top of the ninth after Bleeker dropped what would have been the game-ending fly ball, but two batters later, Moore induced a groundout to third to end it.

Vinson went 2-for-3 with two RBI for the Razorbacks, and Bleeker finished 2-for-4 with two driven in. Reynolds, Wise and Morris each contributed RBIs.

The win moves the Razorbacks to 18-2 overall, 2-0 in SEC play. The series with Alabama finishes Sunday afternoon. Arkansas sends junior left-hander Randall Fant (1-1, 4.40) to the mound. Alabama counters with junior righty Trey Pilkington (0-1, 5.91). First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m.

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