FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — In a wild affair, the Arkansas baseball team dropped the series finale to South Carolina, 10-7, on Sunday.
Arkansas starter D.J. Baxendale and South Carolina’s Forrest Koumas traded zeroes for the first six innings, until South Carolina broke through in the seventh.
With two outs and two strikes, Adam Matthews singled to left, scoring Christian Walker. Two more two-out singles plated three more runs, and Arkansas was in a 4-0 going into the bottom half of the inning.
The Razorbacks did not go quietly, however. Bo Bigham and Brian Anderson led off the inning with back-to-back singles, and after a wild pitch put them on second and third, Jacob Morris scored them both with a base hit to center. Jake Wise singled for the fourth straight hit of the inning, then a sacrifice bunt by Tim Carver put runners again on second and third with one out. Jacob Mahan singled to right, scoring Morris, but Wise was thrown out at the plate.
After he was called out, Wise slammed his helmet off the ground in frustration, and was ejected. With backup catcher John Clay Reeves out with a bruised arm, sophomore relief pitcher Colby Suggs started the eighth behind the plate.
Two singles and two doubles plated six runs in the eighth for the Gamecocks, and Arkansas trailed 10-3 going into the bottom of the inning. With one out and the bases loaded, a pinch-hit single from Jimmy Bosco scored two, making it a 10-5 game.
After a scoreless top of the ninth, Arkansas added two more in the ninth. Sam Bates led off with a single and scored on a double by Matt Reynolds. Two batters later, Bo Bigham singled, scoring Reynolds. The Razorbacks were a batter away from bringing the tying run to the plate when Anderson lined out to short to end the game.
Arkansas drops to 34-15 overall and 12-12 in SEC play with the loss. Baxendale took the loss and giving up four runs on five hits and striking out seven in seven innings.
There is no mid-week game for the Razorbacks this week. They’re back in action Thursday night when they host Auburn for the first of a three game series.
