No. 3 Arkansas fell to No. 1 LSU 14-5 on Saturday night in Alex Box Stadium.
The Tigers won the early game on Saturday 12-2 for a run-rule win. Arkansas took the series opener on Friday 9-3 in 10 innings, but it was all LSU on Saturday. Dave Van Horn obviously wasn’t pleased with Saturday’s results.
“They are awfully talented,” Van Horn said. “Disappointed in the way we played today. 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’ve got to get better if we’re going to compete with teams like LSU that’s for sure.”
LSU third baseman Tommy White had a big night against Arkansas’ pitchers. He hit a grand slam in the bottom of the sixth and then hit a three-run blast in the fourth. Both those home runs came with White down in the count.
“You think about it,” Van Horn said. “We gave up a three-run homer on an 0-2 pitch and we gave up a grand slam home run on an 0-2 pitch. There was a lot of 0-2 hits. Either they hit some good pitches, which they weren’t, or they were mistakes. Those were just mistakes.”
In the nightcap, Arkansas left fielder hit a solo shot for a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. 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. Griffin (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.
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.
