Everyone needs a break now and again.
And a week after Arkansas couldn’t find a single one when being swept by SEC cellar-dweller Georgia on the road, the Diamond Hogs picked up plenty in the league’s seventh weekend. The biggest breaks were saved for Saturday’s finale as the Razorbacks held off Texas A&M’s comeback attempt to win, 8-7, and sweep the series.
Jace Laviolette hit a solo home run to the start ninth to pull the Aggies within one run with nobody out. But Parker Coil induced a flyout, a ground and a strikeout looking to provide the Diamond Hogs (33-11, 14-7) the victory.
Arkansas had built an 8-0 lead through the first five innings via small-ball, scoring a pair on sacrifice flies, four via singles and two more because of Aggies’ errors. Texas A&M started its rally in the sixth after all that damage had been done.
Zack Morris was touched up for three runs in his 1 2/3 innings of relief for starter Cody Adcock. Christian Foutch hit a batter, gave up a knock and walked a batter and didn’t retire a one, though he escaped without scoreboard damage. Ben Bybee gave up three runs, two earned, in his 1 2/3 innings, too, before Coil allowed the solo shot.
Still, Arkansas exited the weekend sitting pretty, holding a five-game lead in the win column for second-place in the SEC West over Alabama and Texas A&M with just three weekends remaining.
Only four Razorbacks batters had hits and no one had an extra-base hit. Caleb Cali had two singles, two runs and a walk. Jace Bohrofen had two singles, a run, an RBI and was hit by a pitch. Ben McLaughlin had two knocks, a walk, an RBI and a run. And John Bolton went 3 for 3 from the 9-hole with two RBI and a run.
Arkansas has its yearly game in North Little Rock on Tuesday when they face Lipscomb. After that, the Diamond Hogs are off to Starkville for a three-game set against Mississippi State over the weekend.
[mm-video type=playlist id=01fc3h383th881vsf1 player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=]