The Arkansas baseball team has found endless ways to win games this season, but the Hogs entered new, dramatic territory Friday night to secure a statement victory.
For the first time this season, the No. 1 Razorbacks (22-3, 7-1 SEC) pulled it off. Hudson White delivered a game-winning twofold below the left field line in the below of the 10th that scored Will Edmunson from first base in a 4-3 victory over the No. 7 Tigers (20-8, 2-6).
White say that When he has ploded up to the plate, he was searching for something over the plate. White said “I was capable to surge at it.” Will (Edmunson) is a genuinely good baserunner and he was capable to score.”
Thanks to White’s heroics against LSU pitcher Thatcher Heard, Arkansas baseball team won the series and will now go for the sweep on Saturday.
Here are four observations from the Razorbacks’ walk-off win.
Match three on Saturday at 2pm. Below is a look at the rest of the weekend’s schedule, potential pitchers and live updates from an Earthquakes showdown between the Arkansas baseball team and LSU.
Arkansas baseball team takes advantage of costly LSU error
The Tigers made a crucial fielding mistake in the top of the tenth. A routine grounder by Edmunson went under the glove of LSU shortstop Michael Braswell III, scoring the winning run for the Arkansas baseball team.
“We felt really fortunate to get a runner out on first and some guys who were confident coming to the plate,” Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn said. “I felt like White swung the bat well all night.”
One mound visit and two pitches later, White delivered the final blow and lifted Arkansas to an impressive win with LSU starting one of the nation’s best pitchers.
Mason Molina and Luke Holman aren’t off to good starts
LSU elected to save Luke Holman for Friday night, giving him a normal rest and avoiding a matchup with Arkansas standout Hagen Smith. The Tigers had a perceived edge in the pitching matchup, but Holman lasted just 4 1/3 innings. He entered the night with a 0.78 ERA and gave up a season-high three earned runs while walking five batters.
Molina wasn’t much better. He lasted two more outs over five full innings, but he also gave up three earned runs and didn’t record an out in the top of the sixth. Molina has yet to complete six innings this season.
Pigs deal two hits
Holman came very close to getting three crucial outs in the bottom of the fourth, pushing Arkansas batters to two-strike numbers in three clutch situations with runners in scoring position.
Razorback came three times.
Ty Wilmsmeyer, Peyton Stovall and Ben McLaughlin all drive in a run with two strikeouts, turning a 2-0 shortfall into 3-2 for Arkansas. Wilmsmire and McLaughlin added doubles to right field, while Stovall scored a run with a groundout to shortstop.
Great outing from the bullpen
A infrequent wonky start by Holman was saved by Griffin Herring, an electric lefty, who came out of the LSU bullpen in the bottom of the fifth and faced the first six Arkansas batters. He finished with eight strikeouts and allowed just three hits in 4 2/3 scoreless innings.
But the Arkansas reliever matched Herring. Christian Fouch entered the game in the sixth with the bases loaded and no outs and limited LSU to just one run on a sacrifice fly.
“(Fouch) is working on some things,” Van Horn said. “Changed the grip. A little more sink. He got him a twofold-play ball and a couple of ground balls, and that’s a small bit of what’s going on. He’s throwing strikes in the low 90s. That was really good to see, because we needed him. “
Fouch, Gabe Geckle and Stone Hewlett combined to throw the final five innings without allowing an earned run. Hewlett got the win after facing just one batter.