#16 Arkansas Outslugged by #5 Georgia in Series Finale

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – No. 16 Arkansas (26-15, 9-9 SEC) was outslugged by No. 5 Georgia (32-9, 13-5 SEC) in a 26-14 loss Saturday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium. With the setback, the Hogs suffered their first home weekend series loss to the Bulldogs since 2008 after winning each of the previous four series played in Fayetteville (2010, 2012, 2017, 2021).

With the wind howling out to right, Saturday’s series finale turned into a high-scoring shootout in which Arkansas and Georgia combined for 40 runs on 35 hits, 18 walks and six errors. The Razorbacks scored 14 runs on a season high-matching 14 hits and 12 walks, while the Bulldogs scored 26 runs on 21 hits, six errors, six walks and four hit batsmen.

Arkansas led 6-1 through two innings thanks to a pair of three-run frames in the bottom of the first and second innings. Camden Kozeal’s two-out two-run homer to right in the second extended the Razorbacks’ early advantage to five.

Georgia responded with six runs in the top half of the third to open a 7-6 lead before tacking on two more in the fourth to grow its cushion to three. Ryder Helfrick, however, would play hero by swatting a game-tying three-run shot, his team-leading 13th home run of the season, in the bottom of the third to even the game up at nine apiece.

From there, the Bulldogs went on to score two in the fifth, two in the sixth, one in seventh and one more in the eighth before blowing the game open with 11 runs in the top half of the ninth inning. Arkansas trailed 15-11 entering the top half of the game’s final frame, but Georgia blasted two more home runs in the inning to raise its game total to nine.

Offensively, four Razorbacks collected multi-hit games, led by three-hit days from Carter Rutenbar (3-for-3, 4 R, 3 BB) and Kuhio Aloy (3-for-4, 2 R, 1 BB). Four Hogs tallied multi-RBI performances including Damian Ruiz (2-for-3, 3 R, 2B, 4 RBI, 3 BB), Kozeal (1-for-5, R, HR, 3 RBI), Helfrick (2-for-5, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI, BB) and Maika Niu (1-for-4, 3 RBI, 2 BB, SB).

Up next, Arkansas will close out its four-game homestand with a midweek matchup against Missouri State. First pitch between the Razorbacks and Bears at Baum-Walker Stadium is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 21, on SEC Network+.

For complete coverage of Arkansas baseball, follow the Hogs on Twitter (@RazorbackBSB), Instagram (@RazorbackBSB) and Facebook (Arkansas Razorback Baseball).