Errors Cost Diamond Hogs in 8-7 Loss to Georgia
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Errors cost No. 11 Arkansas another SEC win on Saturday as No. 25 Georgia took advantage of an extra out in the bottom of the eighth inning with a two-out, two-run home run off the bat of Gordon Beckham.
Beckham’s home run broke a 6-6 tie and carried the Bulldogs to an 8-7 win in front of 6,593 fans at Baum Stadium. Reliever Chris Rhoads surrendered the home run after throwing 3.2-impressive innings of relief. Rhoads (3-2) worked four innings and struck out three with the only hit he allowed being the home run.
Razorback freshman second baseman Logan Forsythe, playing in just his fourth collegiate game, had the miscue that allowed Beckham to reach the plate.
Arkansas’ ninth-inning rally plated one run as Chris Hollensworth’s RBI single scored Stephen Robison who doubled earlier in the inning. UGA closer Joshua Fields then came on to fan the final two Hog hitters to close out the Dogs’ win. Fields has faced eight Razorback hitters in two appearances this weekend and struck out seven of them.
The loss drops the Hogs to 1-4 in SEC play and 19-5 overall. Three of UA’s SEC losses can be directly attributed to late-inning errors. Georgia improves to 3-2 in league action and 17-4 overall.
With Arkansas trailing 3-2 in the fifth inning Danny Hamblin provided some fireworks at Baum Stadium with a towering grand slam to left-center field to give the Hogs a 6-3 lead at the end of five.
Georgia came right back in the top of the sixth inning and scored three runs off UA starter Charley Boyce to tie the game at 6-6. A fielding error freshman shortstop Matt Willard in the inning led to one unearned run.
Boyce threw five innings, allowing six runs – five earned – on 90 pitches. He did not factor into the decision while striking out four and walking three. Boyce moved within 5.2 innings of Scott Tabor’s school record for innings pitched and tied Charlie Isaacson for sixth place on the UA all-time strikeouts list with 219 in his career.
Jonathan Wyatt put the Dogs on top 3-2 in the fourth inning with a two-run home run to right field.
Arkansas overcame a 1-0 deficit in the bottom of the first inning with two runs highlighted by a RBI single by Wayne Hrozek.
Hollensworth finished 3 for 5 at the plate with a double and a RBI. Hamblin regained the SEC lead in RBI with his grand slam to give him 36 on the year. Craig Gentry finished 2 for 3 with a run scored.
Georgia starting pitcher Mickey Westphal pitched 5.2 innings, allowing six runs – five earned – with three walks and three strikeouts.
The Razorbacks will try and salvage a win against the Bulldogs at 12:35 p.m. Sunday at Baum Stadium.
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