Kuhn hits two home runs in Razorback loss

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Collin Kuhn hit two home runs and the No. 11 Arkansas Razorback baseball team scored six runs, but it was not enough to overcome one of the top offenses in the country as the Hogs fell to No. 21 Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala., 8-6, on Saturday evening.

A wild game from the outset, there were four lead changes and two ties over the nine-inning affair with Arkansas (31-16, 14-11 SEC) taking one lead and tying the game twice. Alabama (34-15, 16-9 SEC) is now winners of its last six games and may have improved to second in the tough SEC Western Division depending on the outcome of the Ole Miss-Mississippi State game currently underway.

Alabama was the first team on the scoreboard when it pushed a run across the plate in the bottom of the second, but the lead was short lived as Kuhn belted his second home run of the series in the top of the third, tying the game at one.

The Razorbacks rallied in the top of the fourth by scoring four runs to make it a 5-1 contest. Andrew Darr led off with a single and was followed by a walk to Bo Bigham. With runners on first and second, Tim Carver attempted a sacrifice bunt but was instead hit by a pitch to load the bases. Arkansas’ next batter, Jarrod McKinney, stroked a first-pitch fastball into the right-center field gap for a two-RBI double. On the play, Carver attempted to score from first base but a strong throw from the right fielder to the cut-off man was relayed to the plate to gun down Carver who went in the plate hard leading to a benches clearing shoving match which fired up the Alabama crowd and players.

The screaming crowd was quieted two batters later as Kuhn stroked his second home run of the game and third of the series to make it a 5-1 contest.

While The Alabama crowd may have been momentarily silenced, it would not be for long as Bama staged a two-inning comeback starting in the bottom of the fourth. Three straight hits to begin the fourth scored both runs as two singles surrounded a triple by Brandon May. The fifth inning for the Crimson Tide was highlighted by a May home run to right-center field which gave Alabama its second lead of the game, 6-5.

Two innings later, Arkansas would tie the game for the second time when James McCann hit his first career home run, an opposite-field shot to right-center. McCann’s home run was the third long ball of the game for the Razorbacks and tied the game at six.

The Razorbacks flirted with danger in the seventh as Ross Wilson singled with one out bringing the NCAA leader in home runs, Kent Matthes to the plate. Matthes patiently waited on a 1-1 pitch and hit a towering home run to left field to give Alabama the lead, 8-6.

Arkansas and Alabama conclude its series on Sunday afternoon with a 2 p.m. start at Sewell-Thomas Stadium in Tuscaloosa. For more information regarding Razorback baseball or University of Arkansas athletics please visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com.