Spring Break
Doubleheader sweep of Ole Miss gives Diamond Hogs series win
Matt Watson
Issue date: 4/28/08 Section: Sports
After getting pounded 12-4 Friday night by the division-leading Rebels, Arkansas bounced back Saturday with a pair of wins to climb to 1.5 games out of first place.
The Razorbacks scored 25 runs on the vaunted Ole Miss pitching staff in the doubleheader, winning 13-11 in ten innings in the first game and 12-4 in the nightcap to improve to 26-18 (9-11 SEC) on the year.
"We had a tough loss on Friday night," Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn said. "To come out and get a couple of wins [Saturday] is huge. After we won that first game in the 10th, we really thought we could get the second win."
Ole Miss (28-17, 11-10 SEC) surrendered nine home runs to the Hogs in the doubleheader, including four off the bat of infielder Tim Smalling, who went 5-for-11 with four runs and seven RBIs on Saturday.
Smalling's three home runs in the first game of the doubleheader weren't enough to put the Hogs on top, as the Rebels scored six runs after the sixth inning to force extra innings.
In the top of the 10th inning, Chase Leavitt hit a one-out double down the right field line. Ben Tschepikow knocked in Leavitt, stole third and scored on a sacrifice fly by Scott Lyons.
The Rebels got a leadoff single in the bottom of the 10th but Mike Bolsinger stranded him at first, as three straight Ole Miss hitters struck out swinging to end the game.
The Razorback offense picked up where it left off in the rubber game. Logan Forsythe hit his second and third home runs of the day, going 7-for-11 with five runs and eight RBIs over the weekend.
Leavitt went 4-for-5, scoring four times and knocking in three more Saturday while Tschepikow went 4-for-6 with four runs and four RBIs.
Cliff Springston (5-2) threw a complete game, allowing four runs and striking out nine for his first win since March 14 against Georgia.
There were a lot of swings-and-misses in the series, with Ole Miss piled up 36 strikeouts on the mound, despite giving up 29 runs. The Razorbacks, who were 10th in the SEC in strikeouts last week, struck out 27 Rebels in three games. There were 63 strikeouts compared to 70 hits in the series.
Arkansas has won seven of its last nine games and more importantly, its last three conference series. The Hogs were tied for second place in the SEC West with Alabama, who was leading Auburn 9-3 in the sixth inning Sunday at press time. The Razorbacks have a chance to make a move for the eighth and final spot in the SEC Tournament when the Crimson Tides comes to Baum Stadium this upcoming weekend.
The Diamond Hogs are back in action Wednesday, when Missouri State comes to Baum Stadium for a 6:35 p.m. start. Arkansas beat the Bears 7-6 in extra innings in early April at Springfield, Mo.
The Razorbacks scored 25 runs on the vaunted Ole Miss pitching staff in the doubleheader, winning 13-11 in ten innings in the first game and 12-4 in the nightcap to improve to 26-18 (9-11 SEC) on the year.
"We had a tough loss on Friday night," Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn said. "To come out and get a couple of wins [Saturday] is huge. After we won that first game in the 10th, we really thought we could get the second win."
Ole Miss (28-17, 11-10 SEC) surrendered nine home runs to the Hogs in the doubleheader, including four off the bat of infielder Tim Smalling, who went 5-for-11 with four runs and seven RBIs on Saturday.
Smalling's three home runs in the first game of the doubleheader weren't enough to put the Hogs on top, as the Rebels scored six runs after the sixth inning to force extra innings.
In the top of the 10th inning, Chase Leavitt hit a one-out double down the right field line. Ben Tschepikow knocked in Leavitt, stole third and scored on a sacrifice fly by Scott Lyons.
The Rebels got a leadoff single in the bottom of the 10th but Mike Bolsinger stranded him at first, as three straight Ole Miss hitters struck out swinging to end the game.
The Razorback offense picked up where it left off in the rubber game. Logan Forsythe hit his second and third home runs of the day, going 7-for-11 with five runs and eight RBIs over the weekend.
Leavitt went 4-for-5, scoring four times and knocking in three more Saturday while Tschepikow went 4-for-6 with four runs and four RBIs.
Cliff Springston (5-2) threw a complete game, allowing four runs and striking out nine for his first win since March 14 against Georgia.
There were a lot of swings-and-misses in the series, with Ole Miss piled up 36 strikeouts on the mound, despite giving up 29 runs. The Razorbacks, who were 10th in the SEC in strikeouts last week, struck out 27 Rebels in three games. There were 63 strikeouts compared to 70 hits in the series.
Arkansas has won seven of its last nine games and more importantly, its last three conference series. The Hogs were tied for second place in the SEC West with Alabama, who was leading Auburn 9-3 in the sixth inning Sunday at press time. The Razorbacks have a chance to make a move for the eighth and final spot in the SEC Tournament when the Crimson Tides comes to Baum Stadium this upcoming weekend.
The Diamond Hogs are back in action Wednesday, when Missouri State comes to Baum Stadium for a 6:35 p.m. start. Arkansas beat the Bears 7-6 in extra innings in early April at Springfield, Mo.
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TheWizardofOz
posted 4/28/08 @ 2:58 PM CST
I betcha once Sao Ming reads this he will get an instant hard-on. The guy is a pervert for anything TX QB. He probably has some secret sick sexual fantasies of the Dick brothers. (Continued…)
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