Arkansas’ missed opportunities prove costly at Ole Miss
OXFORD, Miss. – The No. 5 Arkansas Razorbacks had their chances, but could not get the key hits when they needed it most Friday night, leaving 11 runners on base in a 5-4 loss to the No. 4 Ole Miss Rebels at Swayze Field.
The loss evened up the three-game series between the two teams. A late Arkansas rally fell short on Saturday as Ole Miss won the rubber match, 11-10. The Razorbacks have not won a series against the Rebels in Oxford since 2010.
The Razorbacks (19-9, 5-4 Southeastern Conference) outhit the Rebels (25-4, 6-3). 11-9. in the game, but were hitless in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings as Ole Miss’ bullpen held Arkansas’ offense in check. Seven of their 11 hits came off of Ole Miss starter Brady Feigl (6-1), but the Hogs managed just two runs during his 5 1/3 innings of work. Both runs were scored in the second inning from a string of singles by sophomore center fielder Dominic Fletcher, redshirt senior infielder Carson Shaddy and junior outfielder Eric Cole.
Seven different Razorbacks recorded at least one hit with three garnering two or more. Cole led all Hog hitters, going 3-for-5 with an RBI, his fifth game this season with three or more hits. Freshman infielder Casey Martin and Fletcher both turned in a pair of hits each.
Arkansas’ defense racked up four double plays in the first four innings, just one shy of the single-game school record for double plays.
Sophomore Evan Lee (1-2), who got the start on the mound, had some trouble from the onset, making it just one inning and allowing two earned runs on three hits with one walk in seven batters faced. Even with the tough outing from Lee, Arkansas’ bullpen kept them in the game as freshmen Bryce Bonnin and Kole Ramage prevented Ole Miss from stretching the lead.
Combined, Bonnin and Ramage threw seven innings and gave up just two earned runs on five hits and struck out six. Ramage threw 3 2/3 no-hit innings and struck out a career-high five batters in his ninth appearance this year.
The Hogs pulled within one run after junior catcher Grant Koch’s RBI double and junior shortstop Jax Biggers’ sacrifice fly, but Ole Miss’ Parker Caracci earned the two-inning save, including striking out the side in the ninth.
Friday’s game was the seventh one-run game Arkansas has played this season and third in its last four games. Arkansas is 3-4 this season in games decided by one run.