Rebels deny Razorbacks’ comeback bid
OXFORD, Miss. – No. 5 Arkansas scored eight runs in the seventh and eighth innings at No. 4 Ole Miss Saturday, but the tying run was left on second base in the top of the ninth inning as the Rebels held on for an
11-10 victory in the rubber match of the Southeastern Conference series.
Ole Miss (25-4, 6-3) led, 8-2) going into the top of the seventh inning. Home runs from sophomore center fielder Dominic Fletcher, junior catcher Grant Koch and junior outfielder Eric Cole put Arkansas (19-9, 5-4) back into the game. Arkansas registered nine of the team’s 12 hits in the final three innings.
The Rebels added three more runs in the bottom of the seventh for an 11-6 lead. The Razorbacks had the bases loaded in the eighth inning with a chance to take the lead.
The run ended after another four runs in the eighth inning and Ole Miss clinging to an 1110 lead. Senior designated hitter Luke Bonfield led off the ninth inning with a double down the left field line, but the tying run was left stranded on second base.
Freshman outfielder Heston Kjerstad fell a triple shy of the cycle for the second time this year. He went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Kjerstad blasted hit his seventh home run of the year in the sixth inning, which ties him for the team lead with Cole, freshman third baseman Casey Martin and redshirt senior second baseman Carson Shaddy.
Kjerstad hit .455 during Arkansas’ eight-game road trip, leading the team with a .970 slugging percentage and a .514 on-base percentage with 15 hits, including nine for extra bases. He hit four home runs during the eight games after hitting just three in the first 20 games of the season.
Cole and junior shortstop Jax Biggers also had multiple hits in the game. All but one of the Razorback starters recorded at least one hit in the loss.
Biggers and Cole combined to drive in all four of Arkansas’ runs in the eighth inning. Cole finished the game 2-for-5 at the plate with three RBIs, his fifth game this season with three RBIs or more. All three RBIs were on his home run in the eighth inning to bring the Hogs within 11-10.
Arkansas hit four home runs, marking the fifth time this season the Razorbacks hit four or more in a game. They now have 53 on the season, which leads the SEC.
Junior left-hander Kacey Murphy (3-2) was denied a more efficient outing as the Rebels took advantage of fielding errors in the fourth and fifth innings to score three unearned runs. Murphy’s only earned run was on a home run in the bottom of the fifth inning. He did not walk a better and struck out four.
Arkansas returns home Tuesday to face Louisiana-Monroe (15-12) for a two-game series. The Razorbacks will be at home for 15 of the next 18 games, including one at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock on April 10 against Grambling State (15-14).
First pitch with the Warhawks on Tuesday is set for 6:30 p.m. and will be available to watch online on SEC Network+ via the Watch ESPN app and http://www.espn.com/watch.