This article originally appeared in the April 29, 2013 issue of The Arkansas Traveler.
The Arkansas baseball team won a pair of low-scoring games in
Athens, Ga., before the final game of the series was cancelled because of rain.
Arkansas won Friday’s game with a 2-0 pitcher’s duel between
junior Barrett Astin and Georgia junior Patrick Boling.
Astin won the duel, lasting eight innings, allowing four hits
and two walks while striking out eight batters on 100 pitches. Boling only
threw six innings and gave up one earned run on three hits and a walk. He also
collected four strikeouts.
After giving up a pair of hits and a walk in the first inning,
Astin settled in and got out of the bases loaded jam on a fly out. From the
second inning on, Georgia did not advance a runner past first base until junior
Colby Suggs came in to close out the game in the ninth.
“I thought Barrett was outstanding,” head coach Dave Van Horn
said. “Once he got through the (first) inning, he kind of came in and
regrouped. We were worried that we’d have to take him out in the second inning,
but we never had to talk to him again.”
Suggs picked up the save by getting Georgia freshman Jess Posey
to strike out with runners on second and third.
The Razorbacks picked up their runs in the third and eighth
innings.
Sophomore Brian Anderson had two of Arkansas’ three hits of the
game, including an RBI-single in the third inning. Junior Jake Wise had their
other hit, as well as an RBI in the eighth, when he was hit by a pitch with the
bases loaded.
Game two of the series was another pitcher’s duel, featuring
junior Ryne Stanek and Georgia freshman Sean McLaughlin. Arkansas won 2-1.
It was scoreless through six innings before the Bulldogs got on
the scoreboard with a sacrifice fly by senior Kyle Farmer in the seventh.
The Razorbacks responded with a pair of runs in the eighth.
Senior Jacob Mahan led off the inning with a double and Wise
followed him with an RBI-single. After a sacrifice bunt advanced Wise to
second, sophomore Joe Serrano knocked him in with a single to center.
Stanek tossed 6.2 innings, allowing one earned run on seven
hits, followed by 2.1 one-hit innings by three Razorback relievers. Suggs
earned his seventh save of the season, while sophomore Jalen Beeks picked up
his fifth win. Stanek received a no-decision.
“I can’t remember the last time we’ve come back and won a game
after being behind in the sixth inning,” Van Horn said. “The pitching staff got
us home from there.”
Georgia got their first complete game of the season, as
McLaughlin went the distance, allowing two earned runs on five hits and
striking out five.
These were the first Southeastern Conference games of the season
in which Arkansas has not committed an error, as well.
“The defense was great,” Van Horn said. “The defense has really
stepped it up. We made a lot of nice plays in the outfield.”
Sunday’s game was cancelled because of inclement weather.
“We’re disappointed that we didn’t get to play, but the positive
from the weekend is that we won two games and helped ourselves in the
standings,” Van Horn said.
The Razorbacks improved their record to 29-15 overall and 13-7
in the SEC, which is second in the SEC West, behind LSU.
The
Hogs will return to action Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. against Missouri State.
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