All Hogs

Bats Explode in Middle Innings, Topple Bulldogs after Early Struggles

Nine unanswered runs digs Razorbacks out of early hole to finish home SEC series perfect after pitching took awhile to get going

Daniel Shi

Arkansas Razorbacks' outfielder Peyton Holt after his big homer launched comeback against Mississippi State on Sunday.
Arkansas Razorbacks' outfielder Peyton Holt after his big homer launched comeback against Mississippi State on Sunday. / Crave Whitlow-allHOGS Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas stormed back from being down 6-0 early with a trifecta of two-run homers to beat No. 14 Mississippi State, 9-6. The Razorbacks improved to 33-3 at home and won every regular season series at Baum-Walker Stadium.

"We’ve been talking to them [the hitters] about it," coach Dave Van Horn said. "I’ve been telling them and pleading with them to ‘Hey, just let me write the same lineup down. Just go out and show me that you need to play against right or left or whoever. Swing the bats and be tough outs."

The Hog bats were held quiet against Mississippi State starter Pico Kohn, managing just one run on an RBI groundout off the bat of Ryder Helfrick in four innings as Mississippi State built a 6-1 lead.

Staring down the barrel of its first home series loss of the year, Arkansas had better luck against the Bulldog Bullpen. Jayson Jones, starting just his third SEC game, hit a 382-foot two-run homer to trim the lead to 6-3. Arkansas picked up another run on an RBI groundout to trim the lead to 6-4 through five innings.

Hudson White cashed in a leadoff walk in the sixth with a game-tying two-run homer to left, his third in the past week as the Razorbacks stormed back.

Peyton Holt capped the rally off with another two-run homer with two outs and finished a four-run sixth with the Razorbacks' third homer to left on the afternoon.

Mason Molina's struggles on the mound continued. After a clean inning in the first the first, five batters of the second reached against Molina. Aaron Downs opened the scoring with an RBI double down the left-field line. The eight and nine hole hitters came into the game without a homer in 99 at-bats on the season but Ethan Pulliam and Joe Powell went back-to-back with a pair of homers to left. Pulliam's three-run shot put the Bulldogs up 4-0, chasing Molina from the game.

Gage Wood didn't fare much better as Powell greeted him with a homer to a similar spot and stretched the lead to 5-0. Pulliam continued his career day 3-for-4 with another RBI double in the third.

Christian Foutch and Will McEntire quieted the Mississippi State bats combining for three scoreless innings, allowing the bats time to work back into the game.

Arkansas manufactured an insurance run in the seventh, Jared Sprague-Lott hit a leadoff double, moved to third on a ground ball to third and came home on a sac fly. The Razorbacks got three RBIs on outs, getting runners in from third with less than two outs and only left three runners on base all game compared to 10 for Mississippi State.

Gabe Gaeckle came in the eighth for a six-out save and stranded the tying run at the plate in the ninth to pick up his seventh save of the season.

The Razorbacks will now conclude its regular season on the road against Texas A&M at Blue Bell Park in College Station. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday and will be broadcast on ESPN2. The Razorbacks came into the day with a two game lead over the Aggies coming into Sunday's game.

HOGS FEED:

• Razorback pitching suddenly has trouble finding the plate

• Early hole dug by Razorbacks too deep for spotty hitting to find way out

• Taking a look at possible Razorbacks' lineup Calipari may put on the floor that will be short on experience

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Daniel Shi
DANIEL SHI

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