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FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas found itself in a classic pitcher’s duel until the wheels fell off in the sixth inning Friday afternoon.
Seven of Southeastern Louisiana’s first eight batters that frame reached and came around to score, carrying the Lions to a 7-3 win over the No. 9 Razorbacks in the series opener at Baum-Walker Stadium.
It was the most runs Arkansas has allowed in an inning since giving up 10 in the second inning of its SEC opener against Alabama last season.
The Razorbacks actually entered the sixth inning clinging to a 1-0 lead thanks to Cayden Wallace’s two-out RBI single in the third. He ripped the 2-0 pitch from Will Kinzeler into center with a 104 mph exit velocity.
With five scoreless innings under his belt, Connor Noland went back to the mound and hit the first batter he faced. Evan Keller moved to second on a ground out and then scored on Rhett Rosevear’s RBI single to the the game.
Noland was pulled after a second straight single and it was downhill from there.
After being so dependable in the first two weekends of the season, super senior Kole Ramage promptly gave up a go-ahead single to Bryce Grizzaffi, with Rosevear sliding in just ahead of the tag on a close play that stood after review.
Eight of Ramage’s next nine pitches were balls, resulting in back-to-back walks — the latter of which was the first of three bases-loaded free passes in the sixth. It was nowhere near what he had shown in his first four outings, when he earned three saves with a 1.86 ERA and only two walks in 9 2/3 innings.
“He came out there and was behind both hitters,” head coach Dave Van Horn said. “A couple balls were close, but we were just telling him, ‘Hey, let’s make them hit it. Make them earn it. They’re going to score with the bases loaded. If you get behind in the count, you’ve got to throw a strike and just let them hit it. Maybe they hit into a double play.’”
Issac Bracken was next out of the pen and had the other two bases-loaded free passes, plunking a guy and also walking in a run. Zack Morris eventually got the Razorbacks out of the inning, but not before allowing a two-run bloop single to Tyler Finke and hitting a batter to load the bases.
A seventh-inning rally by Arkansas resulted in just two runs despite loading the bases with one out and the top of the order coming up.
“You could definitely feel the energy change toward our side for sure,” Jace Bohrofen said. “You’ve got the bases loaded like that, you’ve got to take care of the opportunity, and I had a lot of belief that we were gonna swing the game there.”
However, the Razorbacks managed just two runs. After a bases-loaded walk by Peyton Stovall, the Lions brought in Gage Trahan. The right-hander gave up a sacrifice fly to Wallace, but then got Robert Moore to pop out in foul territory to end the jam.
He ended up retiring eight of the final nine Razorbacks in the game to earn his second save of the season and lower his ERA to 0.79.
“You’ve got to give credit to their pitching staff,” Van Horn said. “Trahan came in and does what he does. He throws strikes and makes you earn it, and he didn’t give anything up.”
Here are several other key takeaways from Arkansas’ loss to the Lions…
Bats Quiet Again
With ace Brennan Stuprich on the shelf because of offseason Tommy John surgery, sophomore Will Kinzeler has stepped into that role and done well. He turned in arguably his best outing Friday.
The right-hander scattered five hits and two walks across six innings, allowing just one run along the way. Van Horn said he was particularly impressed with his changeup and how he mixed it up.
“He would even throw it when he was behind in the count,” Van Horn said. “Threw the fastball away to everybody. I don’t even know if he came in, maybe one or two times in six innings. But threw a lot of strikes, worked ahead in the count and just got us out.”
Of course, the veteran coach also wasn’t very pleased with his team’s approach at the plate with a strong wind blowing in from right field.
The Razorbacks hit 11 fly outs, plus struck out eight times and wasted three chances when the leadoff man reached.
