Key takeaways, box score from Arkansas' Game 3 loss at Alabama

When Arkansas needed a win to keep its division title hopes alive Saturday, it put together its worst game of the season in an 18-5 loss to Alabama.

It was the most runs the Razorbacks have allowed in a game since losing to Texas 19-8 in the 2005 Austin Regional.

The loss resulted in Arkansas’ fourth series loss of the season — three of which came on the road in conference play — and it will drop its RPI ranking even further heading into postseason play.

“What was said after the game was, disappointed like everyone else,” head coach Dave Van Horn said. “We’ve got to climb out of this hole a little bit.”

After Cayden Wallace recorded the first out of the game on two pitches, Arkansas batters reached in the next four at bats. Chris Lanzilli and Jalen Battles had a pair of RBI singles that escaped the infield and gave the Hogs an early 2-0 lead.

Arkansas elected not to start freshman Hagen Smith this weekend and keep sophomore Jaxon Wiggins in the starting rotation. The decision looked good after Wiggins put together a 1-2-3 inning in the first with great velocity.

The story in the bottom of the second inning was much different for Wiggins. He allowed five of his six batters faced to reach base and each came around to score.

“The mindset was great (coming into the game),” Van Horn said. “It all started on the mound. That’s what’s changed everything.”

Reliever Kole Ramage came on to replace Wiggins and recorded one out while allowing one run of his own to cross the plate to make it a 6-2 Alabama lead.

Smith came on in relief of Ramage and fanned his only batter to end the Crimson Tide’s second six-run inning in as many days, but then surrendered five earned runs over the next inning. He was pulled for Evan Taylor after allowing the first four batters to reach base in the bottom of the fourth. Taylor didn’t have it either, as he was replaced by Elijah Trest after giving up two unearned runs.

From then on, there was little-to-no hope for the Hogs outside of a two-run bomb by Braydon Webb in the top of the seventh. Arkansas relievers surrendered a combined 15 runs in the blowout loss.

“It was really just a total bad game on our part,” Van Horn said.

Here are a few key takeaways from Saturday’s loss…

Wiggins’ Road Woes continue

Life on the road has not been too kind to Wiggins this season. Entering Saturday’s game, he had given up 17 earned runs and 17 hits in 16 2/3 innings away from Baum-Walker Stadium in conference play.