Diamond Hogs hammered by Florida, 17-2
Knight guides Hogs to game one win in Gainesville, 6-3
Series Preview: Hogs visit Florida in second straight top-five SEC series
Blown opportunities haunted No. 4 Arkansas all series long as they dropped Sunday's finale and the series, 5-4, to No. 2 Florida in Gainesville.
Arkansas (17-7, 4-2) had plenty of chances to score throughout the game but hit 2 for 15 with runners in scoring position. Starter Kacey Murphy had a respectable outing, striking out six and giving up 3 runs in six innings. Infield defense committed another costly error that costs the Hogs yet again today.
The Gators used a pair of timely home runs and solid pitching from reliever Michael Byrne to win their second straight SEC series. Despite getting doubled up in the hit column, Florida made plays when they needed them.
Here's how the Hogs lost their first conference series of the season:
THE WINNING INNINGS
After both clubs went down in order in the first inning, Florida stuck first in the second. Jonathan India hit a one-out triple off the right center wall and scored on a sacrifice fly to center, making it 1-0 Gators.
Jared Gates and Evan Lee, who hadn't played all series, launched back to back solo homers to left field to take a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth.
A fielding error on third baseman Hunter Wilson allowed Wil Dalton to reach first base. Catcher JJ Schwarz then homered to left center, scoring himself and Dalton and retaking the lead for Florida in the bottom of the fourth, 3-2.
In the fifth, a walk from Eric Cole and a double to left by Heston Kjerstad led to an RBI sacrifice fly by Dominic Fletcher that tied things up 3-3.
The Razorbacks loaded the bases with only one out with a walk and two singles in the top of the sixth. Florida brought in closer Michael Byrne who hadn't surrendered a run in 23 1/3 innings, and he retired the next two Arkansas batters in three pitches, stranding all three runners.
Matt Cronin entered in relief of Kacey Murphy in the seventh inning and surrendered a two-out, two-run home run to left field to Nelson Maldonado to make it 5-3 Florida.
Kjerstad doubled to right field and advanced to third, although he could have scored, on Fletcher's double to center. He later scored on a line out from Jared Gates. Not unlike many opportunities before during this series, Arkansas failed to convert any more runs, flying out and grounding out back to back, losing the game and the series 5-4.
STAT OF THE GAME
Arkansas' hitting when presented with potential scoring opportunities was brutal during this game and all weekend. The Hogs hit 2 for 15 with runners in scoring position and stranded 12 runners. During this series, Arkansas hit 4 for 31 with RISP and left 30 runners on base.
Because Florida starter Tyler Dyson had struggled against lefties to this point, Dave Van Horn decided to load the lineup with seven lefty hitters. Lefties accounted for 7 of Arkansas' 10 hits.
WINNING PITCHER
Michael Byrne (Florida): 3 2/3 IP (36 pitches), 3 H, 1 K, 0 BB, 1 ER
UP NEXT...
Arkansas will take on the Memphis Tigers in one game on Tuesday, March 27. First pitch is set for 6:30 pm (CDT). Following that, the Hogs will travel to Oxford (Miss.) for a three-game weekend series against the No. 5 Ole Miss Rebels.
