The No. 5 Arkansas Razorbacks (37-9, 14-7 SEC) dropped Game 3 Saturday to the Florida Gators (30-17, 8-14 SEC) in a 9-5 loss at Condron Family Ballpark in Gainesville, Florida. It's the third straight SEC series loss for the Hogs.
Starting pitcher Landon Beidelschies only made it through two innings before getting pulled. In that time, he allowed two hits (both doubles) and two earned runs, walked a batter and issued two wild pitches.
Relief righty Ben Bybee took the mound in place of Beidelschies, but he was yanked in the fourth after giving up four hits and two earned runs. As a whole, Arkansas' usually strong bullpen combined for 10 hits and seven earned runs allowed with three strikeouts and four walks.
Arkansas' offense got going early with a five-run second to take a 5-1 lead over the Gators, but the Hogs didn't record a hit again until the seventh. A late bases-loaded effort in the ninth got the Razorbacks within shouting distance of a comeback, but no runs came across to score. By the end, the Razorbacks finished 7-for-33 at the plate with nine strikeouts and six walks.
Florida starter Billy Barlow worked around a hit-by-pitch on Wehiwa Aloy to keep the Razorbacks off the scoreboard in the top of the first. Beidelschies retired the first two Gators he faced on just three pitches, but back-to-back doubles allowed Florida to take a 1-0 lead early.
Kuhio led off the second with a double, then Gabe Fraser reached via a hit-by-pitch. Some poor baserunning by Kuhio, however, resulted in him being picked off at second. Following a Ryder Helfrick single, Kendall Diggs was plunked in a full-count to load the bases. Barlow got behind 2-0 to Justin Thomas Jr., which forced Florida in to a pitching change to Alex Philpott, who walked Thomas to tie the game.
In the middle of Charles Davalan's at-bat, a wild pitch scored Helfrick from third base and advanced the other runners into scoring position. Davalan drove in another run with an RBI groundout to make it 3-1, Hogs. Philpott walked Wehiwa Aloy to setup Cam Kozeal with runners on the corners, and he took advantage with a two-RBI double. Brent Iredale flied out to finally bring an end to the top of the second with Arkansas up 5-1.
A leadoff walk by Beidelschies came around to score in the bottom of the second on an RBI groundout, but he drew another groundout and flyout to escape mostly unscathed. The new score was 5-2, Hogs.
The first strikeout of the game from either team was recorded by Kuhio Aloy to start the third. Fraser and Helfrick grounded out to complete the 1-2-3 frame.
Ben Bybee replaced Beidelschies in the bottom of the third, and he got Arkansas' first strikeout of the day to start things off. A one-out single and subsequent passed ball gave the Gators a runner in scoring position (RISP), but Thomas made a leaping catch at the wall in center field to record the final out.
Remember when Arkansas' offense went down in-order in the third? It did it again in the third. Bybee struck out his first Gator, but allowed a single and walk to give Florida two men on base. A strikeout was followed by back-to-back singles, which made it 5-4, Hogs. Arkansas called upon Cole Gibler to get the final out, and he did just that.
Christian Rodriguez entered for Florida to start the fifth, but he was pulled after striking out Wehiwa Aloy and walking Kozeal. Luke McNeillie replaced Rodriguez and got started with a groundout that advanced both runners into scoring position, then Fraser flied out to strand both runners.
Gibler continued pitching in the bottom of the fifth, but his outing took a turn after recording the first out. He got ahead 0-2 to the next Gator, but ended up walking him. Then, a one-out double drove in a run to tie the game, 5-5, before Gibler grew a flyout to close the books on the inning.
With the bottom of its order up in the top of the sixth, Arkansas was retired on two strikeouts and a groundout. Carson Wiggins trotted out of the bullpen in the latter-half of the inning and promptly gave up a leadoff single, then exited the game after meeting with a team trainer.
Will McEntire took over for Wiggins with a 2-1 count and drew a flyout, but back-to-back doubles made it 7-5, Florida. McEntire finally got out of the inning with a flyout and groundout.
Jake Clemente was tasked with facing the top of Arkansas' lineup in the seventh, and he started strong with a full-count strikeout against Davalan. Wehiwa Aloy battled back with a single, but back-to-back outs by Kozeal and Iredale stranded Aloy at first base.
Arkansas called upon Dylan Carter in place of McEntire in the bottom of the seventh. The veteran bullpen arm got two quick outs, but was tagged with a left center homerun to give the Gators an 8-5 advantage.
Kuhio Aloy and Fraser were two quick outs for the Hogs in the top of the eighth, but a walk to Helfrick and a single by pinch-hitter Carson Boles gave the team some life. However, a deep Thomas flyout to right center ended the rally before it really got started.
Carter loaded the bases full of Gators in the bottom of the eighth behind a single and two walks, and Tate McGuire came out of the pen to keep anymore runs from scoring. He did let one come across on an RBI groundout, but recorded the final out to give Arkansas a chance down 9-5.
With three outs remaining, Davalan walked to begin the top of the ninth. Wehiwa Aloy struck out on three pitches, then Kozeal singled to give the Hogs two runners on base. Another single, this time by Iredale, loaded the bases. Kuhio Aloy worked a long at-bat, but eventually went down on strikes. Fraser lined out to end the game with four runners on base.
Up next, the Razorbacks will travel to Springfield, Missouri, to face the Missouri State Bears on Tuesday. First pitch for that game is set for 6 p.m. CT and it will stream on ESPN+.
