OMAHA, Neb. – Arkansas and Ole Miss slugged it out early on, but the Razorbacks blinked first in a 13-5 loss on Monday night to set up an elimination game with Auburn tomorrow at the College World Series.
The Hogs and Rebels traded runs in the first two innings at Charles Schwab Field with Ole Miss taking a 4-3 lead into the third. A one-out walk issued by reliever Kole Ramage started a string of trouble for the Razorbacks. Garrett Wood singled for Ole Miss before nine-hole hitter Calvin Harris stretched the Rebels’ lead to three runs with a two-run double into the left field corner.
Arkansas rallied in the bottom of the first and second innings after the Rebels put two runs on the board in the top half of each frame, but the Hogs failed to hold serve in the bottom of the third. After the Rebels scratched two runs in the first inning, the Razorbacks rallied for a run thanks to a two-out, RBI-double from Michael Turner.
Two more runs came across for Ole Miss in the second, but Arkansas answered with two of their own. Robert Moore reached on an error in front of a Jalen Battles double to set up Peyton Stovall’s RBI groundout to first.
A safety squeeze bunt from Zack Gregory pulled the Hogs within a run, but that was as close as Arkansas would get on Monday night. Ole Miss tacked on four in the fifth and two more in the eighth to take control.
Razorback starter Zack Morris took the loss, allowing two runs on two hits while recording just two outs in the first. Arkansas’ pitching struggled with control all night, issuing 10 walks in the loss.
Braydon Webb and Battles led the way offensively with two hits apiece. Stovall added his sixth home run of the season on a two-run shot into the right field bleachers in the ninth.
Arkansas and Auburn will battle tomorrow night in an elimination game at 6 p.m. on ESPN. The Hogs will be the visiting team.
