ATHENS, Ga. - Try as they might, the Arkansas Razorbacks couldn’t recall an instance this season when they had a late-innings, come-from-behind victory.
It baffled Coach Dave Van Horn. Jake Wise couldn’t come up with an answer, either.
They solved that problem Saturday.
No. 14 Arkansas scored all of its runs in the eighth inning to beat Georgia 2-1 in front of 1,802 at Foley Field to clinch the three-game SEC series. The Razorbacks were outhit again by the Bulldogs,8-5, after being outhit 6-3 in the series opener Friday night.
“We struggled at the [plate] in the beginning, no doubt,” Wise said. “They did, too. They had a few more hits than we did, but we were able to come back.
“That’s the main thing we can take away from today. We haven’t been able to come back very much this year.”
Trailing 1-0, Jacob Mahan opened the eighth with a double, the only time Arkansas (29-15, 13-7 SEC) put its lead off batter on base. Wise followed with an RBI single to tie the game at 1-1. Brett McAfee moved Wise to second base with a sacrifice bunt, and one batter later Arkansas took the lead when Joe Serrano smacked a single to center to bring Wise home.
Arkansas had done little against Georgia starter Sean McLaughlin (4-5) going into the eighth, piecing together just two hits. Wise said the freshman pitcher made a few mistakes in the eighth, and that was all the opening Arkansas needed.
“I know Mahan got a 1-0 fastball and he was able to get on that, and then I jumped on his fastball, too,” Wise said. “He left two fastballs over [the plate] and a curve ball to Serrano.
“All day he was painting corners, and then he missed with a few fastballs and we were able to take advantage.”
The Razorbacks still had to snuff out one final threat from the Bulldogs (16-28, 4-16) in the bottom of the ninth. Reliever Colby Suggs gave up a lead off walk to the first batter he faced, but the defense came to his aid by turning a double-play on the next pitch. The Bulldogs managed another single before Suggs retired the final batter on a fly out to center field to seal the victory.
“The defense was great,” Van Horn said. “We turned a couple of double plays and we ended up turning that big one in the ninth.”
The defense came through on a day when Van Horn admitted that junior ace Ryne Stanek didn’t have his best game. The SEC’s league leader in ERA (0.70) entering Saturday, Stanek gave up 7 hits and 1 run run to go along with 3strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings.
Relievers Jalen Beeks (5-1), Landon Simpson and Suggs combined to give up just one hit over the final 2 1/3 innings.
“We made a lot of nice plays in the outfield,” Van Horn. “They hit a lot of balls hard today on Stanek. … He just battled his way through.”
Arkansas has a chance today to complete its second SEC series sweep of the season. The Razorbacks swept South Carolina on March 22-24 in Columbia, S.C.
“When you have a chance to sweep, go and sweep,” Serrano said. “We won the series, but we’re not satisfied with just that. We want to sweep.”Today’s game ARKANSAS AT GEORGIA WHEN 1 p.m. Central WHERE Foley Field, Athens, Ga.
RECORDS Arkansas 29-15, 13-7 SEC;
Georgia 16-28, 4-16 RADIO Razorbacks Sports Network. Not all games will be carried by affiliates.
Check local listings.
TELEVISION Comcast Sports Southeast and Cox Sports Television in Northwest Arkansas INTERNET arkansasrazorbacks.com PITCHING MATCHU-P Arkansas: Randall Fant (LHP 3-1, 2.23 ERA). Georgia: Bryan Benzor (RHP 3-2, 4.38 ERA).
THE WEEK AHEAD TODAY at Georgia, 1 p.m.
MONDAY Off TUESDAY vs. Missouri State, 6:35 p.m.
WEDNESDAY Off THURSDAY Off FRIDAY at Kentucky, 5:30 p.m.
SATURDAY at Kentucky, 6 p.m.
FRIDAY’S GAMES Arkansas 2, Georgia 0 Auburn 3, Missouri 1 Florida 7, Tennessee 2 Alabama 3, Texas A&M 2 Mississippi 11, Kentucky 5 Vanderbilt 3, Mississippi State 1 LSU 5, South Carolina 2 SATURDAY’S GAMES Arkansas 2, Georgia 1 Auburn at Missouri, ppd., rain Kentucky 5, Mississippi 4Alabama 3, Texas A&M 2 Vanderbilt 5, Mississippi State 2 Florida 3, Tennessee 2, (10) South Carolina 4, LSU 2 TODAY’S GAMES All times Central Tennessee at Florida, noon Arkansas at Georgia, 1 p.m.
Texas A&M at Alabama, 1 p.m.
Auburn at Missouri, 1 p.m.
Mississippi State at Vanderbilt, 1 p.m.
South Carolina at LSU, 2 p.m.
Sports, Pages 23 on 04/28/2013