COLUMBIA, S.C. - Arkansas Coach Dave Horn said a sweep of fifth-ranked South Carolina wasn’t on the Razorbacks’ minds when they came to Carolina Stadium for this weekend’s three game SEC series.
The Razorbacks had a different perspective after Matt Vinson’s two-run single in the 11th inning gave them a 5-3 victory over the Gamecocks and made that sweep a reality.
“This weekend, we tried to lay it on the shoulders of the older players and they came through for us,” Dave Van Horn said. “We didn’t come down here expecting to sweep anybody. We just wanted to get better. When we won the first game, we said, ‘Hey let’s try to win this series.’ And then after that, it’s play loose, play hard and maybe some good things will happen. This is big for us.”
No. 21 Arkansas (17-7, 4-2 SEC) pounded the Gamecocks 15-3 in the series-opener Friday, and won 4-2 on Saturday behind a three-hit, complete game performance by Ryne Stanek. It’s the first time the Gamecocks have been swept at home in a three-game SEC series since Kentucky managed the feat in 1999.
Arkansas came dangerously close to letting Sunday’s sweep opportunity slip away.
The Razorbacks led 3-1 before a two-out error at short opened the door for the Gamecocks to tie it in the seventh inning.
With runners on first and second, Erik Payne followed with a two-out RBI single off Randall Fant.
Van Horn went to the bullpen and brought in Brandon Moore, who walked consecutive hitters to force in the game-tying run before getting out of the inning on a fly to center.
Both teams squandered scoring opportunities until Vinson delivered on a two out, bases-loaded hit in the 11th that cleared the shortstop’s glove to drive in two runs.
“They had been pounding me in all day,” Vinson said. “They threw one in and I finally got around on it. I kind of got jammed, but luckily it got over his head by a couple of inches.”
Trey Killian got the victory in relief but Fant turned in a worthy performance, pitching 62/3 innings, allowing 3 runs, 1 earned, on 3 hits with 1 walk and 7 strikeouts.
“Fant was terrific,” said Chad Hoolbrook, South Carolina’s first-year coach. “His change up, our guys couldn’t pick it up. He had great arm speed on it. It’s tough to hit that pitch. He was terrific today.’
Arkansas gave Fant a lead to work with, breaking a 1-1 tie with two runs in the fourth on RBI singles from Willie Schwanke and Jacob Morris.
The Gamecocks got a run in the first off a run-scoring single to right from L.B. Dantzler, but Fant settled in after that.
Arkansas tied the game in the second on Dominic Ficociello’s run-scoring ground out.
The Razorbacks outhit the Gamecocks 35-15 over three games and 29 total innings.
“Coming into Sunday we were ready, but we weren’t too relaxed,” Van Horn said. “We were in good position. We knew we had the series won. We wanted to win, not necessarily to sweep but we just need to win games in this league.”
SUN BELT FLORIDA ATLANTIC 3, ARKANSAS STATE 2
JONESBORO - After splitting a doubleheader Saturday, Arkansas State (16-9, 4-2 Sun Belt Conference) lost its series finale to Florida Atlantic (15-9, 4-2) on Sunday afternoon at Tomlinson Stadium.
Ryan Roberts, who finished 4 for 5, hit a two-out double in the bottom of the ninth, but ASU failed to score the tying run.
The Red Wovles trailed 2-1 entering the bottom of the seventh inning, but Kevin Fitzpatrick hit a two-out, pinch hit single to left field that scored Claude Johnson to tie the game at 2-2.
Florida Atlantic took a 3-2 lead in the top of the eighth on an RBI single from Brendon Sanger.
Bradley Wallace allowed 1 run on 7 hits, struck out 6 and walked 1 in 6 innings.
SOUTH ALABAMA 11, UALR 1
MOBILE, Ala. - UALR (10-14) dropped to 0-6 in the Sun Belt Conference after being swept by South Alabama (21-4, 5-1) in seven innings at Stanky Field.
Jared Cito allowed 1 hit in 7 innings and struck out 11 for the Jaguars.
UALR starter Ethan Schlechte (2-3) allowed 6 runs, 5 earned, on 7 hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Myles Parma’s single in the top of the fourth inning was the Trojans’ only hit.
Whitt Dorsey led South Alabama, going 4 for 4 with 5 RBI and scored 3 runs.Dustin Dalken and Nick Zaharion each had two hits.
SOUTHLAND ORAL ROBERTS 4, NO. 23 CENTRAL ARKANSAS 3
TULSA - Oral Roberts (8-15, 3-0 Southland Conference) scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to sweep No. 23 Central Arkansas (18-6, 0-3) at J.L. Johnson Stadium.
The Bears took a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the ninth. Oral Roberts catcher Jose Trevino led off the inning with a home run off UCA starter Bryce Biggerstaff. Ethan McKinzie replaced Biggerstaff and allowed a single to Tyler Boss and a walk to Matt Brandy.
Chris Williams’ sacrifice bunt moved Boss and Brandy up before McKinzie intentionally walked Kevin Cho to load the bases with one out. Austin Colt struck out, but Nate Goro hit a single to right field to score Boss to win it.
Ethan Harris, who went 3 for 5 and scored all three of UCA’s runs, hit a home run in the second inning to give the Bears their first lead of the series, 1-0. Michael Marietta’s RBI single in the third made it 2-0. Oral Roberts tied the game at 2-2 in the sixth, but UCA regained the lead in the seventh when Garrett Brown hit a RBI single.
Biggerstaff allowed 3 runs on 7 hits in 8 innings. He struck out two and walked one.
- Democrat-Gazette Press Services
Sports, Pages 15 on 03/25/2013