College Baseball

Arkansas shut out, leaves nine on base

Arkansas base runner Andrew Benintendi (16) gets a lead from second base during a game against Missouri State on Tuesday, March 31, 2015, at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville.
Arkansas base runner Andrew Benintendi (16) gets a lead from second base during a game against Missouri State on Tuesday, March 31, 2015, at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Missouri State continues to beat up on Arkansas baseball teams.

The Bears broke a 10-game losing streak to the Arkansas Razorbacks with a 2-0 victory Tuesday night before an announced crowd of 2,872 at Baum Stadium to improve to 6-1 this season against teams from the state.

Up next

Arkansas at Auburn

WHEN 6 p.m. Friday

WHERE Plainsman Park, Auburn, Ala.

RECORDS Arkansas 14-14, 3-6 SEC; Auburn 18-11, 3-6

SERIES Auburn leads 43-34

RADIO Razorbacks Sports Network statewide network. Not all games will be carried by all affiliates. Check local listings.

INTERNET arkansasrazorbacks.…

PITCHING MATCHUP Arkansas: Trey Killian (RHP, 0-2, 3.74 ERA). Auburn: TBA

SHORT HOPS Arkansas fell to 49-21 against Missouri State, including 32-9 in Fayetteville. ... Razorbacks Coach Dave Van Horn said shortstop Brett McAfee was a late scratch from the lineup Tuesday because he was ill. ... Arkansas was 10-12 in March, including 5-12 in the past 17 games .

THE WEEK AHEAD

TODAY off

THURSDAY off

FRIDAY at Auburn, 6 p.m.

SATURDAY at Auburn, 6 p.m.

SUNDAY at Auburn, 1 p.m.

MONDAY off

TUESDAY vs. Mississippi Valley State, 6:35 p.m.

In addition to beating Arkansas in the teams' only meeting this season, Missouri State (18-7) is 3-1 against Central Arkansas and 1-0 against UALR and Arkansas State.

The Razorbacks (14-14) were shut out for the third time this season, including losing to Loyola Marymount 9-0 and at Vanderbilt 1-0.

"It's definitely frustrating because our pitchers did such a great job tonight," said Arkansas right fielder Tyler Spoon, who was 1 for 3 with a double. "As a hitter, you want to get the job done."

Arkansas left nine runners on base and was 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position.

"That's the difference in the ballgame," Razorbacks Coach Dave Van Horn said. "There were three or four at-bats with runners in scoring position and less than two outs and we didn't make contact.

"Give credit to their pitchers, but we didn't do a very good job, either."

Arkansas cleanup hitter Cullen Gassaway struck out for the second out of the bottom of the fourth inning after Andrew Benintendi had doubled and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Spoon then lined out to right field to end the inning.

The Razorbacks loaded the bases against Bears starter Andy Cheray (3-2) with one out in the sixth inning, but Zach Merciez struck out Rick Nomura and retired Chris Shaddy on a groundout.

"Their reliever came in and got Nomura on three pitches, and two of them were out of the zone," Van Horn said. "That's what was disappointing, swinging at balls in that situation."

Nomura came up with two outs in the bottom of the eighth and runners on second and third -- after a single by Clark Eagan and a double by Spoon -- but struck out against Missouri State reliever Bryan Young.

Cheray allowed 4 hits and 4 walks over 5 1/3 innings but continued to frustrate the Razorbacks. He had four strikeouts.

"He kept getting out of jams," Van Horn said. "We hit some balls hard, but they were right at them."

Missouri State took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fifth inning after loading the bases against Arkansas starter James Teague (1-2) with two singles and a hit batter.

Dylan Becker hit a sacrifice fly to left field against Keaton McKinney -- who replaced Teague -- that scored Matt Fultz.

After Arkansas catcher Carson Shaddy threw out Jake Burger trying to steal third base, the Bears loaded the bases again when McKinney had an error trying to field a ground ball and hit a batter.

Blake Graham then drew a walk and Aaron Meyer scored.

"We kind of created the jam that scored the two runs," Van Horn said. "It wasn't real pretty. Very disappointing, because we had a chance to easily score two or three runs and that would have been enough if we could have gotten that third run.

"It seems like it has fallen into the hands of some young guy, and at least tonight it didn't happen."

After having five games on five consecutive days each of the previous two weeks, the Razorbacks are off until resuming SEC play Friday night when they open a three-game series at Auburn.

Van Horn said it's a good break for the Razorbacks because their pitchers need rest.

"We don't have enough pitching for another game right now," he said. "We need practice, and hopefully we'll get better and play better at Auburn."

Sports on 04/01/2015

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