FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas pitching shut down Alabama for the consecutive second day Sunday.
The No. 1 Razorbacks defeated the No. 24 Crimson Tide 3-1 to win the series at Baum-Walker Stadium.
Arkansas (14-3, 2-1 SEC) won the final two games after Alabama won 16-1 in the opener. The Crimson Tide recorded only five hits and scored two runs combined in the final two games.
Lael Lockhart, Kevin Kopps and Jaxon Wiggins combined to allow 1 run on 3 hits and strike out 15 Alabama batters Sunday. Wiggins allowed a solo home run to Sam Praytor to lead off the ninth inning, but stranded a runner with consecutive strikeouts to end the game.
Lockhart struck out 9 batters in a 4 2/3-inning no-decision, and Kopps earned the win with 4 strikeouts in 3 1/3 scoreless innings. Kopps needed only 41 pitches to retire 10 batters.
Arkansas took a 1-0 lead on Brady Slavens' two-out home run in the bottom of the fourth inning and the Razorbacks scored two more when Casey Opitz hit a bases-loaded single with two outs in the sixth.
Alabama (15-5, 1-2) had at least one base runner in every inning but the third, seventh and eighth, but left eight runners stranded.
Antoine Jean took the loss for the Crimson Tide by allowing 1 run, 3 hits and 2 walks in 5 innings.
EARLIER
Arkansas 3, Alabama 1 — FINAL
There were some tense moments in the ninth as Jaxon Wiggins went to three full counts, gave up a home run and walked a batter, but he struck out the final two batters he faced to earn his third save.
Arkansas wins the series.
We'll have much more soon at WholeHogSports.com.
Arkansas 3, Alabama 1 — Top 9th Inning
Sam Praytor has led off the ninth inning with a home run to pull the Crimson Tide within 3-1.
Jaxon Wiggins got ahead of Praytor 1-2, but threw a couple of balls to run the count full. Praytor turned on a 3-2 fastball and sent it into the Hog Pen beyond the wall in left field.
Arkansas 3, Alabama 0 — End 8th Inning
Cullen Smith reached on a two-out error in the eighth. His pinch runner, Jacob Nesbit, was stranded.
Jaxon Wiggins is coming into the game to pitch the ninth for the Razorbacks.
Arkansas 3, Alabama 0 — Middle 8th Inning
Cullen Smith and Jalen Battles made nice plays on ground balls hit by Andrew Pinckney and Zane Denton, and Battles caught a hot shot from Drew Williamson to end the top of the eighth inning.
Kevin Kopps has been outstanding in 3 1/3 innings of relief today. He has needed only 41 pitches to retire 10 batters.
Arkansas 3, Alabama 0 — End 7th Inning
Arkansas stranded two more in the seventh inning — its seventh and eighth runners left on base today — when Cayden Wallace popped up to the infield and Brady Slavens struck out.
Christian Franklin was hit by a pitch with one out and Matt Goodheart followed with a walk.
Kevin Kopps, who has thrown 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, is back to pitch the eighth for the Razorbacks. You have to figure Jaxon Wiggins will pitch the ninth if Kopps can get through the inning.
Alabama has its 2-3-4 hitters due up in the eighth.
Arkansas 3, Alabama 0 — Middle 7th Inning
Kevin Kopps worked a perfect top of the seventh. He struck out Jim Jarvis to lead off the inning and Peyton Wilson to end it.
Arkansas pitching has struck out 13 Crimson Tide batters today.
That was only the second inning today that Alabama didn't have a base runner, and the first time since the third inning.
Arkansas 3, Alabama 0 — End 6th Inning
Cullen Smith walked on a 3-2 pitch with two outs to reload the bases, but Jalen Battles grounded into a fielder's choice at third base to strand three runners.
Arkansas has stranded six today.
Kevin Kopps is back to pitch the seventh inning for Arkansas.
Arkansas 3, Alabama 0 — Bottom 6th Inning
Casey Opitz's two-run single with two outs has given Arkansas a 3-0 lead. Opitz hit it just past the shortstop on a 1-2 pitch. Christian Franklin and Cayden Wallace scored.
Franklin walked to lead off the inning when Landon Green's 3-2 fastball was low, and Wallace hit a one-out infield single with two strikes. Both runners advanced on a groundout to the right side by Brady Slavens.
Braydon Webb followed with a four-pitch walk to bring Opitz to the plate.
Arkansas 1, Alabama 0 — Middle 6th Inning
The Crimson Tide stranded their seventh base runner today in the sixth inning.
Sam Praytor singled with one out and advanced to second on a groundout. Kevin Kopps struck out Caden Rose to end the inning.
Robert Moore made an outstanding defensive play for the second out. The shift was on against Owen Diodati and Moore fielded the ball near the right-field line. He made a throw against his body to make the out at first base.
The Razorbacks' 2-3-4 hitters are due up against relief pitcher Landon Green in the bottom of the sixth.
Arkansas 1, Alabama 0 — End 5th Inning
Arkansas couldn't do anything with a one-out single by Cullen Smith to right field in the fifth inning. Jalen Battles popped up to the shortstop on a 3-2 pitch for the second out, and Robert Moore ended the inning with a groundout to second base.
Antonie Jean has thrown 72 pitches for the Crimson Tide. He could potentially stay in the game for a while, but Alabama is much like Arkansas, with a lot of quality arms available. There are pitchers warming up in the Crimson Tide bullpen.
Arkansas 1, Alabama 0 — Middle 5th Inning
Kevin Kopps fell behind Alabama hitter Zane Denton 2-0, but came back with three consecutive strikes to strand Crimson Tide runners on the corners. That was the 10th strikeout for Arkansas pitching today.
That energized this big crowd. Arkansas will bring the bottom of the order to the plate in the bottom of the inning.
Arkansas 1, Alabama 0 — Top 5th Inning
Lael Lockhart hit Jim Jarvis with a pitch to lead off the top of the fifth, and Jarvis went first to third on a two-out single by Andrew Pinckney.
Kevin Kopps is entering the game to face the Crimson Tide's three-hole hitter Zane Denton.
Alabama's leadoff hitter has gotten on base in three of five innings against Lockhart, so while his pitch count (74) is relatively low, there have been some high-stress innings.
Add in the fact that Arkansas has some of its best arms — Kopps and Jaxon Wiggins among them — available, this is not a surprise to see Lockhart exit in the fifth inning. This has been the point in the game where things have had a tendency to get away from him in recent outings.
Lockhart struck out Jackson Tate and Peyton Wilson for the first two outs in the inning. His partial final line: 4 2/3 innings, 0 runs, 2 hits, 2 walks, 9 strikeouts.
Both runners are his responsibility. He cannot be the winner, but could be in line for a loss if both Alabama runners score.
Arkansas 1, Alabama 0 — End 4th Inning
Braydon Webb hit one hard to left-center field, but it was ran down on the warning track for the final out of the inning.
Arkansas has given Lael Lockhart a lead with which to work. Kevin Kopps is getting loose in Arkansas' bullpen. The Razorbacks have a lot of arms available today, which might mean a shorter-than-usual hook.
Arkansas 1, Alabama 0 — Bottom 4th Inning
Brady Slavens' two-out solo home run to right field has given Arkansas the lead. That was his team-leading sixth home run this season.
Arkansas 0, Alabama 0 — Middle 4th Inning
Lael Lockhart worked around a leadoff walk to Drew Williamson and has thrown four scoreless innings.
Owen Diodati struck out and Caden Rose hit into a fielder's choice to end the inning.
Sam Praytor hit a ball hard against Lockhart to right-center field, but right fielder Cayden Wallace covered a lot of ground to run it down near the warning track. Williamson rounded second before retreating on the hit to the outfield.
Arkansas appealed that Williamson didn't touch second base on his way back to first. He was called out on the appeal, but replay overturned the call.
This is the third consecutive week Lockhart has not allowed a run through four innings. He threw five scoreless innings against Murray State two weeks ago and allowed two runs in the fifth inning last week at Louisiana Tech.
Arkansas 0, Alabama 0 — Middle 3rd Inning
Another promising start for the Razorbacks ended without runs. Jalen Battles singled to left field to begin the bottom of the third, but Robert Moore bounced into a 4-6-3 double play. That was Arkansas' second double play to hit into today.
Christian Franklin was called out on a borderline strike three to end the inning.
Both teams have one hit. This is turning into a pitchers' duel, reminiscent of last Sunday at Louisiana Tech.
Arkansas 0, Alabama 0 — Middle 3rd Inning
Lael Lockhart carved up the top of the order in the third inning with a really good-looking 73-76 mph off-speed pitch that Peyton Wilson and Andrew Pinckney had trouble laying off. Both struck out on the pitch. Wilson swung through three sliders.
Zane Denton grounded out to second base to end the inning.
Lockhart has been efficient so far. He has thrown 45 pitches, including 29 for strikes.
Arkansas 0, Alabama 0 — End 2nd Inning
Casey Opitz walked with two outs and was stranded when Cullen Smith grounded out to second base.
Brady Slavens and Braydon Webb also grounded out in the inning. The Razorbacks do not have a hit through two innings against Antoine Jean, who has thrown 31 pitches — the same number as Lael Lockhart for Arkansas.
Lockhart has thrown 19 for strikes; Jean 17 for strikes.
Arkansas 0, Alabama 0 — Middle 2nd Inning
Lael Lockhart worked around a one-out double by Caden Rose in the second inning. Rose was stranded when Jackson Tate struck out.
Jim Jarvis was unable to move Rose and was out on a soft fly ball to shortstop Jalen Battles in the left field grass. Lockhart struck out Owen Diodati to begin the inning.
Lockhart has four strikeouts through two innings. He has thrown 31 pitches.
Arkansas 0, Alabama 0 — End 1st Inning
Arkansas had a promising start with a leadoff walk by Robert Moore and an error on shortstop Jim Jarvis that allowed Christian Franklin to reach.
But Matt Goodheart hit a comebacker at pitcher Antoine Jean, who turned a 1-6-3 double play, and Cayden Wallace struck out to strand Moore at first base.
Both teams have had multiple base runners without recording a hit.
Arkansas 0, Alabama 0 — Middle 1st Inning
Lael Lockhart was sharp in the first inning, but a couple of balls went to the backstop and Alabama put two runners in scoring position with one out.
Lockhart struck out leadoff hitter Peyton Wilson, but he advanced to first on the ball that got away from Casey Opitz. Lockhart walked Zane Denton with one out, and both runners advanced on a wild pitch.
Lockhart bounced back to strike out clean-up hitter Drew Williamson, and Sam Praytor grounded out to shortstop to strand the base runners.
Pregame
Arkansas and Alabama will play a rubber match today beginning at 2 p.m.
The Crimson Tide won Game 1 by a score of 16-1, and the Razorbacks won 9-1 last night. Neither team has lost a series this season.
Both teams will throw left handers today — Lael Lockhart (1-1, 3.00 ERA) for Arkansas, and Antoine Jean (2-0, 1.45) for Alabama.
It is a really nice day in Fayetteville. The temperature will be in the upper 60s for most of the game, but there is a strong wind out of the south that could gust to 25 mph. In the pregame the wind was favoring right-handed pull hitters.
Arkansas is in its cream Sunday jerseys with red hats today. Alabama is in its road grays with red hats.