No. 22 UK Secures Series with 5-2 Win over UT
KNOXVILLE -- Senior Aaron Lovett came on in relief of starter James Paxton in the third inning and worked 6.2 innings allowing just two runs, as the No. 22 Kentucky Wildcats secured a crucial road series with the Tennessee Volunteers with a 5-2 win on Saturday afternoon at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Lovett (4-1) was nearly perfect in relief, as the right-hander came on in the third inning with one out and a bases-loaded jam, getting the double play and retiring 12 of the next 13 batters. In 6.2 innings, Lovett allowed four hits and two runs, striking out three. Lovett’s lone blemishes came in the ninth inning with two outs, as the Vols hit back-to-back solo home runs. Scott Green emerged from the bullpen to pick up the save – his third of the year – tossing one pitch to secure the series for the Wildcats, who have won six of its past nine games.
Kentucky (37-14 13-13 Southeastern Conference) has now claimed back-to-back road series wins, including a series victory at then-No. 10 ranked Vanderbilt two weeks ago. The Wildcats will attempt to sweep the series on Sunday with first pitch at Lindsey Nelson Stadium slated for 2 p.m. ET. Fans can catch the action live on the Big Blue Sports Network (radio), with the Voice of UK Baseball, Neil Price calling the game. In Lexington the game can be heard on WLAP 630-AM and in Louisville on WKJK 1080-AM.
Chris McClendon, playing in his first game since last Sunday due to a back injury, belted his third home run of the season, finishing 2-for-4 with two RBI, while playing an impressive third base. Brian Spear also added two hits, with every member of the starting lineup – with the exception of Keenan Wiley and Troy Frazier – notching a hit. Tyler Howe belted his fourth homer of the year in the ninth, going 1-for-3 with his NCAA-leading 25th hit by pitch of the season. Frazier did however make one of the more secular plays of the year in right field, tumbling over the fence, separating the UT bullpen from foul territory, to make a stellar catch late in the game.
Paxton worked two innings before being pulled due to a lingering Achilles injury, setting the stage for Lovett’s timely relief. Paxton allowed three hits and struck out one in his two frames, tossing 40 pitches. UT ace lefty Bryan Morgado took the loss, working six innings, allowing six hits and four runs, walking three and striking out nine. Joey Rosas finished the game out with three innings, allowing three hits and one run.
Tennessee (25-26, 11-15 SEC) threatened in the bottom half of the first inning as Kentrail Davis looped a single into left field and stole second on a botched pickoff attempt at first. After Paxton struck out Yan Gomes, Josh Liles singled into left field, fielded by Cowgill, who fired a strike to the plate, getting the speedy Davis attempting to score from second.
UT put the pressure on UK again in the bottom of the third, loading the bases and chasing Paxton from the game with his aching Achilles. After Danny Lima led off with a single, Cody Grisham reached on an error charged to Paxton, invoking a pitching change to Lovett. After P.J. Polk laid down a sacrifice, UK wisely called for an intentional walk of Davis, loading the bags. The move paid off as UK got out of the inning without any damage, forcing an inning-ending double play off the bat of Gomes.
Kentucky took a narrow 1-0 lead in the fourth inning, pushing across a run on two hits. Ryan Wilkes got the inning started with a hard single into centerfield, moving to second on a wild pitch and third on a passed ball. After Sawyer Carroll drew a walk, Collin Cowgill hit into a double play that allowed Wilkes to score the first run of the game.
After a scoreless fifth inning, UK plated three runs in the sixth inning to stretch its lead to 4-0. Carroll led off with a double into the left-centerfield gap, his 17th double of the year. After Cowgill moved Carroll to third with an opposite field fly out, Spear ripped an RBI single into centerfield, scoring Carroll. Chris Wade hit into a fielders choice, with Spear out at second and Chris McClendon emptied Wade of the bags, with his third home run of the season, a jack over the right-field fence.
Howe gave UK a 5-0 lead in the top of the ninth, getting a solo home run – his fourth of the year – over the left-centerfield fence.
Tennessee got two back-to-back solo home runs in the ninth, from Cody Brown and Jeff Lockwood, cutting the UK lead to 5-2, but Green closed the door with his second one-pitch save of the season.
Razorbacks Take Series Against South Carolina
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Logan Forsythe continued to swing a hot bat for the Arkansas baseball team, leading his squad to a 6-3 victory over 13th-ranked South Carolina on Saturday afternoon at Baum Stadium. The Arkansas win clinches the series with the Gamecocks leaving the door open for a series sweep on Senior Day Sunday afternoon.
The Razorbacks (30-20, 12-13 SEC) used a four-run seventh inning to upset the Gamecocks (34-17, 13-13 SEC) and keep their hopes of the postseason alive and well. The Razorbacks are currently ranked ninth among the SEC with four games left to play.
Forsythe stroked two hits in the game with a run scored and another RBI to bring his consecutive games streak with at least one run batted in to nine games. Over that stretch, Forsythe has driven in 19 runs and stroked 17 hits. The Hogs are 6-3 over that stretch with series wins over #13 South Carolina and #21 Mississippi.
A quick game through the opening innings, both starting pitchers faced the minimum nine batters as the game moved into the top of the fourth. The Gamecocks would be the first team on the scoreboard when they scored one time without getting the ball out of the infield. A line shot in the hole was knocked down by Arkansas first baseman Andy Wilkins and a sacrifice bunt moved the runner into scoring position. A groundout and chopper up the middle scored the game’s first run.
The Razorbacks immediately came back with two in the bottom of the inning as Chase Leavitt led off with a walk. Ben Tschepikow would get the first of his two hits on the day on a hit-and-run play to put runners at first and second. Forsythe would then deliver his first hit to score Leavitt and Tschepikow would cross the plate on a double play to make it 2-1 Arkansas.
South Carolina would pick up single runs in the sixth and seventh innings to again take the lead, this time 3-2, but the Razorbacks would answer with the big inning to take the lead for good.
The Razorback seventh began with a leadoff single by Forsythe which was followed by a Wilkins single. Tim Smalling would make it three singles in a row with a shot up the middle, scoring Forsythe from second base and tying the game. Jeff Nutt would step up to the plate next and appeared to ground into an inning-ending double play, but the relay from the shortstop to complete the second out went awry and allowed Wilkins to score and runners to advance to second and third. Two singles, a walk and hit-by-pitch later and the Razorbacks were on top 6-3.
On the mound, the Razorbacks picked up sterling efforts from both Cliff Springston and Mike Bolsinger. The tandem allowed 11 hits and three earned runs, striking out four and walking just one. Springston would leave the contest with the game tied 2-2 in the sixth inning leading to his no decision. Bolsinger would pick up his fourth win of the season and third in the past two weeks against SEC opponents.
The Razorbacks seek their first SEC series sweep on Sunday afternoon against South Carolina with first pitch slated for 12:05 p.m. For more information regarding Razorback baseball or University of Arkansas athletics please visit www.hogwired.com.
Georgia Rallies Past Vanderbilt 4-2 in 10
NASHVILLE, TENN. -- After getting blanked for eight innings Saturday, eighth-ranked Georgia found a little ninth-inning magic and then defeated 16th-ranked Vanderbilt 4-2 in 10 innings at Hawkins Field.
Coming in Saturday, Georgia (32-17-1, 18-7-1 SEC) was 0-15 when trailing after eight innings. However, the Bulldogs tied the contest in the ninth with a pair of runs and then pushed across two more runs in the 10th for the victory over the Commodores (37-14, 15-10 SEC). Georgia now holds a three-game lead in the race for the Southeastern Conference title with four games to play. The Bulldogs are 2-2-1 in extra inning games this season, all coming in SEC action.
Vanderbilt jumped in front 2-0 in the fourth and the game remained that way until the ninth. Junior third baseman Pedro Alvarez led off the frame with his sixth home run of the season. Ryan Flaherty followed with a base hit, went to third on a flare single by Alex Feinberg and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Shea Robin. The Bulldogs threatened to score in the third, fourth and fifth innings but redshirt freshman Caleb Cotham pitched out of trouble each time and was aided by pickoff in the third as well. In the fifth, senior Ryan Peisel reached with a two-out single and senior Matt Olson drew a four-pitch walk to bring up junior shortstop Gordon Beckham. On a 3-2 offering, Beckham was called out on strikes.
Bulldog junior right-hander Stephen Dodson provided a strong start, going seven innings and allowing a pair of runs on five hits with one walk and two strikeouts. Georgia turned to sophomore left-hander Alex McRee to start the eighth. After allowing the first two Commodores to reach on a base hit and a walk, McRee battled back to retire Alvarez on a soft liner to Beckham and then got Flaherty to bounce into a double play. Cotham tossed seven shutout innings, allowing just three hits with three walks and seven strikeouts.
In the top of the ninth, Bryce Massanari led off with a base hit off Drew Hayes and Lyle Allen blooped a single. After retiring Robbie O’Bryan, pinch-hitter Joey Lewis lined a single to load the bases. Second baseman Miles Starr bounced a high-chopper to Alvarez at third who stepped on the bag and then an errant throw allowed pinch-runner Adam Fuller to score. Then with two outs, Peisel smacked game-tying run-scoring single up the middle to make it 2-2. Sophomore Dean Weaver pitched a scoreless ninth to send it into extra innings. Vanderbilt sent Russell Brewer in to start the tenth. Beckham greeted him with a single up the middle. Poythress executed a hit-and-run with a RBI-double off the wall in left to give the Bulldogs a 3-2 edge. A balk moved Poythress to third. After retiring Fuller, Allen delivered a sacrifice fly to bring Poythress home for a 4-2 lead.
In the bottom of the 10th, Georgia senior All-America closer Joshua Fields came in to close it out but not before a little more drama. He issued a four-pitch walk to the number nine hitter Brad French. Then he went 3-0 on David Macias before retiring him on a sliding catch by Matt Olson in shallow right field. Fields struck out Dominic de la Osa for the second out. Alvarez reached on a five-pitch walk to bring up Flaherty. Fields struck him out for his SEC-leading 14th save and extending his SEC career record tally to 37. Weaver notched the win to improve to 4-1 while Brewer dropped to 4-1.
“Our guys battled all day today, and they never gave up,” said Georgia coach David Perno. “We stayed positive in our dugout, and we knew somehow we were going to win. Stephen (Dodson) was tremendous out there, the bullpen did a great job too, pitching out of some jams. We turned some double plays and got some key pinch-hitting. Rich (Poythress) got the big RBI hit off the wall, Ryan Peisel came through as did Bryce Massanari and Gordon Beckham. It was great day for us up and down the lineup, and I’m really proud of everybody for hanging in there and getting the job done.”
The rubber game of the series will be at Sunday at 2 p.m. ET. Vanderbilt plans to start junior right-hander Nick Christiani (5-2, 3.64 ERA) while the Bulldogs will counter with junior left-hander Nathan Moreau (2-2, 4.81 ERA).
TIGERS LAUNCH FOUR HOMERS TO POST 16-4 WIN OVER MISSISSIPPI STATE
BATON ROUGE, La. -- No. 22 LSU launched four home runs, including two by second baseman Ryan Schimpf, and junior Blake Martin fired seven sensational innings Saturday afternoon as the Tigers overwhelmed Mississippi State, 16-4, in Alex Box Stadium.
LSU (34-16-1, 14-11-1 SEC) has won 11 straight games, including eight in the SEC. The Tigers are in first place in the SEC Western Division and in third place in the overall league standings.
Mississippi State fell to 20-31 and 7-19 in the SEC with the defeat.
The Tigers’ 11-game win streak is the longest for LSU since the 2000 club won 13 in a row to complete its national championship season. LSU’s eight-game SEC win streak is the longest for the Tigers since the 1997 squad also won eight consecutive league games.
The Tigers and Bulldogs will square off in the final regular season game in venerable Alex Box Stadium Sunday at 1 p.m. CT. The contest will be televised by Cox Sports Television (Cable Ch. 37 in Baton Rouge) and carried by the LSU Sports Radio Network (WDGL 98.1 FM). In addition, live video and audio will be available in the Geaux Zone at www.LSUsports.net.
As the final regular season in “The Box” draws closer to an end, the sizzling Tiger bats continue to provide glimpses of the “Gorilla Ball” era of the 1990s. LSU – which won Game 1 on Friday night, 15-6 -- has recorded 31 runs in the series on an astounding 37 hits, including seven dingers and 14 extra-base hits with one contest remaining in the historic ballpark.
Schimpf led the team’s offensive surge, matching a career-high with four hits and launching two homers, his ninth and 10th of the season. Leon Landry and Blake Dean also connected on long balls, and five Tigers notched at least two hits on the day.
“The kids are playing with a lot of confidence,” LSU coach Paul Mainieri said. “We’re on a good streak right now. Hopefully, we can keep it up, but we still have a lot of work to do. We have five more ball games in the regular season, and every game is enormous.
“Tomorrow will be a very emotional day out here, and we have to keep our emotions in check. We need to go out there, play well and get the job done.”
Martin (4-3) hurled seven innings of two-hit ball en route to his fourth victory of the season. The southpaw gave up only two earned runs and fanned eight. Mississippi State’s Ricky Bowen (3-6) was charged with the loss as the right-hander allowed nine earned runs on 10 hits in 3.1 innings pitched.
“I really felt, in my heart, that Blake Martin was going to give us an outstanding outing today,” Mainieri added. “That first run they got in the first inning was a tough break, but after that, he was just outstanding.”
After surrendering an early run to the Bulldogs in the first inning, LSU bounced back in the third, scoring four runs to go up, 4-1. Michael Hollander drove in Landry on a base hit to left field, and Dean blasted a three-run shot over the right field wall.
LSU broke the game open with a five-run fourth inning as the Tigers batted around the lineup and took a 9-1 advantage. With a runner on, Landry hammered a two-run dinger to left-center field. Following consecutive singles from Schimpf and Hollander, Jared Mitchell singled to right, driving in a run.
Bowen threw a wild pitch in the next at-bat, allowing Hollander to cross the plate, and Gibbs capped the frame with an RBI single through the right side.
Schimpf extended the Tigers’ lead to 10-1 with a mammoth, solo home run over the 405 foot mark in center field.
MSU’s Tyler Moore homered to left field in the sixth to cut the deficit to 10-2.
LSU added three more runs in the seventh to take a comfortable 13-2 advantage.
After the Bulldogs gained two runs in the eighth, Schimpf blasted a three-run shot in the bottom of the frame, his second of the day and third in two games.
Thompson Dominates Rebel Bats As Auburn Evens Series With Ole Miss With 11-1 Win On Saturday
AUBURN, Ala. -- Sophomore hurler Taylor Thompson had his finest outing as an Auburn Tiger on Saturday afternoon as the right-hander took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and a shutout into the ninth inning as Auburn evened its series with Ole Miss with an 11-1 win.
“Taylor obviously set the tone on the mound,” Auburn Head Coach Tom Slater said. “Every time we scored Taylor went back out there and put up a zero.”
Thompson (3-5) was nearly flawless for the first 6.1 innings, allowing just two walks and striking out four before allowing his first hit, a line-drive single with one down in the seventh. He did not let it rattle him however as he retired the next two hitters to get out of the inning. For the game, Thompson surrendered just four hits and four walks, striking out six.
“I was able to spot my fastball and that was the main thing working for me today,” Thompson said. “It was good that I had my secondary pitches working for strikes and I felt like I had good command today.”
Auburn (27-24, 11-15 SEC) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on Hunter Morris’ (2-for-3, BB, 3 R, 2 RBI) RBI single that scored Trent Mummey (1-for-3, BB, HBP, 2 SB, 3 R), who had singled to lead off the inning, stole second and made a heads-up play to take third on Mike Bianucci’s (1-for-5) strikeout in the dirt.
Brian Fletcher’s (2-for-4, 2B, HR, 4 RBI) eighth home run of the season capped a three-run third inning for Auburn as the freshman outfielder put one into the Auburn bullpen in right-field to make it 4-0 Auburn. Mummey had walked to lead off the inning, stole his second base of the game (and 18th of the year), moved to third on a wild pitch and then scored when Morris reached on an error. Fletcher then belted Auburn’s third home run of the weekend.
“It was real important for us to come out and get some runs on the board to make it easy on me and the team,” Thompson said.
Auburn broke the game open with a five-run fifth, highlighted by Joseph Sanders’ (2-for-5, 2 RBI) home run to center. The Tigers once again capitalized on poor defense by Ole Miss as three of the runs in the inning were unearned. David Cunningham (2-for-5) led off with a single and went over to third as Justin Hargett’s (1-for-4, R) sacrifice bunt attempt ended up with a throw into right. Ryan Jenkins (2-for-5, 2 RBI) then doubled in Cunningham and Hargett. Three batters later, Morris singled to right, bringing Sanders to the plate, who collected his third home run of the year.
Ole Miss (32-20, 13-13 SEC) starter Drew Pomeranz (4-2) was tagged for nine runs (three earned) on nine hits and a walk, striking out four in 3.2 innings.
Sanders’ first-inning single extended his hitting streak to 15 games, the longest of his career.
The two teams close out the series at 1:30pm CT on Sunday. Auburn will send Jr. RHP Luke Greinke (4-3, 4.09) to the hill while Ole Miss will counter with Jr. RHP Cody Satterwhite (3-5, 5.13).
No. 22 Florida Evens Series At Alabama, 6-2
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Junior Stephen Locke (Tampa, Fla.) (4-2) hurled his second career complete game to help No. 22 Florida (30-19/14-12 SEC) defeat Alabama (29-23/13-13 SEC), 6-2, on Saturday at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The left-hander scattered seven hits and gave up one earned run as the Gators evened the weekend series. He surrendered six singles and one double and went the distance on 96 pitches.
The victory moved the Orange and Blue into fourth in the race for the SEC Tournament, just ahead of the Crimson Tide, Kentucky, Ole Miss and South Carolina, who are all 13-13. Senior Brandon McArthur (Seffner, Fla.) and sophomore Matt den Dekker (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) were each 3-for-5 as head coach Kevin O’Sullivan’s club exceeded its win total from last season.
The Gators jumped on junior Austin Hyatt (3-4) for two runs and four hits in the opening frame. McArthur ripped his ninth double and freshman Josh Adams (Jacksonville, Fla.) poked a two-out single to open the scoring. Adams moved into scoring position with his 10th stolen base and went to third on an infield hit by den Dekker. After senior Jon Townsend (London, Ky.) came through with an RBI single for a 2-0 lead, senior Bryson Barber (Pensacola, Fla.) walked to load the bases. Hyatt fanned freshman Riley Cooper (Clearwater, Fla.) to end the stanza.
Helped by a defensive lapse, the Tide cut the deficit in half during the third. Junior Alex Kubal had his team’s first hit of the afternoon off Locke and was caught off base with two down in the inning. However, Townsend dropped the relay throw to keep the inning alive. Freshman Ross Wilson singled through the right side and advanced to second on the relay, giving UA two runners in scoring position. Locke uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Kubal to score but had sophomore Brandon May ground out to keep UF ahead.
Junior Teddy Foster (Jacksonville, Fla.) cranked his second homer of the season with one down in the fourth for a 3-1 margin. The blast landed in the trees overlooking the left-field fence and was Foster’s third RBI. Barnes followed with a walk, ending the afternoon for Hyatt (3.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 K, 3 BB).
Barber delivered a clutch two-out double in the fifth off freshman reliever Jimmy Nelson to increase UF’s lead to 4-1. den Dekker stroked a one-out single, moved to second on a grounder by Townsend and stole third for his 17th-straight theft. Barber then rocked a 3-2 pitch into left center for his fourth two-bagger.
In the bottom of the frame, Alabama used an RBI double down the left-field line by Kubal to close to within 4-2. Junior Kyle Moore led off with a single and moved over on sophomore Jake Smith’s grounder. After Kubal’s double, Locke had freshman Josh Rutledge line into an inning-ending double play.
A couple of errors on the same play with two down in the eighth allowed Florida to take a 5-2 lead. With Barnes at third and McArthur on first, Figueroa hit a ground ball to first that senior Matt Bentley misplayed, enabling Barnes to score. Wilson also had a throwing miscue on the play that kept the inning alive. Rutledge later established an Alabama freshman record with a two-out single in the home part of the frame that raised his hitting streak to 28 games.
Cooper finalized the margin with a two-out RBI single in the ninth that plated Townsend. Florida held a 12-7 edge in hits, as eight of its nine starters had at least one. Junior RHP Patrick Keating (Harrisburg, Ill.) (8-0, 3.22) will start tomorrow’s finale against UA righty Robert Phares (2-3, 5.91). The contest will be shown live on CSS at 2 p.m.