Friday recap: Arkansas remains unbeaten, MSU sets record

Arkansas comes from behind again, and Mississippi State pitches keep mowing 'em down

RESILIANT RAZORBACKS

Arkansas posted its sixth come-from-behind win of the season on Friday night. All six of those wins have come in the sixth inning or later.

The Razorbacks improved to 11-0 for the first time in the Dave Van Horn era with a 9-7 extra-inning win at Louisiana Tech. Arkansas trailed 4-3, 5-4 and 7-4 before scoring three runs in the eighth inning and two runs in the 10th inning for the win.

Trailing 7-4 in the eighth inning, UA scored three runs to tie the game at 7-7. Second baseman Robert Moore delivered the game-tying, two-run single in the eighth inning. Shortstop Jalen Battles smacked the go-ahead two-run home run in the 10th inning.

Arkansas designated hitter Matthew Goodheart stroked a two-run home run in the fourth inning.

Arkansas starter Payton Pallette had his shortest outing of the season. He allowed two runs on two hits with two walks and two hit batters in four innings.

The Razorbacks are the lone undefeated team in the SEC. Dating back to last season, Arkansas has won 15 consecutive games.

MSU SETS MODEN DAY RECORD:

Mississippi State ran it scoreless innings streak to a modern-day school record 36 innings with a 14-0 win over Eastern Michigan. MSU had 30 consecutive scoreless innings in 1976.

The Bulldogs have recorded four straight shutouts for the first time since 1909. MSU has beaten Kent State, Grambling, Louisiana and Eastern Michigan by a combined 41-0 score in the last four games. 

Mississippi State will attempt to tie the all-time school record with its fifth straight shutout on Saturday. MSU had a school-record five straight shutouts against Nashville, Cumberland (3 times) and Ole Miss from May 1-5, 1909.

MSU has used 14 different pitchers during its current 36-inning scoreless streak. The Bulldogs have allowed only 12 hits in 36 scoreless frames with six walks and 61 strikeouts. 

Five MSU pitchers combined on the shutout with Eastern Michigan and recorded 18 strikeouts. Christian MacLeod (1-1) got the start on the mound and fired five innings of one-hit baseball. He walked one and struck out a career-high-tying 11 batters. The quartet of Brandon Smith, Riley Self, Parker Stinnett and Spencer Price all logged one scoreless inning to close out the win. Stinnett struck all three batters he faced, while Smith and Self each fanned two.

Offensively, 10 different Diamond Dawgs collected hits, led by freshman Lane Forsythe’s 3-for-4 day at the plate. Second-year freshman Kamren James and junior Tanner Allen each collected two hits and James plated three RBIs. Allen and Logan Tanner each drove in two runs. Sophomore Brayland Skinner walked in his first career plate appearance as a Diamond Dawg, while Kyte McDonald added his third double of the season after entering as a defensive replacement in the eighth.

SOUTH CAROLINA SUFFERS FIRST LOSS:

The nation’s second-longest active winning streak came to an end on Friday night.

South Carolina dropped a 4-1 decision at Texas for its first loss of the season. The Gamecocks saw its 16-game winning streak dating back to last season come to end as the Longhorns scored three run in the bottom of the eighth inning to snap a 1-1 tie.

Both teams scored a run in the second inning. South Carolina took 1-0 lead on Braylen Wimmer’s sacrifice fly. Texas tied the game with an RBI single in the bottom of the frame. The Longhorns scored three times in the eighth inning, including a 2-run single by Zach Zubia.

South Carolina designated hitter recorded two hits in the loss. He had one hit against Texas ace Ty Madden and one hit off reliever Aaron Nixon. Madden held the Gamecocks to one run and three hits, with five strikeouts and three walks.

ALABAMA AVOIDS NO-HITTER:

Stetson redshirt freshman Nick Durgin took a no-hitter into the ninth inning Friday night at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.

Alabama first baseman Drew Williamson broke the no-hitter with a leadoff single in the bottom of the ninth inning. Third baseman Zane Denton followed with a 2-run home run over the Stetson bullpen in right-center to cut the Hatters lead to 4-2.

Suddenly a team three outs away from being no-hi for the first time in more than 50 years had new life.

Designated hitter Owen Diodati greeted reliever Danny Garcia with a single to center. Garcia then struck out centerfielder Caden Rose and shortstop Jim Jarvis before left fielder Andrew Pinckney doubled to left-center. Garcia then got Peyton Wilson to ground out to end the game.

Stetson led 4-0 after eight innings taking advantage of four Alabama errors.

Alabama managed only six base runners in the first eight innings on two walks, two hit batters and two Stetson errors. UA left the bases loaded in the second inning.

GEORGIA BELTS THREE STRAIGHT HOME RUNS:

Georgia did something Friday that had not happened in Athens since the 1987 season.

Right fielder Connor Tate, left fielder Riley King and shortstop Josh McAllister hit back-to-back-to-back home runs in the sixth inning as the Bulldogs blanked Lipscomb 10-0 at Foley Field. First baseman Chaney Rogers almost made it four straight home runs when he smacked a double off the right field wall.

Before tonight, the last Bulldog trio to hit back-to-back-to-back home runs was Steve Carter, Derek Lilliquist and Rich Bielski in the first inning off Sam Drake of Georgia Tech on April 29, 1987. Georgia won that day 9-4.

Meanwhile on the mound, Luke Wagner and Nolan Crisp combined on the three-hit shutout. Wagner (3-0) worked a career-high six innings for the win. Crisp took care of the final three frames for a save. He struck out four batters.

AGGIES WIN EIGHTH STRAIGHT:

Texas A&M designated hitter Austin Bost belted two home runs and starting pitcher Dustin Saenz struck out 14 batters in eight scoreless innings leading the Aggies to their eighth straight win with a 10-1 victory over Samford.

Texas A&M has scored 75 runs during its current 8-game winning streak. The Aggies have scored 32 runs in its last two wins over Prairie View and Samford.  After a 1-3 start, the Aggies have won 11 of their last 12 games. 

Bost finished the night going 3-for-5 with two runs scored, two home runs and three RBIs. He hit a solo home run in the third inning and sixth inning. A&M centerfielder Ray Alejo and catcher Mikey Hoehner both had two RBIs.

Seanz fired eight scoreless innings for his third win. He allowed only four hits and fanned 14 batters.

AROUND THE SEC:

Auburn recorded its second shutout with a 7-0 win over Little Rock. Right-hander Cody Greenhill, left-hander Peyton Glavine and right-hander Carson Swilling combined on the three-hit shutout. Greenhill, who missed last week with a foot injury, turned in five scoreless innings with five strikeouts. Glavine added three scoreless frames with five strikeouts. Swilling tossed a scoreless ninth inning and struck out one batter. The Tigers hit two home runs in the win. Shortstop Ryan Bliss hit a solo home run in the first inning. First baseman Tyler Miller added a 3-run home run in the sixth inning.

Florida dropped the series opener to Jacksonville 10-9 in Gainesville. JU scored eight runs in the final three innings for the upset over the Gators. The Dolphins scored four runs in the ninth inning to take a 10-5 lead. Florida answered with four runs in the bottom of the frame but could not tie the game. Florida starter Tommy Mace allowed two runs and struck out seven in five innings, but the Gators bullpen was tagged for eight runs in the loss. Florida hit four home runs in the loss. UF centerfielder Jud Fabian, third baseman Kirby McMullen, first baseman Kris Armstrong and shortstop Josh Rivera all hit homers.

Kentucky scored a season-high 16 runs in a lopsided 16-1 win over Georgia State. The Wildcats scored all 16 runs in the first five innings, including six runs in the second inning and four runs in the fifth inning. Right fielder John Rhodes, first baseman TJ Collett and second baseman Chase Estep combined for six hits and nine RBIs in the win. Collett smacked a two-run homer in the first inning and Rhodes added a three-run homer in the second inning. Estep capped the scoring with a three-run double in the fifth inning. Cole Strupp picked up his second win on the mound. He allowed one run and six hits in six innings with seven strikeouts.

LSU scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning for a 3-1 series opener win over UT San Antonio. The Tigers scored both runs on Gavin Dugas’ ground out in the bottom of the eighth inning. LSU starter Jaden Hill rebounded from last week’s rough start with 5 2/3 scoreless innings. Third baseman Cade Doughty homered for the Tigers.

Missouri scored all seven runs in the top of the ninth inning and a trio of Tiger pitchers combined for a two-hit shutout in the 7-0 win at Illinois State. Second baseman Mark Vierling scored the first run on an error. Right fielder Jackson Lancaster added an RBI double to make it 2-0. First baseman Torin Montgomery added a two-run single and catcher Mike Coletta ripped a three-run double to cap the scoring.  Spencer Miles, Jacob Kush and Shane Wilhelm combined on the first shutout since 2019. Miles worked seven scoreless innings and struck out six.

Ole Miss third baseman Tim Elko continued his torrid hitting with a grand slam to lead the Rebels to a 10-1 win over ULM. Elko went 2-for-4 with one double, one home run and five RBIs. He stroked an RBI double in the first inning and smacked a grand slam in the third. In his last six games, Elko is hitting .633 with six home runs and 21 RBIs. Ole Miss starter Gunnar Hoglund struck out a career-high 14 batters in six scoreless innings for his second win.

Tennessee right fielder Jordan Beck drove in three runs to lead the Volunteers to a 6-2 series-opening win over UNC Greensboro. Beck had a two-run double in the fourth inning to snap a scoreless tie. He added a sac fly in the eighth inning. UT second baseman Max Ferguson snapped a 2-2 with a go-ahead solo home run in the seventh inning. Redmond Walsh struck out five of the six batters he faced to post his third save.

Vanderbilt and Oklahoma State were rained out on Friday night. The teams will now play a day-night double header on Saturday at O’Brate Stadium. The first game will begin a 1 p.m., with the second game set for 6 p.m. The series finale on Sunday is scheduled for 1 p.m.