Thursday SEC recaps: Arkansas and LSU get road wins

Arkansas and LSU opened the weekend with huge road wins … The Razorbacks took down South Carolina 6-1 to improve to 7-1 in SEC road games … LSU got a late-inning rally to knock off Ole Miss 5-4 in Oxford … Here are the recaps of those two games.

PLAYER OF THE DAY:

Arkansas second baseman Robert Moore belted two home runs to lead the Razorbacks to a 6-1 win at South Carolina. Moore gave the Razorbacks a 1-0 lead with a solo home run in the second inning and the snapped a 1-1 tie with a two-run homer in the seventh inning. It was his second multi-homer game of the season.

PITCHER OF THE DAY:

Arkansas right-hander Kevin Kopps worked three perfect innings for his fifth save of the season in the win at South Carolina. Kopps recorded six strikeouts and three ground outs and threw 34 pitches. In SEC play, Kopps has three wins and four saves, making him responsible for seven of the Razorbacks 12 SEC wins. Overall, he has six win and five saves for the Razorbacks.

LSU right-hander Devin Fontenot tossed three scoreless innings for his third save of the season in the series-opening win at Ole Miss. The Rebels had runners at first and second with no outs in the ninth inning. Fontenot recorded back-to-back strikeouts before he allowed an infield hit to load the bases. He then struck out Ole Miss DH Calvin Harris to end the game. Fontenot allowed two hits, three walks and struck out five in the game.

THURSDAY RECAPS:

Arkansas 6, South Carolina 1 (Columbia)

Records: Arkansas (31-6, 12-4 SEC); South Carolina (24-11, 10-6 SEC)

Series: Arkansas leads series, 1-0

Arkansas second baseman Robert Moore provide the offense and then head coach Dave Van Horn called for the “Kopps” to seal the win.

Moore belted two home runs and relief ace Kevin Kopps worked three perfect innings in relief as the Razorbacks took the series opener at South Carolina, 6-1.

Moore gave the Razorbacks a 1-0 lead with a solo home run in the second inning and the snapped a 1-1 tie with a two-run homer in the seventh inning.

South Carolina tied the game on catcher Colin Burgess’ RBI double in the fourth inning.

USC Thomas Farr had retired 11 straight hitters entering the seventh inning before centerfielder Christian Franklin opened the inning with a single to right. Moore followed with a two-run homer to put the Razorbacks ahead to stay. It was his second multi-homer game of the season. Left fielder Zack Gregory added an RBI single to push the lead to 4-1.

Kopps entered the game and worked three perfect innings for his fifth save of the season. He recorded six strikeouts and three ground outs and threw 34 pitches.

Franklin extended the lead to 5-1 with an RBI single in the eighth and first baseman Brady Slavens capped the night with an RBI single in the ninth.

Due to the forecast for rain on Saturday, Arkansas and South Carolina will play a day-night doubleheader on Friday beginning at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. (CT).

LSU 5, Ole Miss 4 (Oxford)

Records: LSU (23-14, 5-11 SEC); Ole Miss (27-11, 9-7 SEC)

Series: LSU leads series, 1-0

LSU freshman right fielder Dylan Crews blasted a two-run home run in the seventh inning and closer Devin Fontenot escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth inning as the Tigers took the series opener at Ole Miss 5-4.

Crews smacked a two-run homer to right field off Ole Miss closer Taylor Broadway, who entered the game in the seventh inning.

LSU centerfielder Giovanno DiGiacomo stroked leadoff double in the seventh to chase starter Derek Diamond. Broadway was summoned for the bullpen and got two quick outs before first baseman Tre’ Morgan laced a single to right to make it a 4-3 game. Crews then followed with the go-ahead homer.

Broadway (3-1) suffered his first loss of the season after he allowed two runs and seven hits in three innings. Broadway had his second straight rough outing out of the pen. On Sunday, he entered the game in the sixth inning at Miss. State and allowed a bases-loaded triple to MSU right fielder Tanner Allen in the 7-5 loss.

Diamond, who started in place of Gunnar Hogland (reported some stiffness and needed extra rest on short week), worked six innings and allowed three runs (1 ER) and four hits with no walks and four strikeouts.

Fontenot tossed three scoreless innings for his third save of the season but not without some drama in the ninth.

Ole Miss catcher Hayden Dunhurst drew a leadoff walk and third baseman Justin Bench singled to right to put runners on first and second with no outs. Fontenot bounced back with strikeouts against centerfielder T.J. McCants and right fielder John Rhys Plumlee.

Ole Miss first baseman Cael Baker loaded the bases with an infield single that was knocked down by third baseman Cade Doughty that saved at least one run and possibly two runs.  Fontenot then struck out Harris to end the game.

LSU scored a pair of unearned runs in the first inning to grab a 2-0 lead.

Ole Miss scored the next four runs on home runs by left fielder Kevin Graham, right fielder Hayden Leatherwood and shortstop Jacob Gonzalez.