FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas advanced to the championship round of the Fayetteville Regional, but it wasn’t easy.
Reliever Jordan Pratt worked out of a no-out, bases loaded jam in the eighth inning and Arkansas held on for a 6-4 victory over Washington State on Saturday at Baum Stadium. Collin Kuhn gave Arkansas a cushion in the ninth when he led off with a home run to put the Razorbacks ahead by two runs.
Pratt gave up a lead off double to pinch-hitter Ryan Peterson in the ninth before Matt Vinson ended the game with a diving catch in left field. Pratt pitched two scoreless innings in relief to save the game for starter Drew Smyly(9-1), who allowed 3 hits and 3 runs in 7 innings.
“It was a great game and they kept coming back like we knew they would,” Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said. “[Washington State] came back 18 times coming into this tournament and they came back against us. We were fortunate that Jordan came in and did a heck of a job finishing up the eighth and then the ninth.”
An energetic crowd of 9,016 at Baum Stadium watched as the Razorbacks moved to within one game of advancing to next week’s Super Regional against the winner of the Arizona State Regional.
Washington State and Kansas State will play an elimination game at 2 p.m. today with the winner advancing to face the Razorbacks at about 7 p.m. If Arkansas loses today, a deciding game will be played Monday at 7:05 p.m.
Arkansas (42-18) has beaten Washington State (35-21) five consecutive games, including four times last year when the Razorbacks advanced to the College World Series. But the Cougars put a scare into Arkansas after Smyly left after seven innings with a 5-3 lead.
Washington State began its comeback by loading the bases against freshman D.J. Baxendale, who failed to record an out. Geoffrey Davenport took over and walked a run in on four pitches. The Razorbacks then turned to Pratt, who retired three consecutive batters to keep the Razorbacks ahead.
Kuhn, who had three hits in the game, gave Arkansas some much-needed breathing room in the ninth with his 15th home run of the season.
“The home run was huge,” Van Horn said. “The count was 3-1 and the pitcher didn’t give in. It was on the inner half [of the plate] and Collin handled it. He just did a great job.”
Smyly was solid Saturday after missing a start in the SEC Tournament because of a blister on his finger. But two of the three hits allowed by the sophomore left-hander from Little Rock were home runs - by Cody Bartlett and Michael Weber.
Washington State trailed 4-0 until the sixth inning, when Bartlett hit a two run home run after a walk to Kyle Johnson. Zack Cox countered with a lead off home run in the seventh before Smyly gave up another home run to Michael Weber in the bottom of the inning.
But the Razorbacks were able to hang on for their second consecutive victory in the Fayetteville Regional.
Arkansas opened the tournament with a 19-7 victory over Grambling State while Washington State advanced with an 8-2 victory over Kansas State on Friday night. Bartlett hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning of that game to put the Cougars ahead.
“It was a great game, but Arkansas played better longer,” Washington State Coach Donnie Marbut said. “We didn’t play clean enough to win.”
Cox hit a home run while making his second consecutive start, this time at designated hitter after starting at third base Friday against Grambling State. The Razorbacks received a scare when their other injured star, Brett Eibner, came up limping with a cramp while running the bases in the third. Eibner returned to his position in center field then moved to right after his knees buckled during a strikeout in the fourth.
Eibner, who was hit in the hand by a pitch against Ole Miss, remained in the game and is expected to play today.
Washington State was an early aggressor on the bases, but the strategy worked against the Cougars in the first inning. Derek Jones tried to score from first base with two outs when a single by Matt Fanelli got past Kuhn in right. Kuhn retrieved the ball and threw to Bo Bigham, whose relay to James McCann was in plenty of time to get Jones.
Arkansas scored two runs in the third and fourth innings to take a 4-0 lead.
“I probably ran us out of an inning, but we were just trying to get something going against Smyly,” Marbut said. “He’s plenty good, and you have to tip your hat to him.”Arkansas at a glance
ARKANSAS VS. WASH. STATE OR KANSAS STATE WHEN 7 p.m. today WHERE Baum Stadium, Fayetteville TICKETS Single game tickets available for $15 each. Order by visiting the UA ticket office or by calling (479) 575-5151 or 800-982-4647.
RADIO RSP statewide radio network, which includes KQSM-FM, 92.1, in Fayetteville; KURM-AM, 790, and KURM-FM, 100.3, in Bentonville-Rogers; KABZ-FM, 103.7, in Little Rock; KASR-FM, 92.7, in Conway; KHGG-FM, 103.1, in Fort Smith; KELD-FM, 106.5, in El Dorado; and KOMT-FM, 107.5, in Mountain Home. Not all games will be carried by affiliates. Check local listings. INTERNET arkansasrazorbacks.com (go to RazorVision link) STARTING PITCHERS Arkansas: Mike Bolsinger (RHP, 6-4, 4.35 ERA). Washington State or Kansas State: TBA. Bolsinger has appeared in 21 games this season with 11 starts.
Sports, Pages 25 on 06/06/2010