FAYETTEVILLE — Washington State’s bunts trumped Arkansas’ home runs.
Four bunts by the Cougars were big in their 10-7 victory over the Razorbacks on Sunday at Baum Stadium - despite three home runs by Arkansas - to force a deciding game tonight at the NCAA Fayetteville Regional.
Bunts by Matt Fanelli, Patrick Claussen, Garry Kuykendall and Kyle Johnson helped lead to nine runs for the Cougars.
“We got some bunts down and made them play defense, and it worked out for us,” said Washington State right fielder Derek Jones, who went 4 for 5 with 2 runs batted in. “We’re kind of a scrappy team.”
Fanelli and Claussen had bunt singles in the fifth inning when Washington State scored five runs to push its lead to 7-1 and knock Arkansas starter Mike Bolsinger out of the game.
Fanelli, a senior and the Cougars’ cleanup hitter, got down a bunt he beat out for single and advanced Cody Bartlett, who then scored on Michael Weber’s single.
Claussen’s bunt single advanced Weber, and they both then scored on Shea Vucinich’s double.
“That’s part of an offense, and they have some good runners and some good bunters, obviously,” Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said. “We’re trying to play with some guys that are a little out of position, and I thought [Washington State] did a great job.”
In the eighth inning, Kuykendall had a sacrifice bunt that third baseman Andy Wilkins misplayed for an error - putting runners on first and second with no outs - and Johnson had a bunt single as the Cougars scored three more runs that put them ahead 10-6.
Kuykendall scored on an error by shortstop Tim Carver on Fanelli’s ground ball, and Johnson’s bunt scored Jones from third.
Wilkins has played first base most of the season, but started at third because Zack Cox is still recovering from a back injury and was the designated hitter.
“It has to be a part of our game,” Washington State Coach Donnie Marbut said of the bunts. “We’ve got to do those little things to win games, and it helped us tonight.
“I would love to be able to hit home runs like Arkansas. Nothing would make me happier. But that’s just not our club.”
Marbut noted the ability of Washington State, which finished third in the Pacific-10 Conference this season, to run and put the ball in play.
“I think maybe that’s the difference a little bit between the SEC and the Pac-10,” Marbut said. “We might play a little bit small ball. That’s just how we do things.”
Washington State has hit 44 home runs this season compared to 89 by Arkansas, and the Cougars were outhomered by the Razorbacks 3-0 Sunday night.
But the Razorbacks’ got home runs with the bases empty by James McCann, Monk Kreder and Collin Kuhn, which minimized the damage for Washington State.
“We always talk about how solo shots usually don’t beat you,” Kreder said. “We just didn’t come up with the big hit, and they executed what they needed to do.
“It’s frustrating, but there’s another game tomorrow, so we’ll be ready.”
The Razorbacks likely need to be ready for some more Washington State bunts.
Fayetteville Regional At Baum Stadium FRIDAY’S GAMES Arkansas 19, Grambling State 7 Washington State 8, Kansas State 6 SATURDAY’S GAMES Kansas State 9, Grambling State 8
Grambling eliminated Arkansas 6, Washington State 4 SUNDAY’S GAMES Washington State 9, Kansas State 6
Kansas State eliminated Washington State 10, Arkansas 7 TODAY’S GAME Washington State at Arkansas, 7:05 p.m.
Sports, Pages 18 on 06/07/2010