SEC BASEBALL

Dribbler in 11th caps LSU’s sweep

Arkansas’ Derek Bleeker slides in safely to second base in front of LSU’s JaCoby Jones during the Razorbacks’ 3-2 11-inning loss Sunday at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge.
Arkansas’ Derek Bleeker slides in safely to second base in front of LSU’s JaCoby Jones during the Razorbacks’ 3-2 11-inning loss Sunday at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge.

— LSU scored a run in the 11th inning to defeat Arkansas 3-2 and sweep a three-game series from the Razorbacks.

The Tigers had two infield singles in the 11th, including a dribbler to third base by Jared Foster that drove in Ty Ross with the winning run. Ross got a two-out rally started with an infield hit, another slow-hit ball to third, against reliever Barrett Astin (2-2), who also took the loss in Arkansas’ 2-1 defeat to LSU on Saturday.

Joey Bourgeois (2-0) pitched two scoreless innings to get the victory for LSU (22-6, 6-3).

Derrick Bleeker and Dominic Ficociello each hit home runs for Arkansas (22-6, 5-4), which dropped into a second-place tie with Ole Miss in the SEC West behind LSU and Auburn. Arkansas was held to five hits Sunday and struck out 16 times against four LSU pitchers. The Razorbacks had 15 strikeouts in Friday’s 10-6 loss and were held to five hits in Saturday’s loss.

Such struggles could lead Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn to a few lineup adjustments when the Razorbacks open a three-game series against Georgia that starts Friday in Fayetteville.

“Trying to figure out who we’re going to play,” Van Horn said. “We’ve got some guys that probably need an opportunity after this weekend and last weekend. Some guys are not swinging the bat very good. Probably going to have to try to liven up our offense a little bit.”

Arkansas reliever Brandon Moore retired 12 consecutive batters before he was hit by a line drive from JaCoby Jones in the eighth inning and had to leave the game with a bruised right forearm.

“It swelled up pretty good,” Van Horn said. “He’s doing OK. Nothing is broke, they say. He’ll be ready in a couple three days.” Moore was replaced by Colby Suggs, who retired two batters before Astin took over and struck out Austin Nola to end the inning.

Raph Rhymes led off the bottom of the 11th inning with a single and stayed at first when Austin Nola flew out to right field. Rhymes then attempted to steal second but was thrown out for the second out.

Ross got the Tigers going again with an infield single and moved to third base on a single to right field by Tyler Hanover. Astin hit Tyler Moore with a pitch to load the bases before Ross scored on an infield single by Foster to complete the series sweep for LSU.

Arkansas threatened to take the lead in the ninth inning after singles by Jacob Mahan and Matt Reynolds.

But the Razorbacks failed to score when Bleeker flew out to center and Sam Bates grounded to first against LSU reliever Chris Cotton. Ross led off with a single in the bottom of the ninth for LSU and advanced to second after a sacrifice bunt by Tyler Hanover. But Astin sent the game into extra innings when he struck out Tyler Moore and got Jared Foster on a pop up for the third out.

Nolan Sanburn started for Arkansas and allowed 2 runs and 4 hits in 3 innings. Moore took over in the fourth inning and did not allow a runner until Jones’ eighth-inning single that hit off his forearm and went into right field.

LSU scored in the first inning before Bleeker tied the game with his third home run of the season in the second. It was Arkansas’ first home run since March 13, when Ficociello hit a home run against Gonzaga.

LSU regained the lead in the third inning when Mason Katz reached on a single,moved to third on a throwing error by Sanburn, and scored on a two-out single by Austin Nola. Ficociello pulled Arkansas even again when he led off the seventh with his third home run of the season.

Van Horn credited a group of Arkansas relievers, led by Moore before he left the game in the eighth, who didn’t give up a run over 7 2/3 innings until Foster’s RBI single in the11th.

“Just came out and battled and, you know, kept getting us back in the dugout,” he said. “Gave us a chance. ... Probably the bright spot of the weekend was the bullpen.”SUN BELT

ARKANSAS STATE 5, TROY 4

TROY, Ala. - Collin Massanelli scored when Claude Johnson reached on a fielder’s choice to give Arkansas State a lead in the seventh inning while relievers Brandon Farley and John Koch held Troy scoreless over the final three innings to give ASU a series victory on Sunday.

Massanelli’s run gave the Red Wolves(17-11, 7-2) a 5-4 lead and Farley struck out 3 and gave up 2 hits in 2 innings and Koch pitched a perfect ninth, with 1 strikeout, for his sixth save.

Morgan Croft improved to 2-1 after giving up 1 run on 1 hit in two-thirds of an inning in relief of starter Cory Kyle, who gave up 3 runs on 4 hits and struck out 5 in 5 1/3 innings.

ASU scored 1 run in the first, 2 in the third and 1 in the sixth before Massanelli scored ASU’s final run in the seventh. Johnson finished 2 for 4 with 1 RBI and 1 run scored, while Zach George went 2 for 4 with 1 RBI for the Red Wolves.

Troy (13-14, 3-6) scored all of its runs off Kyle and Croft in the sixth when Danny Collins and Jo-El Bennett each hit home runs.

W. KENTUCKY 8, UALR 7

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Western Kentucky scored the game’s final five runs and Steve Hodgins’ 11th- inning single off Bubba Cooper scored Jordan Cessna to give the Hilltoppers a victory Sunday at Nick Denes Field.

Western Kentucky (12-16, 4-5), which won Saturday’s game, took a 2-1 series victory over UALR (16-12, 3-6).

The Trojans led 7-3 after Nick Rountree’s two-run home run, his sixth of the season, but the Hilltoppers scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth off relievers Cameron Allen and Andrew Hohn. Allen, who relieved starter Ethan Schlechte to start the sixth, gave up 3 runs on 1 hit and didn’t record an out.

UALR committed three errors, but all but two of Western Kentucky’s runs were earned. But two UALR errors setup Western Kentucky’s game-winner in the 11th.

Ryan Hutchison reached on an error to lead-off the inning, then a throwing error allowed pinch-runner Cessna to advance to third base before Hodgins’ single.

Western Kentucky had 17 hits, the most for a Sun Belt team this season.

Rountree went 3 for 5 with 3 RBI and 2 runs scored for UALR, while Chris Burk went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI and 2 runs scored. John Clark also had two hits for UALR. Cameron Bentley, Myles Parma and Ben Crumpton each drove in a run for the Trojans, who led 3-0 after the second inning and 5-1 after the fifth.

Starter Ethan Schlechte allowed 3 runs on 9 hits in 5 innings. Bubba Cooper (2-2) got the loss after giving up the game-winning run and 3 hits in 21/3 innings.

SOUTHLAND

TEXAS-ARLINGTON 11, CENT. ARKANSAS 1 (7 INN.)

ARLINGTON, Texas - Texas-Arlington had 13 singles and Preston Beck’s home run in the seventh ended the game because of the run-rule.

The Mavericks (17-11, 6-6) led 5-0 after two innings and totaled 14 hits off three Bears pitchers to complete the three-game sweep. Starter Ryan Angus allowed 8 earned runs on 10 hits in 3 innings, while Bryce Biggerstaff gave up 1 run and 2 hits in 1/3 of an inning and Clint Green gave up Beck’s home run after 3 1/3 innings.

Up next GEORGIA AT ARKANSAS

WHEN Friday-Sunday

WHERE Baum Stadium, Fayetteville

RECORDS Georgia 18-11, 4-5 SEC; Arkansas 22-6, 5-4.

ABOUT GEORGIA Kentucky beat Georgia 11-2 on Sunday to take 2 out of 3 from the Bulldogs in Athens, Ga. Georgia took 2 of 3 from Arkansas last year at home.

RADIO RSP statewide radio network, which includes KQSM-FM, 92.1 in Fayetteville; KURM-AM, 790, in Bentonville-Rogers; 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 www.arkansasrazorbacks.com (go to Razorvision link).

SHORT HOPS Arkansas is now 2-2 inextra-inning games this season. The Razorbacks went 11 innings to defeat Mississippi State 8-5 in the series finale against the Bulldogs two weeks ago. ... Joe Serrano made his fifth start of the year for Arkansas on Sunday. ... Seven of LSU’s nine games in SEC play have been decided by one run. ... Raph Rhymes stole his first base of the season for LSU after he hit an RBI single in the first inning. ... LSU improved to 54-26 all time against Arkansas, including 29-10 in games played at Baton Rouge.

THE WEEK AHEAD TODAY off TUESDAY off WEDNESDAY off THURSDAY off

FRIDAY vs. Georgia, 6:35 p.m.

SATURDAY vs. Georgia, 2:05 p.m.

SUNDAY vs. Georgia, 12:05 p.m.

SUNDAY’S GAMES Ole Miss 7, Florida 6 LSU 3, Arkansas 2, 11 inn.

Tennessee 4-5, Alabama 2-3 Kentucky 11, Georgia 2 Auburn 8, Mississippi State 2 South Carolina 6, Vanderbilt, 4

Sports, Pages 13 on 04/02/2012

Upcoming Events