SEC Baseball

Arkansas pitching struggles in 10-6 loss

CHRIS DAIGLE/Special to ArkansasOnline -- 3/30/12 -- Arkansas reliever Colby Suggs pitches against LSU Friday night at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, La. The Razorbacks lost the game, 10-6.
CHRIS DAIGLE/Special to ArkansasOnline -- 3/30/12 -- Arkansas reliever Colby Suggs pitches against LSU Friday night at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, La. The Razorbacks lost the game, 10-6.

— Arkansas pitching had arguably its worst performance of the season as the No. 3 Razorbacks lost 10-6 to No. 15 LSU at Alex Box stadium on Friday night.

Arkansas (22-4, 5-2 SEC) gave up double-digit runs for the second straight Friday night. The Razorbacks lost to Mississippi State 11-2 last week, but bounced back to win the three-game series.

LSU roughed up Razorbacks starter DJ Baxendale with three batters earning their first home runs of the season in the series opener.

Arkansas trailed 2-0 early, but a pair of two-run hits for Matt Reynolds (double) and Derrick Bleeker (triple), and a wild pitch that allowed Bleeker to score gave Arkansas a 5-2 lead in the top of the third. LSU quickly responded, however.

The first of the round-trippers came in the bottom of the third when LSU left fielder Ralph Rhymes hit a two-run blast to cut the Arkansas lead to 5-4.

Later in the inning, catcher Ty Ross chased Baxendale with a solo home run to tie the game.

Despite striking out four batters in 2 1/3 innings, Baxendale allowed five runs on eight hits, earning a no-decision. Cade Lynch replaced Baxendale, but he and Colby Suggs - who finished the game for Arkansas - struggled against the Tigers’ hot bats as well.

First baseman Grant Dozar gave LSU the lead again in the fourth on a RBI single off Lynch and the Tigers blew the game open in the fifth.

LSU (20-6, 4-3 SEC) extended its lead to 10-5 after Tyler Hanover hit a solo shot for the third home run of the game and Rhymes and shortstop Austin Nola both singled to bring in three runs.

LSU finished the game with 16 hits and scored more runs than it had in either of its previous two series against Mississippi State and Auburn.

Arkansas first baseman Dominic Ficociello hit a RBI single in the seventh to cut the score to 10-6, but the Razorbacks could not close the gap any more.

Kevin Gausman started the game for the Tigers and threw 119 pitches in 6 2/3 innings. The sophomore right-hander struck out 12 batters while earning his fifth win of the season. Lynch was charged with the loss for the Razorbacks.

Ryne Stanek (6-0, 1.25 ERA) will be on the mound for Arkansas for Saturday’s matchup, looking to win his ninth consecutive start. He is slated to face right-hander Ryan Eades (4-1, 2.04 ERA).

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