Hogs get moving, turn away Tigers

Arkansas shortstop Michael Bernal (left) celebrates after scoring against Missouri with Jake Arledge Friday, April 1, 2016, during the sixth inning at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville.
Arkansas shortstop Michael Bernal (left) celebrates after scoring against Missouri with Jake Arledge Friday, April 1, 2016, during the sixth inning at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville.

Arkansas 7, Missouri 6

FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas overcame a sloppy start and a scary ninth inning to edge Missouri 7-6 on a cool Friday evening before an estimated crowd of 6,537 at Baum Stadium.

Today’s game

Arkansas vs. Missouri

WHEN 7:30 p.m.

WHERE Baum Stadium, Fayetteville

RECORDS Arkansas 19-7, 4-3 SEC; Missouri 15-13, 0-7

RADIO Razorback Sports Network. Not all games will be carried by affiliates. Check local listings.

PITCHING MATCHUP Arkansas RHP Keaton McKinney (1-0, 4.85); Missouri RHP Tanner Houck (2-2, 2.09 ERA)

SHORT HOPS Arkansas shortstop Michael Bernal went 3 for 3 to lift his batting average to .300. … Arkansas leadoff batters reached base in every inning from the second inning through the eighth. … Arkansas leadoff batter Clark Eagan was in a 2-for-24 slump before hitting an RBI double in the third inning. … Cullen Gassaway’s fourth inning double was his third in the past five games. … Arkansas catcher Tucker Pennell threw out Ryan Howard on a steal attempt to end the first inning, giving him an SEC-best 13 runners caught stealing this season.

THE WEEK AHEAD

TODAY Missouri, 7:30 p.m.*

SUNDAY Missouri, 12:30 p.m.*

MONDAY Off

TUESDAY Off

WEDNESDAY at Memphis, 6:30 p.m.

THURSDAY Off

FRIDAY at Ole Miss, 6:30 p.m.*

*SEC game

Cullen Gassaway, Clark Eagan and Michael Bernal had three hits each and Bernal scored three runs as the No. 15 Razorbacks (19-7, 4-3 SEC) collected their ninth consecutive home victory.

Arkansas trailed 3-0 early against Missouri ace Reggie McClain (3-1), but rallied to send the right hander to his first loss of the season.

Josh Alberius threw four shutout innings in relief of Arkansas starter Dominic Taccolini, who was chased in the second inning, and Doug Willey (1-1) earned the victory after allowing one hit over three scoreless innings. Zach Jackson came on after two Missouri home runs in the ninth inning to notch his fourth save.

Missouri right fielder Kirby McGuire drilled the first pitch of the game just inside the third-base bag and into the corner for a double. Jake Ring bunted him to third and after Ryan Howard drew a walk, Zach Lavy's sacrifice fly to deep left field scored McGuire.

A defensive meltdown contributed to Taccolini's early departure and pushed Missouri's lead to 3-0 in the second inning. Trey Harris led off with a double to left-center and Brian Sharp followed with a single to left.

Shane Benes grounded sharply to Arkansas second baseman Rick Nomura, who had a chance to turn a double play. But Sharp threw on the brakes, Nomura elected not to chase him down, then threw off-target to first, drawing Gassaway off the bag. Ian Nelson then laid down a bunt to move the runners, but third baseman Carson Shaddy bungled the play, loading the bases.

When No. 9 hitter Brett Bond followed with a full-count RBI single to right field for a 3-0 Missouri lead, Taccolini's night was done.

The Razorbacks began pecking away at the deficit in the third, as Eagan's double inside the first-base bag brought home Bernal, who had opened the inning with a walk.

Bernal singled to open the fifth. Tucker Pennell followed with a shot to left that appeared destined for the Hogs' bullpen before Missouri's Trey Harris leapt and made the catch on top of the wall. Eagan singled Bernal to third and Jake Arledge's sacrifice fly drove in Bernal to make it 3-2.

The Razorbacks chased McClain in a bizarre sixth inning. Gassaway and Nomura led off with singles. Coach Dave Van Horn pulled Luke Bonfield after one failed bunt attempt and Darien Simms finished the at-bat by fouling off a third strike for the out.

Austin Catron made up for the mistake, drilling a hard one-hopper off Lavy at first base for a game-tying single. Bernal hit an opposite-field RBI single to give the Hogs a 4-3 lead and chase McClain.

Tucker Pennell greeted Cole Bartlett with an RBI groundout, and Eagan's single through the right side made it 6-3.

Arkansas expanded its lead in the seventh after Arledge reached on an error to open the inning. Carson Shaddy moved him up with a bunt single, then Gassaway advanced both runners with a sacrifice bunt. Nomura lined a single to right field to score Arledge.

Arkansas left-hander Jordan Rodriguez ran into trouble in the ninth. Benes ripped a one-out home run over the left-field wall, then Bond -- a .169 hitter entering the game -- connected for an opposite-field two-run home run to draw the Tigers within 7-6.

Jackson came on to record flyouts of Ring and Howard after walking McGuire to close out the game.

Sports on 04/02/2016

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