The play that allowed Arkansas to tie the game in the ninth
Arkansas 3-USC 2 (10 innings) Game Summary
- South Carolina was one out away from evening the series with the Razorbacks and making Monte Lee a winner in his debut as the Gamecocks interim coach after Paul Mainieri stepped down earlier in the day, but KJ Scobey’s throw to first was off the mark allowing the tieing run to score, and eventually force an extra inning.
- Arkansas took a 1-0 lead with a solo homer in the top of the third off of Gamecock starter Amp Phillips.
- USC tied the game in the fifth on an RBI single by Beau Hollins, one of his three hits on the day.
- The Gamecocks took the lead with two outs in the seventh. Hollins doubled and scored on a single by Tyler Bak.
- Alex Valentin came on in the eighth for Phillips and retired the side in order. The Gamecocks got an insurance run to second in the bottom of the inning but couldn’t score it.
- After getting a popup to open the ninth, Valentin walked the next batter, who then advanced on a passes ball. A grounder to first moved the runner to third with two outs. A ground ball moved Scobey to his left. He fielded it easily but his throw was high and to the left of first, and pulled Hollins off the bag allowing the runner at third to score an unearned run to tie the game at 2-2.
- Hollins singled with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, but Bak struck out to end the inning. The Gamecocks struck out 16 times.
- Valentin was in trouble from the start of the tenth. A leadoff double and a bunt single to third put runners on the corners. After a strikeout, a ground ball to second scored the eventual winning run.
- The Gamecocks went down in order in the 10th with a line drive to second, a strikeout and a popup to short.
- Phillips allowed three hits and one run over his seven innings. He struck out six and walked two. Valentin (0-2) allowed two hits and two runs, one earned, struck out four and walked three in his three innings.
- Hunter Dietz went 6.2 innings for the Razorbacks and allowed two runs on five hits. He struck out 12 and walked two. Cole Gibler (3-0) finished up with no runs on two hits. He struck out four and walked one.
- The win clinches a sixth straight series win by the Razorbacks over USC. The Gamecocks have lost their last seven games.
- USC is 12-12 and 0-5 in the SEC. Arkansas is 18-6 and 4-1. The final game of the series will be Sunday afternoon.
