Small ball and strong pitching were the name of the game for No. 9 Arkansas in Thursday night’s 3-1 over No. 22 Alabama in front of a nationally televised audience on ESPNU.
The loss is a minor blow for the Tide (19-12, 7-3 Southeastern Conference), who were looking to prove it is one of the SEC’s best in game one of a three-game series against an Arkansas team that was ranked as the preseason No. 1.
“Give credit to Arkansas,” Alabama head coach Mitch Gaspard said. “Their arms are really good. Every guy was low to mid-90s with good breaking balls.”
Arkansas’ deep pitching staff was on full display against the Tide lineup allowing only four hits in nine innings. The Razorbacks pounded out 12 hits, eight of which came off senior right-hander Charley Sullivan, who made the start for Alabama.
Sullivan (3-2, 2.45 ERA) allowed three runs – two unearned – in five innings with two walks and three strikeouts in the loss.
Senior catcher Brett Booth said although most teams in the SEC have strong power arms coming out of the bullpen, Arkansas’ stands out above the rest.
“Definitely in league play theirs is the best overall,” he said.
Razorbacks sophomore pitcher Jalen Beeks (4-0, 0.64 ERA) was credited with the win in relief. He allowed no runs and only one hit in 2 2/3 innings.
Arkansas took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning after a bunt single from redshirt junior center fielder Jacob Morris scored senior left fielder Matt Vinson from third. Tide senior Andrew Miller threw out a runner at home from his left fielder position to get Alabama out of the inning.
In the top of the fifth inning, the normally sound Alabama fielding committed two errors in the field allowing Arkansas sophomore Joe Serrano to score from second. A second run in the inning was scored after freshman second baseman Kyle Overstreet bobbled the ball in his attempt to throw to first for the possible third out of the inning.
“The one thing with any top ten team like an Arkansas we were a little sloppy defensively,” Gaspard said. “We’ll get better as the weekend goes on and our guys will respond and they’ll come out and be ready to go tomorrow.”
The Tide scored its lone run of the game on an Arkansas error throwing to first allowed freshman shortstop Mikey White to score from third to cut the lead to 3-1.
Alabama made a valiant effort in the bottom of the ninth putting runners on the corners with two outs, but the late rally attempt fell short when freshman center fielder Georgie Salem grounded out to end the game. Arkansas junior closer Colby Suggs threw 39 pitches in the inning, which the Tide hope to build off of despite the loss.
“That was real encouraging in the ninth inning to see some guys put some good at-bats on him and have a chance to make a run at it there in the end,” Booth said. “I’m sure we’ll see him again either tomorrow or Saturday.”
Arkansas (22-8, 7-3 SEC) is now tied with Alabama them for second-place in the SEC West race with the win.
The series continues with game two on Friday at 6:35 p.m. at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. Game three is scheduled for Saturday at 1:05 p.m.
