FROM SPECIAL REPORTS
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Ole Miss and Missouri were all tied up when Sunday’s rubber match went into a lightning delay, but when the skies cleared, the Tigers took over and handed the Rebels their first series loss of 2019.
Ole Miss started fast offensively, beginning with a near homer, which hit just above the 390 mark in right center field and ended in the first career triple for Tyler Keenan. He quickly came home on a wild pitch to make it 1-0. Moments later, Thomas Dillard added to the lead, launching a rocket over the left field wall. Dillard’s ninth home run of the season put Ole Miss up 2-0.
Starter Gunnar Hoglund worked a quick first inning but got into trouble in the second after a walk and a single to start the frame. The Tigers tied the game on a double down the left field line by Paul Gomez and took the lead on a sacrifice fly by Kameron Misner.
The Rebels got that run back in the third following a leadoff walk by Jacob Adams. The Rebel second baseman moved to second when Keenan walked, and he later stole third. On that stolen base, Missouri catcher Chad McDaniel’s throw soared into left field, allowing Adams to come home for the tying run.
Mizzou threatened again in the third, chasing Hoglund after a two-out hit by pitch. Connor Green came on and, after giving up a single off that came back off of his own leg, struck out Gomez to end the inning.
With two on and one out in the bottom of the fourth, lightning strikes in the area prompted a lightning delay of over an hour. When play resumed, Missouri came through with four quick runs on an RBI single, followed by a three-run home run by Chris Cornelius to take a 7-3 lead.
NO. 9 ARKANSAS 10, ALABAMA 2: The Tide fell to No. 9 Arkansas on Sunday afternoon at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The Razorbacks claimed the series win with the victory, while the Crimson Tide moves to 19-6 on the season, including a 2-4 mark in SEC play.
The Razorbacks got on the board first with two runs apiece in the first and third frames. Alabama cut the early lead in half with a two-run fourth, but four runs in the fifth and another pair in the eighth secured the series-clinching win for the Hogs. Arkansas starter Cody Scroggins (2-0) earned the win while Wil Freeman (2-2) suffered the loss in his start for the Crimson Tide.
Arkansas began the day’s scoring, putting up two runs in the first for the early 2-0 lead. The Razorbacks doubled their lead with another pair of runs in the third for a 4-0 advantage through three. Alabama was able to cut the deficit to two in the bottom of the fourth with a pair of runs.
Sophomore Tyler Gentry reached on a throwing error to begin the frame and was followed by a single from freshman T.J. Reeves to put runners on the corners. A sacrifice fly by John Trousdale, a junior, brought in Gentry and got the Tide on the board. Reeves stole second and kicked the ball into no-man’s land in the next at-bat to put himself 90 feet away. The batter, Brett Auerbach, then struck out, but a wild pitch allowed the junior to reach at first and crossed the runner from third to make it a 4-2 affair.
The Razorbacks doubled their total with a four-run fifth and then added two more in the eighth.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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