The No. 3 LSU and No. 10 Arkansas baseball teams pounded each other Friday and Saturday, so it was only fitting that Sunday’s matchup would go to extra innings in a 5-3 Tiger victory in Fayetteville, Ark.
The Tigers (34-3, 13-2 Southeastern Conference) brought six runs home Friday night in a victory against the Razorbacks (25-12, 9-6 SEC), but Arkansas answered Saturday with an 8-3 win against LSU junior starter Ryan Eades.
When sophomore southpaw Cody Glenn took the mound for LSU on Sunday, the Tigers looked to rebound after their third loss of the season. In a game that seemingly represented the entire series, both squads battled into the 10th inning before the Tigers pulled away late.
“This victory demonstrates the tremendous resiliency of our players,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “We had a tough game yesterday, but our guys came back to the ball park today ready to play.”
After a leadoff double in the top of the 10th by junior catcher Ty Ross, sophomore outfielder Chris Sciambra placed a sacrifice bunt to put a runner on third with one out. Junior right fielder Sean McMullen came through in the clutch, slamming a sacrifice fly to deep right field. Senior left fielder Raph Rhymes would later hit an RBI single to make it 5-3.
Mainieri sent senior left-handed reliever Chris Cotton back to the mound, as the southpaw recorded the final three outs to secure a series victory for the Tigers.
Cotton retired the Razorbacks in both the ninth and 10th innings, again proving to be a reliable arm in the back of the Tigers’ bullpen.
The LSU offense showed its strength Sunday after being stifled only a day prior, as the squad knocked eight hits in the series finale, including three from freshman shortstop Alex Bregman. Bregman, whose 23-game hitting streak was snapped Saturday, launched a two-run home run in the top of the third inning.
“Bregman’s career is still young,” Mainieri said. “He’s got a lot to do, and he has a lot of things to get better at, but I wouldn’t trade him for anybody.”
The day didn’t go as well for Glenn, who went to the mound looking to build on his previous victory against Kentucky. Glenn has had trouble pitching away from Alex Box Stadium against SEC competition, as both Mississippi State and Missouri gave him difficulty on the road.
Glenn held his own into the fourth inning, but after putting runners on the corners with no outs, Arkansas senior center fielder Matt Vinson laced a ball back to the mound, bouncing off the sophomore’s shin before Glenn fired to record an out. The left-hander had trouble getting back to his feet before being replaced by junior Nick Rumbelow.
Glenn tossed three-and-a-third innings, surrendering three runs on five hits while striking out one.
Mainieri proceeded to turn to the bullpen, as Rumbelow and seniors Brent Bonvillain, Joey Bourgeois and Cotton combined to toss six-and-two-thirds innings of scoreless baseball, allowing only two hits and recording four strikeouts in the process.
LSU’s next contest will be against Grambling on Wednesday in Alex Box Stadium.
