Late inning heroics were the deciding factors of all three games this weekend between LSU and the University of Arkansas.
The Tigers (29-17, 8-13) won game one Friday night after sophomore shortstop Michael Hollander hit a one-out, walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to break a 6-6 tie.
“I was looking fastball, and I don’t think [pitcher Devon Collins] meant to throw one,” Hollander said in a news release. “It was a mistake and a little up in the zone. That was definitely the biggest hit of my career.”
The Tigers were behind, 4-2, entering the bottom of the seventh inning, but scored 4 runs in the inning to go ahead of No. 11 Arkansas, 6-4.
The Razorbacks (31-14, 11-10) answered with a run in the top of the eighth inning and another in the top of the ninth inning to even the score at 6.
After LSU freshman Nicholas Pontiff struck out swinging to open the ninth inning, Hollander hit the game-winning shot over the left field fence.
Arkansas had its own ninth-inning rally in game two after it scored 2 runs to go ahead of LSU, 4-2.
The Razorbacks grabbed a 3-2 lead in the ninth inning after senior center fielder Craig Gentry doubled to left center field and drove in junior outfielder Stephen Robinson from second base.
Junior left fielder Jake Dugger added an insurance run for the Razorbacks after he drove in Gentry with a single to right field.
Despite getting two players on base with only one out, the Tigers did not capitalize in the bottom of the ninth inning.
The third and deciding game of the series ended with similar late-inning results.
LSU scored one run in the bottom of the seventh inning and another in the bottom of the eighth inning to go up, 7-5.
With one out in the seventh inning and the game tied at 5, Stewart reached second base on a throwing error by Arkansas junior third baseman Blake Parker.
LSU senior catcher Matt Liuzza batted in Stewart after hitting a single down the right field line to put LSU ahead, 6-5.
“I kind of knew [pitcher Brett Bollman] was coming with sliders,” Liuzza said. “They were throwing them all day, and I got down to two strikes and I was just looking for something over the plate.”
The Tigers scored an insurance run and went up 7-5 in the bottom of the eighth inning after senior third baseman Will Harris scored on a single by Hollander down the right field line.
 
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