By Robbie Neiswanger
Arkansas News Bureau • rneiswanger@arkansasnews.com
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas starter Drew Smyly knew Auburn’s lineup was explosive.
The left-hander studied the Tigers’ team batting average, which was leading the Southeastern Conference. He understood the frustrations starting pitchers have experienced when facing Auburn all season long.
He wasn’t really worried, though.
“Any team that’s in the SEC, they can hit,” Smyly said. “So you have to make good pitches and quality pitches and keep it down in the zone. I did that.”
Smyly led Arkansas to a 9-4 win against the Tigers by hurling a complete game in front of an announced crowd of 6,818 in Baum Stadium. The sophomore improved to 7-0 by shrugging off a shaky start and limiting the SEC’s top offense to eight hits Friday.
It was his second complete game in his past three starts. Smyly threw a complete game against Georgia in Baum Stadium two weeks ago, but Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn was particularly impressed with his Friday night starter’s performance against Auburn.
“Smyly was definitely the key from the fourth inning on,” Van Horn said. “He did a great job competing.”
But it didn’t look like Smyly would last the entire game after some early struggles. Two Arkansas errors to lead off the third inning — one of which was a throwing error by Smyly — led to two early runs.
Auburn (28-15, 10-9 in SEC) added to its lead in the fifth inning when Trent Mummey hit a two-run home run to make it 4-0. Smyly said it was “upsetting.”
“From there on out, I was like, ‘I’ve got to bear down, get hitters out and throw strikes,’” Smyly said. “I knew our offense had plenty of time to come back and that’s what they did.”
Arkansas (35-8, 14-5 in SEC) had trouble at the plate against Auburn starter Corey Luckie. But the Razorbacks pounced when the left-hander left the game in the fifth after allowing a leadoff single.
Zack Cox collected a two-out single to keep the fifth inning alive for the Hogs. Then, center fielder Brett Eibner hit a three-run home run to left field off Auburn’s Michael Hurst (2-1) to make it 4-3.
“When the ball left the park our whole demeanor of our dugout just took off,” Van Horn said. “I felt confident we were going to make a good game of it.”
It was Eibner’s 15th home run of the season, which leads the SEC. He has eight home runs in league play.
“That’s my job hitting in the four hole,” Eibner said. “It definitely helped getting three runs there to put us within one.”
Shortstop Matt Reynolds — who committed two errors Friday — came up big at the plate in the next inning when he hit a double down the right field line to drive in Monk Kreder and tie the game at 4-4. Collin Kuhn followed with a single to drive in two more runs to give the Razorbacks a 6-4 lead after six innings.
Smyly, with help from Arkansas’ improved defense in the late innings, maintained control from there.
Smyly allowed two hits, both singles, over the final four innings. The Razorbacks helped end two threats by turning inning-ending double plays to finish off both the seventh and eighth.
After Arkansas scored three more runs in the eighth inning, Smyly returned to the mound in the ninth. He struck out Auburn’s Justin Hargett to end the game.
“That’s not easy,” Eibner said of Smyly’s two complete games. “I pitch myself and it is definitely not easy, especially in the SEC. You’ve got good hitters through every lineup. Smyly has just been pitching great and has been lights out.”
Smyly, who took over the Friday night role four weeks ago, has won his past five starts. He has thrown at least seven innings in each game.
“I’m feeling pretty good right now,” Smyly said.
