By Robbie Neiswanger
Arkansas News Bureau • rneiswanger@arkansasnews.com
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn and the Razorbacks seem to know no other way.
Fall behind early. Scratch, kick and claw to stay in the game. Get solid relief pitching, take the lead with clutch hitting in the late innings, and celebrate another win.
Arkansas followed the blueprint once again Friday night, coming from behind to beat Mississippi State 6-5 in front of an announced crowd of 2,465 in Baum Stadium. The Razorbacks (25-8, 7-6 in Southeastern Conference) trailed 5-2 in the fourth inning, but won behind the strength of their three-run eighth inning.
It was Arkansas’ seventh straight win, including five in a row in SEC play. Six of the victories during the stretch have been by one run. The other was a 2-0 win against LSU.
“They’re always one-run aren’t they?” Van Horn said Friday. “I don’t know if there’s anything else. It’s just the way it is.
“It almost feels normal that we’re battling. But that’s a credit to the team that we just hang around and fight even when it looks like somebody is about to put us away.”
That was certainly the case Friday night, when MSU played well most of the game.
The Bulldogs (21-13, 5-8) collected five runs on 10 hits, most of which came in the early innings. It looked like it was enough for starting pitcher Chris Stratton, who frustrated Arkansas’ lineup most of the night and carried a 5-3 lead into the eighth inning.
But the game unraveled for Stratton (4-4) when designated hitter Sam Bates led off with a double, bringing Kyle Robinson to the plate.
The outfielder helped Arkansas get a run in the fourth inning with a solo home run to left center field, which made it 5-3. He answered the call once again, hitting a slider from Stratton over the wall in right center field.
The two-run home run — Robinson’s team-leading seventh — tied the game at 5-5.
“I knew the wind was blowing out a little bit,” said Robinson, who also had his first multi-home run game as a Razorback. “I didn’t think the second one was going to get out. But I guess the wind just had a little gust.”
But Arkansas wasn’t done.
Stratton gave up a bunt single to Dominic Ficociello before being replaced by MSU reliever Daryl Norris. He retired the next two Arkansas batters before shortstop Tim Carver gave Arkansas the lead with an RBI single that scored Ficociello from second base.
“It gets close to the end of the game and I guess we get a little extra something in it,” said Carver, who also had the game-winning RBI in Arkansas’ win against LSU last Sunday.
Closer Nolan Sanburn came out of the bullpen to retire MSU in order in the ninth inning, collecting his seventh save of the season.
Sanburn’s work may closed the door, but Van Horn also credited reliever Cade Lynch (4-1) for his relief effort. Lynch replaced starter Brandon Moore, who allowed five runs on eight hits in 3 1/3 innings, and kept the Bulldogs from scoring again in his stint.
Lynch allowed just two hits in 4 2/3 innings of work. He struck out six and walked one.
“Cade Lynch was the key for us,” Van Horn said. “He came in and shut them down.
“For the most part it was some quick innings and gave us a chance to tie that game.”
Robinson went 3-for-4 with the two home runs, three RBIs and three runs scored. Ficociello and Carver each collected two hits.
MSU catcher Wes Thigpen led the Bulldogs by going 2-for-3 with three RBIs Friday night.
The win helped Arkansas crawl above .500 in SEC play after opening at 2-6. The Razorbacks also remained a game behind first place Alabama, whose game against Tennessee was rained out Friday, in the SEC West standings.
Arkansas will try to win the series tonight when the teams meet at 6:35. And, after the recent run of one-run games and nail-biting finishes, everyone expects some more drama.
“It’s a little heart-wrenching at some points in the game to go down to the wire, but it just shows the character of this team really coming through,” Robinson said. “No matter what the score, we always think we’re in the ballgame. Even our losses. …
“I think stuff is just finally starting to click for us.”
Extra Bases
Second baseman Bo Bigham led off the first with a single, which extended his career-best hitting streak to 13 games. Bigham finished 1-for-5 with a run. … Center fielder Collin Kuhn was back in the lineup after missing the past two games because of a pinched nerve. The junior went 1-for-3 with an RBI in the first inning. … Arkansas football coach Bobby Petrino threw out the first pitch Friday. His team will close spring practice with the Red-White game in Razorback Stadium today at 3.
