By Robbie Neiswanger
Arkansas News Bureau
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas had only lost three games prior to its weekend series at LSU.
So dropping three straight to the Tigers and then Friday’s series opener to Georgia that Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn and his team. Going without a win for a stretch that spanned 13 days was even harder to deal with.
“It’s been a long time it seemed that we won a game,” Van Horn said. “I’m not used to that.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The good news: Arkansas ended its skid by beating Georgia 8-3 in front of 8,479 in Baum Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Razorbacks (23-7, 6-5 in Southeastern Conference) got a grand slam from outfielder Jimmy Bosco to key a five-run third inning, and solid pitching from Barrett Astin, Brandon Moore and Colby Suggs.
It helped Arkansas snap a four-game SEC losing streak and even the series. The Razorbacks and Georgia (19-12, 5-6 in SEC) will play the final game of the series at 12:05 today.
Bosco turned in the big hit in the win, driving a bases-loaded, 2-1 pitch from Georgia starter Michael Palazzone (0-4) over the wall to give the Razorbacks a 5-1 lead. It was part of a 13-hit attack for the Hogs, who had been limited to two runs or less in three straight games.
“It was really important for us to win this game today, and we showed up,” Bosco said.
Bosco wasn’t the only Razorback to produce at the plate. Tim Carver, Jacob Mahan, Dominic Ficociello, Derrick Bleeker and Jake Wise collected two hits apiece in the win.
Arkansas — which struck out 51 times in the previous four games — only had three Saturday.
“We wanted to be aggressive early in the count,” Wise said. “We didn’t want to get too many two-strike counts where the pitcher has the advantage. We were able to attack early and often. So that was good for us.”
It was good for Arkansas’ pitching staff, too.
Astin, who was moved out of the bullpen and into a starting role Saturday, allowed two unearned runs on three hits in 4 2/3 innings.
The right-hander was replaced by Brandon Moore (3-0) in the fifth and the sophomore allowed on run in his 3 1/3 innings. Moore’s stint included a one-hour, 12-minute rain delay that began in the bottom of the sixth inning. He came back after the delay and threw two more innings.
“I came up here in the batting cage and just played catch every five or 10 minutes,” Moore said. “I tried to stay loose, stay calm, try not to get anxious waiting. I just tried to stay in as much of a routine as possible.”
Moore was replaced by Colby Suggs, who finished the game in the ninth. Arkansas allowed seven hits and issued just three walks Saturday.
Arkansas will try to win the series today with veteran pitcher DJ Baxendale (5-1, 5.23 ERA) on the mound. The junior was moved back in the rotation after struggling in his previous three SEC starts. Georgia will start freshman right-hander Pete Nagel (0-0, 3.41 ERA).
“We just want him to get back on track, be the old DJ and give us many innings as he can,” Van Horn said. “It would be nice to play good defense behind him and score some runs.”