April 7, 2018
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" With the temperature close to freezing for the entirety of the game, Auburn fell behind early and couldn't get anything going as the No. 13 Tigers fell to No. 5 Arkansas, 13-2, Saturday night at Baum Stadium.
With the loss, Auburn moves to 23-9 overall on the season and 4-7 in Southeastern Conference play. Arkansas' overall record also stands at 23-9 overall, and the Razorbacks are 7-4 in league action.
"We hung in there and kept battling, but we had a lot of miscues," head coach Butch Thompson said. "It just wasn't a good game by us. It's one thing to not hit, that's always the hallmark of what you're trying to do. You always feel like you have a chance, but when you don't come out of the gate pitching very well, it's hard to overcome."
Davis Daniel (2-2, 4.36) suffered the loss after allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits with a pair of walks in 2.0 innings pitched.
Opposite Daniel, Arkansas starter Kacey Murphy (4-2, 2.35) earned the win.
Arkansas jumped out to an early lead in its first at-bat as Casey Martin popped up a sac bunt to third baseman Josh Anthony, who allowed the ball to fall. An intentional drop was ultimately ruled and the runners advanced at their own risk. Two pitches later, Luke Bonfield hit a two-RBI single into center field.
The Razorbacks added two more in the bottom of the second and put up four runs in the home half of the third to extend the lead to 8-0.
Auburn got on the scoreboard on back-to-back home runs from Steven Williams and Brett Wright to start the top of the fourth inning. Williams' home run was his sixth of the season, while Wright's was his team-best eighth. Williams accounted for two of Auburn's six hits in the game.
After Welby Malczewski held Arkansas scoreless in the fourth and fifth innings, the Razorbacks extended their lead to 11-2 with a RBI double from Grant Koch and a pair of bases-loaded walks. Malczewski matched a career-high with 3.1 innings of relief.
Corey Herndon replaced Malczewski on the mound and pitched a pair of scoreless innings before his inherited runners came in to score following his departure. Herndon's 2.0 innings also matched a season high.
Tomorrow's series finale on SEC Network is scheduled for 4 p.m. CT. Auburn will send freshman right-hander Tanner Burns (2-4, 2.43) to the mound against Arkansas' Isaiah Campbell (2-3, 3.33).