Hogs’ pitchers keep Gamecocks in check

BY CHRIS COCOLES

Posted on Sunday, May 11, 2008

URL: http://www.wholehogsports.com/adg/225432/

FAYETTEVILLE — Those nickel and dime dribblers in front of the mound that South Carolina hit reflected just how tough Arkansas starting pitcher Cliff Springston was Saturday in the Razorbacks’ 6-3 victory at Baum Stadium. Springston allowed just eight

2 singles in 5 / 3 innings, six of which never got cleanly out of the infield. Considering the Gamecocks led the SEC with 91 home runs entering Saturday’s game, it was an effective performance from Springston and reliever Mike Bolsinger.

Reese Havens hit a home run with the bases empty in the top of the seventh, but South Carolina’s remaining 10 hits were all singles, most of the soft variety.

“They’ve got a really good lineup,” Razorbacks pitching coach Dave Jorn said. “You’ve got to make quality pitches. If you make mistakes, you pay for mistakes, and we’ve made a lot this year.

“ Today, we made good pitches against a great-hitting ballclub.”

South Carolina’s best offense against Springston was the bouncing ball into no-man’s land between home plate and third base. Three singles came on a pair of half-swing bunts and one actual bunt that contributed to both runs charged to Springston.

Despite throwing only 71 pitches, Springston was pulled with two runners on in the sixth. Bolsinger came in and picked up the final out to keep the score at 2-2.

Jorn said he was hesitant to pull Springston given the pitch count, his ability to throw the fastball for strikes and his good command. But he wanted to get Bolsinger in since his arm was fresh after missing most of six weeks and because he had pitched well.

“It was very disappointing for [Springston ] to be taken out of the game, and I understood that,” Jorn said. “But he understood, and I appreciate that.”

Springston returned to putting the Razorbacks in position to win games. The junior transfer from Baylor endured a difficult stretch when he went five starts without a victory, compiling a 5. 42 ERA in that stretch.

He threw seven ground-ball outs Saturday, and Justin Smoak’s liner to right fielder Chase Leavitt and Harley Lail’s deep drive, caught by center fielder Brett Eibner on the warning track, were the only hard-hit flies off him.

“South Carolina, every guy that comes up seems to have the ability to put the ball out of the park,” said Springston, who struck out one and walked one. “Mike and I threw a lot of strikes and kept the ball down. I was able to keep it to a minimum, and Mike shut them down.”

Bolsinger regretted just one pitch, the curve that Havens hit over the left-field fence to put the Gamecocks up 3-2 before Arkansas spotted Bolsinger a 6-3 lead. He allowed only 2 other hits and

1 struck out 3 in 3 / 3 innings for his third consecutive victory on an SEC weekend.