COLUMBIA, S.C. — Arkansas had to wait out a two-hour rain delay, but after finally taking the field, they sit in sole possession of first place in the SEC West after defeating No. 3 South Carolina 6-2 on Friday night at Carolina Stadium.

The No. 17 Razorbacks claimed the top spot after Alabama and Auburn were postponed until today because of rain. Arkansas improved to 33-15 overall and 13-12 in the SEC, a half-game ahead of the Crimson Tide and Mississippi State, a 7-4 winner over Mississippi. Alabama is 12-12, while the Bulldogs are 13-13 and finish their series with the Rebels today.

Billed as a pitching matchup between the Razorbacks’ DJ Baxendale and South Carolina’s Michael Roth coming in, it turned more into Arkansas’s five stolen bases and five errors committed by the Gamecocks.

Three of South Carolina’s errors were by catcher Brady Thomas on attempted steals. Thomas threw wildly into center field to allow each runner to advance to third. Each eventually scored.

Arkansas jumped on top in the fourth inning against Roth. Two of Thomas’ errors came in the inning that helped allow both runners to score.

Dominic Ficociello, who finished 4 for 5 to lead Arkansas’ 14-hit attack, opened the fourth with a single. The freshman stole second and took third when Thomas’ throw sailed into center field.

After an out, Matt Reynolds walked to put runners at the corners. He stole second, and again Brady air-mailed a throw into center field to allow Ficociello to score and Reynolds to advance to third.

Jarrod McKinney, who was 3 for 4, delivered a two-out RBI single.

McKinney added another RBI single in the sixth inning that chased Roth in his shortest stint of the season.

The junior left-hander came in as the SEC leader among starters in ERA (1.23) and was tied for the SEC lead with 10 victories. But Arkansas knocked him around for 3 runs, 2 earned, off of 10 hits in 51/3 innings. That was the shortest stint of the season for Roth, and it tied for the most hits he’s allowed this year.

Baxendale, who is second to Roth in ERA at 1.58, pitched 6 innings and allowed 1 run on 6 hits with 6 strikeouts and 3 walks. He left in the sixth, when the Gamecocks scored their only run on a DeSean Anderson fielder’s choice.

Trent Daniel pitched the final three innings to earn his second save of the season.

The Razorbacks added a run in the seventh when they loaded the bases with one out.

They scored when South Carolina second baseman Scott Wingo threw wildly to the plate while trying to get the force on James McCann.

McCann and Ficociello added RBI singles in the eighth to round out the scoring. Reynolds was 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored.

The teams will play at 3:30 p.m. today with the Razorbacks’ Randall Fant (2-3, 3.09 ERA) going against South Carolina freshman Forrest Koumas (5-0, 3.14).

Today’s game

ARKANSAS AT SOUTH CAROLINA WHEN 3:30 p.m. Central WHERE Carolina Stadium, Columbia, S.C.

RECORDS Arkansas 33-15, 13-12 SEC; South Carolina 39-11, 18-7 TV Fox Sports Net RADIO RSP statewide radio network, which includes KQSM-FM, 92.1, in Fayetteville;

KURM-AM, 790, and KURM-FM, 100.3, in Bentonville-Rogers; KABZ-FM, 103.7, in Little Rock; KASR-FM, 92.7, in Conway; KHGG-FM, 103.1, in Fort Smith; KELD-FM, 106.5, in El Dorado; and KOMT-FM, 107.5, in Mountain Home. Not all games will be carried by affiliates. Check local listings.

INTERNET www.arkansasrazorbacks.com (go to Razorvision link).

PITCHING MATCHUP Arkansas: Randall Fant (LHP, 2-3, 3.09 ERA). South Carolina: Forrest Koumas (5-0, 3.14 ERA).

THE WEEK AHEAD TODAY at South Carolina, 3:30 p.m.

SUNDAY at South Carolina, 12:30 p.m.

MONDAY off TUESDAY vs. Tenn.-Martin, 6:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY off THURSDAY vs. Mississippi, 6:35 p.m.

FRIDAY vs. Mississippi, 6 p.m.

Sports, Pages 21 on 05/14/2011