AUBURN, Ala. - Auburn starting pitcher Michael O’Neal said he knew what he was up against when Arkansas scored a run in the third inning of Friday night’s game at Plainsman Park.
“You know coming in you’re facing one of the best pitching staffs in the nation,” O’Neal said. “You can’t give up a run. That’s basically what it feels like.”
Razorbacks starter Ryne Stanek and relievers Jalen Beeks and Colby Suggs made Dominic Ficociello’s RBI single stand up as Arkansas beat Auburn 1-0 before an announced crowd of 3,239.
“As soon as we got a run, I was confident we could keep the lead,” Stanek said. “We’ve done it before.”
It was the Tigers’ first 1-0 loss in 17 years, when Alabama beat them on May 10, 1997.
Arkansas (35-18, 18-10 SEC) clinched the No. 3 seed in next week’s SEC Tournament at Hoover, Ala., and will play at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday after a first-round bye.
The Razorbacks improved to 7-3 in one-run games this season and won 1-0 for the first time since beating Baylor in 10 innings to win an NCAA super regional and advance to the College World Series last year.
“We’ve won a lot of one run games and lost a few,” Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said. “They’re kind of normal now. We’ve used to them.”
This season, Arkansas is 5-0 in the second games of SEC series after losing the opener. The Razorbacks lost 3-0 to the Tigers on Thursday night.
Stanek (8-2) has started four of those victories and has a 0.33 ERA, allowing one run in 27 1/3 innings.
“A lot of that has to the do with the mentality of the team,” Van Horn said. “We’re pretty tough mentally. You’ve just got to bounce back.”
Stanek went 7 2/3 innings and lowered his ERA to 1.54 as he threw 123 pitches. He allowed 6 hits and 4 walks with 4 strikeouts and stranded 10 Auburn base runners.
“I just tried to make good pitches when I needed to the most and got myself out of some jams,” Stanek said.
Stanek got plenty of help from the defense in fourth, when left fielder Brian Anderson making a running catch of a line drive and right fielder Tyler Spoon threw out Ryan Tella at third to end the inning. Tella tried to go from first to third on Mitchell Self’s single.
“Spoon made a perfect throw to get the fastest runner on their team,” Van Horn said. “It put the momentum right back in our dugout.”
Hunter Kelley hit a two out double in the seventh, but Stanek struck out Cullen Wacker to end the inning.
Beeks came in with two outs and two on and got Tella on a pop out to end the inning. Suggs then struck out the Tigers (32-22, 12-17) in order in the ninth for his 11th save.
“I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times, the pitchers are the engine that keeps this train running,” Ficociello said.“We have confidence in every single one of them.”
Matt Vinson drew a walk leading off the third, went to second on a ground out by Anderson, to third on a single by Spoon and scored on Ficociello’s single up the middle off O’Neal.
“I was seeing the ball well out of his hand,” Ficociellosaid. “I made a pregame adjustment with Coach (Todd) Butler, fixing my stride, getting into position to hit earlier, so I’m not rushed.
“Even with two strikes in that at-bat, I was real confident. I let the ball get deep and put a good swing on it.”
O’Neal (8-4), who held the Razorbacks to 4 hits and 3 walks in 7 innings, said he hoped Ficociello had hit a double-play ball.
“I thought we were going to turn two on it, so I tried to make sure I didn’t touch it all,” O’Neal said. “[Second baseman Jordan] Ebert just barely missed it.
“Just one run. That kills you sometimes.”
Especially when Stanek is pitching for Arkansas.
Today’s game
ARKANSAS AT AUBURN WHEN 1 p.m. today WHERE Plainsman Park, Auburn, Ala.
RECORDS Arkansas 35-18, 18-10 SEC;
Auburn 32-22, 12-17 RADIO Razorbacks Sports Network, which includes KHLR-FM, 106.7, in Benton/Little Rock; KQSM-FM, 92.1, in Fayetteville; KURM-AM, 790, in Bentonville-Rogers; KASR-FM, 92.7, in Conway;
KHGG-FM, 103.1, in Fort Smith; KELDFM, 106.5, in El Dorado; and KOMT-FM, 107.5, in Mountain Home. Not all games will be carried by affiliates. Check local listings.
TELEVISION Cox Sports INTERNET www.arkansasrazorbacks.com PITCHING MATCHUP Arkansas: Randall Fant (LHP 5-1, 2.00 ERA). Auburn: Justin Camp (RHP 5-1, 2.13 ERA) SHORT HOPS Arkansas junior Dominic Ficociello made his first start a third base this season Friday night in place of injured Jacob Mahan. Ficociello has also has started at first and second.
Eric Fisher started at first. … Freshman Willie Schwanke was the Razorbacks’ designated hitter in place of injured Joe Serrano, though Serrano was brought in as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning Friday and grounded into a double play with the bases loaded.
FRIDAY’S GAMES Arkansas 1, Auburn 0 Texas A&M 8, Tennessee 4 Missouri 4, Kentucky 3 Georgia 3, Florida 1 So. Carolina 5, Mississippi St. 3 (10) Alabama 5, Vanderbilt 4 LSU 5, Mississippi 4
TODAY’S GAMES All times Central Texas A&M at Tennessee, noon Mississippi at LSU, noon Arkansas at Auburn, 1 p.m.
Alabama at Vanderbilt, 1 p.m.
Florida at Georgia, 1 p.m.
Kentucky at Missouri, 1 p.m.
So. Carolina at Mississippi St., 2 p.m.
Sports, Pages 21 on 05/18/2013