Like It Is

Razorbacks get on the ball at the right time

Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn talks from the dugout during the first inning of a SEC Tournament game against Ole Miss on Wednesday, May 21, 2014 at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Ala.

It appears the University of Arkansas Razorbacks baseball team is finally playing like the Diamond Hogs.

The Razorbacks beat No. 2 seed Ole Miss 2-1 on Wednesday on the second day of the SEC Tournament to make them 8-1 in their past nine games.

The last time the Hogs lost during that stretch was 6-5 to Texas A&M in 10 innings in the final game of their regular-season series in Fayetteville.

Coming out of the regular season series with Ole Miss, after losing 2 of 3, the Razorbacks were 29-20 on the season and were looking a little doubtful for the SEC Tournament, but a sweep of Missouri — as much expected as needed — to close out the regular season obviously helped pump some life into the Hogs as they headed for Hoover, Ala.

They opened with a victory over Texas A&M on Tuesday, then defeated a very good Rebels team to advance to today’s game against a talented LSU team that run-ruled Vanderbilt 11-1 on Wednesday.

The Hogs may not host an NCAA regional tournament, but they appear to be a lock to make the field.

The Razorbacks opened Wednesday’s game with three consecutive hits but were held to one run. In the sixth Eric Fisher gave the Hogs a 2-0 lead in the sixth when he singled, stole second and scored on a wild pitch.

Ole Miss scored in the seventh, which ended a streak of more than 15 innings of shutout baseball thrown by the Hogs’ pitching staff.

The Rebels, who are expected to host an NCAA regional next weekend, now face Vanderbilt in an elimination game.

Meanwhile, the Razorbacks are finally playing like the Diamond Hogs.

To read the rest of Wally Hall's Thursday column, click here.