FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas handed out a school-record 15 walks, but ultimately it was superb relief pitching by Barrett Loseke, Evan Lee and Jake Reindl that keyed a 9-7 victory over Alabama to complete a three-game sweep Sunday at Baum Stadium.
The Hogs trailed 6-3 after 4 pitchers combined for 7 walks and 3 wild pitches in the Tide's 5-run third inning.
The Razorbacks had six wild pitches in the game and used eight pitchers in the 4 hour, 27-minute game. Arkansas pitchers threw 215 pitches.
They reclaimed the lead, 8-7, on Dominic Fletcher's three-run homer in the fifth. Fletcher added an RBI single in the second, then put the finishing touches on his superb all-around weekend with a diving catch in the gap in the eighth inning, likely keeping Alabama from scoring a tying run.
The No. 7 Razorbacks (32-13, 13-8) retained a one-game lead in the SEC West over Ole Miss. They visit LSU on Friday.
Alabama (23-23, 5-16) was swept for the third straight weekend.
“That's a record you don't want,” Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said when told of surpassing the 1989 mark of 14 walks in a game. The Hogs were winners then, too, beating Oklahoma State, 10-4.
“We gave up five runs in one inning without giving up a hit. What did we have, three errors in that inning? But we got out of the inning down just three runs and that was amazing. Then, Casey Martin crushes one and it's just 6-4.”
Indeed, Martin homered to lead off the bottom of the third. The deficit was 7-4 when Loseke entered with two runners aboard, but he allowed two hits in 2 1/3 innings with five strikeouts.
Lee recorded one out, fielding a sacrifice bunt attempt and throwing to second for a force out. Reindl got the last five outs, allowing just one hit. He did give up a one-out walk in the ninth to break the record.
Told of the record in the interview room, Reindl said, “Sweet.”
Loseke quickly added, “It didn't matter. The game was over at that point.”
Actually, there was still some suspense. Reindl threw in the dirt for the team's seventh wild pitch and with two runners on the move, catcher Grant Koch threw to second to nab the would-be tying run on a caught stealing. Reindl ended the game with a strikeout two pitches later.
Koch had a busy day, blocking pitch after pitch as Isaiah Campbell, Kole Ramage, Jackson Rutledge, Jacob Kostyshock and Caleb Bolden bounced breaking balls into the dirt.
“What did he block, 15 maybe?” Van Horn said. “Some of those we call, trying to get them to swing at breaking balls in the dirt. He blocked one in the ninth and threw to get the back side runner. If he's safe, we might be out there still.”
The Hogs had to recycle pitchers Sunday, partly because closer Matt Cronin is out sick. He wasn't on the weekend roster after trainers told Van Horn on Friday morning that they suspected he has mononucleosis. They will try to confirm the diagnosis Monday with more tests.
“The players knew (Friday afternoon) that we'd have to have some guys go twice this weekend,” Van Horn said. “Loseke pitched three times this week. He was great on Tuesday night and we needed him twice this weekend.”
Reindl pitched twice on the weekend.
“I figured Barrett and I were going to piece it together today,” Reindl said. “I was excited to go in.”
It was Reindl's fourth save, but he doesn't want the closer gig full time.
“Oh, it sucks not to have Matt, but you can't say, 'Our closer is out, so we aren't going to play,'" Reindl said. "When Matt comes back, he'll assume his role again. He's our closer.”
Maybe so, but Loseke may be the set-up man now. He doesn't mind pitching three times in a week, although that might not be needed for a bit since the Hogs are done with midweek games.
“My arm feels good,” he said. “Obviously, I'm fatigued, but I did some Yoga and it keeps my body in shape.
“I'm happy with my performance, but there are a lot of other factors that went in to us winning. There were a lot of plays, a lot of things others did.”
None were bigger than Fletcher's catch. It was similar to one he made Friday night, but in the other gap.
“That was exciting to see,” Reindl said. “I know I made a pitch that got hammered and I didn't have to pay. It kept momentum with us. It was a massive hit and we get an out.”
Reindl said the key remains landing his breaking ball for strikes, something he didn't do early in the season.
“You guys like to ask this and I'll say it again, I made one small tweak with my forearm to throw the breaking ball,” Reindl said.
Loseke struggled early in the season, but seems on track now.
“This is the Barrett we knew from the fall,” Reindl said. “He is showing us who he is.”
Fletcher started slowly, too. But he's been on fire in SEC play. He went 5 for 12 on the weekend. The homer in the fifth was a brilliant at-bat against reliever Dylan Duarte. He crushed a breaking ball just foul down the right field line into the teeth of the south breeze. On the next pitch, Fletcher sliced a fast ball into the Arkansas bull pen.
“I know he was frustrated,” Van Horn said. “He didn't look good on the first two breaking balls and then he got out front on the third.
“From the dugout we were telling him to go the other way and he got that fast ball in the sweet spot. There was no doubt it was out.”
Fletcher said it may be the first opposite-field homer in his time at Arkansas. Duarte, a lefty pitching on the second time on the weekend, had just entered the game.
“I think he threw me four straight breaking balls,” Fletcher said. “I felt he was coming back with a fast ball because I hit the curve so well. It was on the outside part of the plate and I put a good swing on it. It was as good as I can hit it.”
Van Horn said the Hogs would take the next two off from organized practice with no midweek games.
“We've got finals coming up and it will give them some time to catch up on things,” he said. “Some guys will get a bullpen or lift weights on their own, but their bodies can use it.”