Hogs put end to losing streak with 2-out hit in the 9th

Arkansas shortstop Jax Biggers is congratulated by hitting coach Nate Thompson after Biggers hit a home run in the third inning of a game against Memphis on Tuesday, March 27, 2018, at AutoZone Park in Memphis, Tenn.

— Carson Shaddy wanted to end the Arkansas Razorbacks' two-game losing streak, so he did something about it in the top of the ninth inning.

The senior second baseman hit a go-ahead single on a 3-2 count, and the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville held on for an 8-7 victory Tuesday over the University of Memphis in front of an announced crowd of 2,995 at AutoZone Park.

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ARKANSAS AT OLE MISS

WHEN 6:30 p.m. Thursday

WHERE Swayze Field, Oxford, Miss.

STARTING PITCHERS Arkansas RHP Blaine Knight (4-0, 1.83 ERA); Ole Miss LHP Ryan Rolison (3-2, 2.88)

SERIES Arkansas leads 46-42.

RADIO Razorback Sports Network. Not all games will be carried by all affiliates. Check local listings.

INTERNET ESPN3.com

Shaddy's single off junior reliever Hunter Smith (1-1) scored pinch-runner Jack Kenley from second base.

Freshman right-hander Jackson Rutledge (2-0) struck out two batters in the bottom of the ninth inning to earn the victory in relief. He retired sophomore designated hitter Nick Vaage on a line out to Arkansas senior first baseman Jared Gates to end a 3-hour, 55-minute affair.

No. 6 Arkansas (18-7) lost two consecutive games at No. 2 Florida on Saturday, 17-2, and Sunday, 5-4. The Razorbacks are off today before playing a three-game series at No. 4 Ole Miss from Thursday-Saturday.

With Shaddy's hit, the Razorbacks didn't have to worry about a third loss in a row.

"It was huge," said Shaddy, who finished 2 for 5 with 3 RBI. "It's out of place for us to lose two in a row. We're just as good as any team in the country. Coming out here, everybody really wanted to win. There was a lot of anger in some of the at-bats today.

"It was a team effort. It wasn't just one person who shined or contributed. Everybody helped."

Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn was pleased with Shaddy's plate discipline.

"I thought he did a really nice job of laying off some borderline pitches in the count," Van Horn said. "They left it up. He didn't try to do too much. We got the lead, and Gates made a great play to preserve it."

The Tigers had tied the game 7-7 with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning when senior center fielder Tyler Webb hit an RBI single off Rutledge. Webb led Memphis (8-17) with three hits as the Tigers outhit the Razorbacks 11-8, but they also committed four errors.

In the top of the sixth inning, junior right fielder Eric Cole was hit by a pitch by Memphis reliever Taylor Bobo to load the bases, then freshman third baseman Casey Martin lined a two-out, two-run single to center field, scoring freshman left fielder Heston Kjerstad and junior shortstop Jax Biggers to give the Razorbacks a 7-6 lead.

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Right-hander Jake Reindl, a junior, made his first collegiate start for the Razorbacks, but he couldn't get out of the third inning with Memphis taking a 5-2 lead. He allowed 5 runs, 4 earned, on 6 hits in 2⅔ innings, striking out 5 and walking 1.

"We didn't get off to a good start," Van Horn said. "Reindl was getting behind in the count pretty good."

Biggers went 2 for 3 with his third home run of the season, a solo shot in the third inning. Martin also had two hits and drove in three runs.

The Razorbacks scored three runs in the top of the fourth inning to tie the game at 5-5. Shaddy lined a two-run single to left field to cut the lead to 5-4. Biggers tied the game at 5-5 with an RBI single to right field, scoring Shaddy.

Memphis regained the lead at 6-5 in the bottom of the fourth on sophomore shortstop Alec Trela's one-out RBI single.

Playing in front of a good amount of Razorbacks fans at AutoZone Park was pleasing for Shaddy and his teammates, who got to perform in the St. Louis Cardinals' Class AAA home.

"You look up and there was a lot of red here," Shaddy said. "That just goes to show how great our fan base is.

"Getting to be in a Triple-A dugout and locker room was great as well. It's fun."

SHORT HOPS

Arkansas has not announced its Friday starter at Ole Miss, with LHP Kacey Murphy (3-1, 2.28 ERA) of Rogers likely to start Saturday. … Ole Miss likely will start Brady Feigl (5-1, 2.08) on Friday and James McArthur (3-0, 1.93) on Saturday. McArthur did not finish the second inning in Saturday’s 7-6 victory at Texas A&M. … The Razorbacks will play their third consecutive SEC opponent that is ranked in the top four in the USA Today Top 25 coaches poll. They swept then-No. 4 Kentucky on March 16-17 in Fayetteville, then lost two of three to No. 2 Florida last weekend. Ole Miss is No. 4 in this week’s coaches poll. … The Rebels won two of three against Texas A&M last weekend in College Station and defeated Southern Miss, 7-6, on Tuesday at home.

Sports on 03/28/2018