Postgame Thoughts
If Arkansas is to reach the fullest of its seemingly-immense potential this season, it is going to have to shore up a defense that has been its biggest liability through the first half of the season.
Ole Miss scored 20 runs in its series win over Arkansas, including seven unearned runs. The Rebels scored four unearned in Saturday's 11-10 win on two Razorback errors.
It was Arkansas' fifth one-run loss this season. In all five, the Razorbacks gave up at least one unearned run.
Through 28 games, Arkansas has allowed 33 unearned runs and committed 31 errors, unexpected numbers from a team filled with veteran players. The errors are coming from many positions that Arkansas cannot afford to substitute because of the players' offensive abilities.
Shortstop Jax Biggers, for instance, committed another error Saturday - his team-leading sixth of the season - when he rushed a hopper that could have potentially turned into an inning-ending double play. Instead, Ole Miss went on to score three more runs in the inning to go ahead 5-1.
Many of the errors have come during Arkansas' eight-game road trip, which ended with a 3-5 record after the series loss to Ole Miss. The Razorbacks also lost a series at Florida last weekend after winning the opener, and lost a midweek game at Charlotte last week.
In the three wins, Arkansas committed one error. In the five losses, there were 10 errors.
Of Arkansas' 31 errors this season, 18 have come in 12 games away from Baum Stadium. It appears the Razorbacks are more comfortable defensively at home, good news given that they only leave home twice - for a midweek against Grambling in North Little Rock and three-game series at Mississippi State - during the month of April.
Still, it will be interesting to see whether any more plus defenders will be able to crack the lineup. Dave Van Horn's teams typically get better as the season goes along, in part, because he defers to better defenders later in the year.
Lost in the critique of Arkansas is the fact the Razorbacks' last two weekend losses have been to teams ranked Nos. 2 and 4 nationally, and Arkansas was a play or two away from winning both series. The SEC schedule will even out some over the back half of the season.
Saturday's game showed the Razorbacks are capable of getting back into just about any game, good defense or bad. Arkansas hit four home runs as part of a nine-run burst in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. Many of those runs came against frontline Ole Miss starters or relievers.
Heston Kjerstad was 3-for-5 and a triple shy of the cycle to extend his hit streak to 12 games. Biggers and Eric Cole also had multiple hits, and every Arkansas starter but one had at least one hit. Like Friday, the Razorbacks outhit the Rebels and had to earn every run.
Kacey Murphy pitched well before the defense began to unravel in the fifth inning. Arkansas needed better relief outings from Jackson Rutledge, Jacob Kostyshock and Barrett Loseke, who threw a combined 24 strikes in 53 pitches.
Arkansas will get some needed time off before playing Louisiana-Monroe on Tuesday. The Razorbacks looked like a tired team at times Saturday, which would be understandable given they have spent 11 of the past 12 nights in a hotel.
Ole Miss 11, Arkansas 10 - Final
Luke Bonfield doubled to lead off the ninth, but pinch-runner Jack Kenley never advanced. Dominic Fletcher popped up to the infield, Jordan McFarland struck out and Grant Koch flied out to center field to end the game.
Arkansas outhit Ole Miss 12-10, but the Hogs' two errors were killers. Four of the Rebels' runs were unearned today, and seven were unearned for the series.
The three-run homer by Ole Miss in the bottom of the seventh also proved to be pivotal, as did Fletcher's out with the bases loaded in the top of the inning.
James McArthur earned his fourth win in a 6-inning start. Parker Caracci got the save for the second night in a row.
Kacey Murphy was charged with the loss, even though he only gave up one earned run in 4 1/3 innings.
Postgame thoughts coming up.
Ole Miss 11, Arkansas 10 - End 8th inning
Matt Cronin needed just five pitches to retire Ole Miss in the eighth.
Arkansas will send Luke Bonfield, Dominic Fletcher and Jordan McFarland to the plate in the top of the ninth.
Ole Miss 11, Arkansas 10 - Middle 8th inning
Casey Martin grounded out and Heston Kjerstad flied out to end the inning. The Razorbacks have scored nine runs over the past three innings to give themselves a chance to rally in the ninth.
Expect Matt Cronin to pitch as long as he can for Arkansas. He is easily the Razorbacks' best available option at this point.
Ole Miss 11, Arkansas 10 - Top 8th inning
The Razorbacks just will not go away. Jax Biggers' RBI double scored Jordan McFarland, and Eric Cole's three-run homer to right just sent Ole Miss to the bullpen. Now Parker Caracci, the Rebels' closer, is coming in to face the Hogs' freshmen, Casey Martin and Heston Kjerstad.
Ole Miss 11, Arkansas 6 - End 7th inning
The comeback bid just took a major blow. Tyler Keenan's opposite-field homer into the left field bullpen scored three.
Kennan's home run came off Arkansas closer Matt Cronin, who entered after a leadoff single in the inning. Cronin also issued a walk.
Ole Miss 8, Arkansas 6 - Middle 7th inning
Dominic Fletcher flied out to right to end the inning, stranding three runners. Arkansas has stranded six today.
Ole Miss 8, Arkansas 6 - Top 7th inning
Heston Kjerstad's two-out single scored Jax Biggers. Luke Bonfield was hit by a pitch in the next at-bat and Dominic Fletcher is coming up with the bases loaded. Fletcher hit the leadoff home run to start this inning's rally.
The Razorbacks have five hits and four runs this inning.
Ole Miss is going to the bullpen again. Right-hander Will Stokes is the Rebels' fourth pitcher of the inning.
Ole Miss 8, Arkansas 5 - Top 7th inning
Ole Miss is bringing Dallas Woolfolk in to face Heston Kjerstad, who is up with two on and two out after Jax Biggers and Casey Martin singled. The Razorbacks have four hits in this inning.
Kjerstad is 2-for-3 today with a double and a home run.
Ole Miss 8, Arkansas 5 - Top 7th inning
The Razorbacks are never out of games with their offense. Jordan McFarland was hit by a pitch and Grant Koch followed with a two-run homer into the left field bullpen. There are still no outs in the inning.
Arkansas has three home runs in the past two innings.
Ole Miss 8, Arkansas 3 - Top 7th inning
Dominic Fletcher led off the seventh with a solo home run. It came on the first pitch of the inning and that will chase Ole Miss starter James McArthur. Right-hander Will Ethridge, who pitched Friday, is coming in with no outs in the inning.
The attendance today is 11,146, which is the fifth-highest in Ole Miss history.
Ole Miss 8, Arkansas 2 - Bottom 6th inning
Ole Miss added another run in the sixth when Tyler Keenan came home on a fielder's choice. The Rebels have scored all eight of their runs in the past three innings against four Arkansas pitchers.
Ole Miss is outhitting Arkansas 8-3 and has reached four more times by way of a walk.
Ole Miss 7, Arkansas 2 - Bottom 6th inning
It is coming close to unraveling for Arkansas. Jacob Kostyshock walked two to lead off the inning, then Barrett Loseke allowed a single and walked home a run - all with no outs.
A Grae Kessinger sac fly added another run and the Razorbacks have their biggest deficit of the weekend.
Ole Miss 5, Arkansas 2 - Top 6th inning
Heston Kjerstad's two-out home run has stopped Arkansas' bleeding a bit. That broke a streak of 10 consecutive batters retired by Ole Miss right-hander James McArthur.
Kjerstad's hit didn't look like a homer off the bat, but the wind carried just over the wall in right-center field. It was his seventh home run this season and second extra-base hit today. He also has a double.
Ole Miss 5, Arkansas 1 - End 5th inning
Will Golsan lined out to Casey Martin on Jacob Kostyshock's first pitch. That stranded two Ole Miss runners.
Arkansas will send Eric Cole, Martin and Heston Kjerstad to the plate in the top of the sixth.
Ole Miss 5, Arkansas 1 - Bottom 5th inning
The Rebels have scored again on Thomas Dillard's single through the right side, their fourth unearned run of the game.
Jackson Rutledge has had poor command and he is gone midway through a count to Will Golsan. Jacob Kostyshock is in the game, trying to keep the Razorbacks within striking distance.
Ole Miss 4, Arkansas 1 - Bottom 5th inning
The book is closed on Kacey Murphy after Ole Miss scored two more runs. It looked like the inning might end when Grae Kessinger grounded to Jax Biggers, but Biggers booted the ball for his team-leading sixth error of the year. Ole Miss followed with a sac fly.
Murphy is charged with four runs, but only one was earned.
Ole Miss 2, Arkansas 1 - Bottom 5th inning
Jacob Adams, a Conway native, popped up on a bunt attempt to give the Razorbacks a need out in the inning. Now Jackson Rutledge will enter with runners on first and second, and one out.
Kacey Murphy was great the first time through the lineup, but Ole Miss figured him out the second time through. He finishes with a season-low 57-pitch outing.
Ole Miss 2, Arkansas 1 - Bottom 5th inning
Cole Zabowski's leadoff home run was crushed to center and has given Ole Miss the lead. That is Zabowski's second homer of this series; he also had one off Blaine Knight in the opener.
Two Ole Miss batters followed with singles and Kacey Murphy is reeling a bit. Jackson Rutledge is warming up in the Arkansas bullpen.
Arkansas 1, Ole Miss 1 - Middle 5th inning
The Razorbacks are not making James McArthur work much. He has needed only six pitches to retire Arkansas each of the past two innings. Consider he threw 51 pitches through three innings.
McArthur has retired eight straight batters with four flyouts, two groundouts and a couple of pop ups.
Arkansas 1, Ole Miss 1 - End 4th inning
The fourth could have been a lot worse for Kacey Murphy, but he worked around a jam and limited Ole Miss to one run. The Rebels had runners on second and third with no outs, and pushed a run home on a sac fly.
But Ryan Olenek, who singled, was thrown out at the plate when he ran on contact on a hot shot to third, and Murphy got another groundout to end the inning.
Grae Kessinger reached to lead off the inning on an error. Carson Shaddy and Jordan McFarland lost a pop up in the sun, and the ball bounced off Shaddy's glove. That is the 30th unearned run this year given up by Arkansas in 29 games.
Murphy has allowed two hits. He has four strikeouts and his pitch count of 48 is still relatively low.
Arkansas 1, Ole Miss 0 - Middle 4th inning
McArthur puts up another zero.
Arkansas 1, Ole Miss 0 - End 3rd inning
Arkansas gets a base runner, but is unable to extend the lead. The Razorbacks have two hits so far while the Rebels have just one.
Muprhy throw another 1-2-3 inning to keep Ole Miss in check.
Arkansas 1, Ole Miss 0 - Top 3rd inning
Murphy throws a perfect frame to keep his team ahead.
Arkansas 1, Ole Miss 0 - Middle 2nd inning
Heston Kjerstad lashed a lead-off double, moved up when he tagged on a foul pop, made it back to third safely during a run down and crossed the plate safely on Grant Koch's one-out sacrifice fly.
That ended up being the only run Arkansas could score despite having the bases loaded with one out.
Arkansas 0, Ole Miss 0 - End 1st inning
Razorback starting pitcher Kacey Murphy pitched around a one-out single by throwing a double play ball.
Arkansas 0, Ole Miss 0 - Middle 1st
The Razorbacks go 1-2-3 in top of the first against James McArthur. It is just the fourth time Arkansas has done so this weekend.
Pregame
Arkansas and Ole Miss enter today tied not only in the series, but atop the SEC West. This is a big game for both teams, to be sure.
The high-scoring offenses will be put to the test with today's pitching matchup between a pair of good juniors. The Razorbacks are throwing left-hander Kacey Murphy (3-1, 2.28 ERA in 27 innings), and the Rebels will counter with right-hander James McArthur (3-0, 1.93 ERA in 28 innings).
McArthur was Ole Miss' star of the series opener in Fayetteville last season with an 8-inning, 1-hit outing. It will be interesting to see how long McArthur pitches today. He was pulled after 1 1/3 inning last week at Texas A&M when he gave up 2 runs on 3 hits and 2 walks.
Murphy's only loss was last Sunday at Florida, a good outing that lasted 6 1/3 innings, but that lacked run support and included a costly error. The errors have been an issue for the Razorbacks, which have given up 29 unearned runs this year, including including three in the first two games of this series.
Arkansas has tweaked its order today but it will keep the same lineup. Heston Kjerstad, who enters on an 11-game hit streak, will move to the cleanup spot. Luke Bonfield, the DH who is just 1-for-21 the past six games, is hitting fifth.
The temperature and crowd should be great. The forecast calls for sun and a high of 70 degrees. More than 10,000 people were on-hand for last night's game in much cooler weather.
Ryan Morehead is today's home plate umpire.