A pair of fifth-inning home runs and a three-run eighth supplied all the support Cliff Springston and Kendall Korbal needed to subdue Georgia Friday night in the Razorbacks' SEC opener at Baum Stadium.

Springston pitched five-andtwo-thirds innings to earn the decision in the 5-1 win, improving the left-hander's record to 4-0. The one run the Baylor transfer surrendered on five hits nudged his ERA to 1. 11 on the year.

Korbal displaced Springston in the sixth, pitching the final threeand-a-third innings to garner his first career save as a Razorback. The freshman right-hander rescued the 19 th-ranked Razorbacks (12-3 ) from a precarious spot in the sixth, some of which was his own doing.

A runner on second with one out greeted Korbal when he charged out of the bullpen in the sixth. The situation deteriorated after he uncorked a third-strike wild pitch that put Bryce Massanari on base and advanced Rich Poythress to third.

Things became more dire when he hit Adam Fuller and loaded the bases. The Bulldogs' No. 9 hitter, Matt Cerione, worked the count full against Korbal but couldn't put the payoff pitch in play. The strikeout of Cerione ended the threat and elicited a hearty chest bump from Springston, who was waiting for Korbal on the dugout steps.

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" I got real excited for him, " Springston said. " I was so pumped for Kendall right there. That was a big out for him. "

Korbal's hold preserved the onerun lead that Ryan Cisterna and Brett Eibner's fifth-inning home runs provided. The two took advantage of a lull in the wind that had been blowing in vigorously from right field.

Cisterna's homer led off the fifth, roping an 0-1 pitch into the Razorback bullpen in left field. Eibner walloped a 3-2 pitch that caromed off the scoreboard in right center field.

Arkansas found the insurance runs it needed during its half of the eighth. The Razorbacks were 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position until Tim Smalling's one-out single through the right side of the infield drove in Ben Tschepikow, who was hit by a pitch to start the three-run eighth.

Springston and Korbal were also backed up by stellar defense. Surehanded third baseman Logan Forsythe robbed Matt Olson of two base hits. Forsythe's second pilfer started a snappy 5-4-3, fourthinning double play that drew plaudits from Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn.

" That's one of the best double plays I've ever seen turned, and I don't care if we're talking big leagues or not, that was a highlight reel, " Van Horn said. " He made a great play. Then he made a perfect throw. I stood up and clapped in the dugout and cheered a little bit. That was incredible. "

Forsythe also rapped a career-high three hits in four at-bats. Eibner's three RBIs led Arkansas. He added a two-run single in the eighth to his solo home run in the sixth.

Georgia will vie to even the series today. The first pitch is scheduled for 12: 05 p.m.