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.

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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.

“ 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.