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UA BASEBALL : Georgia pounds Diamond Hogs, takes series Published: Monday, March 17, 2008 PRINT E-MAIL Arkansas picked up Sunday at Baum Stadium where it left off Saturday. That ain’t good is a vast Arkansas understatement considering the Razorbacks ’ Saturday. They led Georgia, 10-1 in Saturday’s fifth inning and lost 15-11. Sunday Arkansas trailed its 13-2 debacle from start to finish. Winning Georgia lefty starter Nathan Moreau handcuffed Arkansas for just 1 run in 6 innings while the Hogs buried themselves with nine bases on balls plus three errors and a base-running mistake. Georgia tagged four Razorback pitchers (really three as lefty reliever Stephen Richards cameoed with a 1-2-3 fifth ) for 10 hits including two home runs by hot-hitting shortstop Gordon Beckham.
So after looking all but certain at least to win 2 of 3 having won 5-1 Friday night and sporting a 9-run lead Saturday, the Hogs now wallow 1-2 in the SEC after their first league series. Coach Dave Van Horn’s Razorbacks hit the road 12-5 overall for nonconference games Tuesday and Wednesday at Nebraska, Van Horn’s previous coaching address, and a three-game SEC series Friday through Sunday at LSU. Georgia is 7-6, 2-1 in the SEC. “ I hope we learned a lot from these last 14 or 15 innings, ” Van Horn said. “ And learn how to fight through adversity because they didn’t handle the loss very well. We got it handed to us today. ” Moreau (1-0 ) struck out 8 and yielded but 3 hits and handed a 9-1 lead to reliever Dean Weaver in the seventh. The junior southpaw said the combination of Saturday’s turnaround and Sunday’s 3-0 Georgia first inning made it easy to take command. “ Yesterday it’s 40 degrees and we’re down 10-1 early in the game, ” Moreau said. “ To turn it around like that was an awesome feeling and led into today. I felt pretty good and the team played great defense, and coming out with a 3-run lead in the first made it a little easier. ” That 3-run first, with an infield single Georgia’s only first-frame hit, set Sunday’s tone and doomed freshman starter James Mahler (1-1 ) to defeat. “ When they have three more runs than they have hits, you knew something went wrong, ” Van Horn said. “ It either had to be defense or walks and it was both. ” Mahler yielded a walk and infield hit, Beckham’s sac bunt, another walk and Joey Lewis’ sacrifice fly. That should have been it, but first baseman Andy Wilkins booted a ground ball and a run scored. Two more walks, one with the bases loaded, made it 3-0. [Mahler ] didn’t have a good inning, ” Van Horn said. “ But he should have got out of it with one run. ” Beckham belted a solo home run in the third. Georgia scored five off Mahler and reliever Chad Pierce in the fourth. Mahler’s fifth and final walk loaded the bases with one out when Pierce was summoned. Lewis grounded to Logan Forsythe, normally the Hogs ’ flawless fielding third baseman. Forsythe booted it. Sound the calliope for a 5-run merry-go-round. One scored on the error, Forsythe’s third of the series. Matt Olson singled two home. Bryce Massaneri doubled another two home. “ It looks like a doubleplay ball and Logan looks to run over to third and just booted it, ” Van Horn said. “ That’s uncharacteristic of him. ” Georgia scored four off reliever Evan Cox with one in the seventh and Beckham’s 3-run home run in the ninth. Forsythe, with a sacrifice fly in the sixth, and Brett Eibner’s RBI single in the eighth off reliever Dean Weber registered Arkansas’ runs. The Hogs mounted a second-inning threat on successive singles by Andy Wilkins and Casey Coon. However Coon got gunned down trying to stretch the single to a double and Wilkins was stranded at third as Aaron Murphree and Ryan Cisterna struck out. “ A guy trying to stretch a single into a double when you are down and the play is right in front of him, ” Van Horn said. “ Those are things that are disappointing. The errors, they don’t mean to boot them, but those are plays that have to be made to win at this level. ” Van Horn said if it was one or the other, he’d obviously rather win in the league at LSU over winning nonconference at Nebraska and will plan his pitching accordingly. “[Nebraska ] is kind of on a roll, ” Van Horn said. “ And we’re rolling the wrong way from what I’ve seen. It’s going to be a challenge for us coming off a couple of losses. ” More Stories From: NATE ALLEN · Petrino dismisses Battle after 2nd arrest · SEC, Arkansas looking to shake off sub-par seasons · UA linebacker Khiry Battle arrested on suspicion of DUI · Diamond Hogs' tough schedule paid off in the end · Ex-UA coach Richardson speaks at All-Star clinic Yesterday's Most Popular 1. HOG FUTURES JERRY MITCHELL : Hurricane brings Mitchell to Hogs 2. THE RECRUITING GUY : Purifoy's size fits into UA's plans 3. Iowa prep standout Kelly joins UA track 4. Former Diamond Hog Richards inks contract with Marlins Today's Most E-mailed |
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