STARKVILLE, Miss. - Too late to qualify for the eight-team SEC Tournament but perhaps in time to rescue NCAA Regional at-large consideration, Arkansas avoided being overcome a third straight time by last-place Mississippi State at MSU's Dudy Noble Field.

Having lost 3-0 and 5-2 leads, the 5-2 lead in the ninth, of 6-5 losses to Mississippi State Thursday night and Friday night, the Razorbacks saw a 9-2 lead dissipate to a 10-9 deficit Saturday afternoon then regrouped for a 15-10 victory behind freshman reliever James Mahler.

Arkansas netted 6 runs the final three innings while Mahler threw blanks coming on after the Bulldogs took a 10-9 lead with one out and the bases loaded in the sixth. He whiffed Mark Goforth and Grant Hogue to end the 4-run sixth and did not allow a runner until MSU loaded the bases in the ninth.

Mahler ended the 4-hour game whiffing Russ Sneed with the bags loaded for his eighth strikeout in 2 2 / 3 innings.

The third reliever off starter Dallas Keuchel, Mahler gave Arkansas what it needed against some doggedly determined Bulldogs trying to end retiring, revered head coach Ron Polk's career with a three-game sweep.

ADVERTISEMENT

" I went in and threw strikes, " Mahler said. " We had a lot of walks [three walks and a hit batsmen by predecessors Stephen Richards and Brett Eibner ] that inning. I'm proud the way we battled back but it [no SEC Tournament ] is really disappointing. "

Arkansas scored 3 in the eighth off Aaron Weatherford, one of the SEC's premier closers after tying it 10-10 in on an unearned run in the seventh. They added 2 runs in the ninth to keep the Bulldogs from having the tying run at the plate in their ninth.

" I thought he [Mahler ] did a great job, " Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said. " We tried to let the game slip away but we came back and knocked off one of the best closers in the country. Give credit to our guys for hanging in there because yesterday's loss was devastating. "

And became all the more so knowing South Carolina and Ole Miss both won earlier Saturday. They finished tied at 15-15 for the final two SEC Tournament spots ousting Arkansas, 14-15 in league play with one rainout at Vanderbilt.

It will be the first time in the Van Horn era and the first time since 2001 the Razorbacks have not qualified for the SEC Tourney starting Wednesday in Hoover, Ala.

However the Hogs (33-22 ) will play a 6: 30 p.m. game Monday with Western Illinois at Baum Stadium prepping for what they hope will be an at-large selection when the NCAA Regional field is announced May 26.

" We got 33 wins, " Van Horn said. " We have a great RPI [23 ratings power index with a strong schedule ]. I think if any team deserves to get in with the second half and all the injuries we've had, it's us. "

Van Horn acknowledged the Hogs could have put themselves in position to help themselves and not require Kentucky to beat Ole Miss or Tennessee to beat South Carolina on the last day.

" We let a lot of games slip away, " Van Horn said. " But honestly, four weeks ago for us it wasn't even going to come down to the last day. So we battled and were one of the better teams in the second half. I hope we get a chance to play. "

Arkansas sent eight to the plate, including Eibner's solo home run in the first, and batted around in the second jumping to an early 9-2 lead.

MSU second baseman Jet Butler's game-opening error, throwing into the firstbase dugout the grounder he fielded by Chase Leavitt, gave Arkansas a 4-run first instead of the 1-2-3 inning starter Justin Pigott should have had.

The next time Arkansas scored tied it 10-10 in the seventh on an unearned run off reliever Jesse Carver.

Catcher Ryan Duffy's throw sailed into right center on a first and third situation steal.

The Hogs victimized Duffy and Weatherford on the bases while scoring three off relief ace Weatherford in the eighth.

" He's a power guy and takes a long time getting it to the plate, " Van Horn said. " So we said, ' If you get on base, be ready to roll. "

Forsythe's single scoring Leavitt, on second via a walk and stolen base, became as good as an inside-the-park home run when Weatherford threw it into deep right-center trying to nail Forsythe taking second on the throw home cut-off.

Coon singled and eventually stole third without a Duffy throw then scored on a Duffy passed ball.

Doubles by Leavitt and Sean Jones and MSU's fifth error figured in two Arkansas runs in the ninth.

Tyler Moore, 3 for 4 including a home run and double and 3 RBIs, paced a 10-hit MSU attack aided by two Arkansas errors and two hit batsmen.

Arkansas pounded 14 hits led by Logan Forsythe and Jeff Nutt, both 2 for 5 with 2 RBIs.