Arkansas rallies, tops Ole Miss in SEC Tournament opener

Arkansas third baseman Jacob Nesbit runs the bases after recording a base hit during a Southeastern Conference Tournament game against Ole Miss on Wednesday, May 22, 2019, in Hoover, Ala.

For the second consecutive season, Arkansas has moved into the winner’s bracket during double-elimination play at the SEC Tournament.

The No. 5 Razorbacks defeated No. 23 Ole Miss 5-3 on Wednesday at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. Arkansas advanced to play No. 6 Georgia on Thursday in a non-elimination game beginning at approximately 4:30 p.m.

Jack Kenley hit a two-run single with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning to give Arkansas (41-15) a 4-3 lead after the Razorbacks fell behind in the top of the sixth against the Rebels.

Martin walked to lead off the bottom of the sixth and Fletcher was hit by a pitch with one out, and both advanced on a wild pitch by Ole Miss starter Zack Phillips. Kenley’s RBI single to left-center field came on a 1-1 breaking pitch.

Arkansas added a run in the bottom of the eighth inning to go ahead 5-3. Goodheart singled to lead off the inning and pinch runner Curtis Washington scored on Kenley’s fielder’s choice RBI.

Kenley had 3 RBI on Wednesday and has 48 RBI this season.

The Rebels went ahead 3-2 in the top of the sixth against Arkansas reliever Kevin Kopps. Cole Zabowski struck out swinging to start the inning, but advanced safely to first base when Razorbacks catcher Casey Opitz lost the ball in the dirt.

Zabowski advanced on a single and a groundout, and scored on an RBI groundout by pinch hitter Kevin Graham.

Ole Miss (34-24) tied the game in the top of the fifth inning on a one-out RBI single by Thomas Dillard and a sacrifice fly by Grae Kessinger in the next at-bat. Both runs came against Arkansas starter Patrick Wicklander, who took a no-decision in 4 1/3 innings.

Arkansas took an early 2-0 lead. Casey Martin scored on a Dominic Fletcher single in the first inning, and Jacob Nesbit doubled and scored in the third on an RBI groundout by Matt Goodheart.

The Razorbacks scored four runs against Phillips, a Texarkana native who took the loss a in 5 2/3-inning start.

Arkansas relievers Cody Scroggins, Jacob Kostyshock and Matt Cronin combined for three innings of scoreless relief. Kopps earned his sixth win with a 1 2/3-inning outing in which he allowed one run.

Cronin earned his 11th save by recording the final four outs - all strikeouts.

Cronin struck out pinch hitter Chase Cockrell after entering the game with two outs in the eighth inning. Cockrell’s strikeout stranded base runners on the corners, two of the Rebels' nine stranded runners in the game.

Cronin struck out the top three hitters in the Ole Miss lineup - Dillard, Kessinger and Tyler Keenan - in the ninth inning. He threw 15 pitches to record four outs.

The Rebels lost for the seventh time in nine games. They will play Texas A&M in an elimination game Thursday at 9:30 a.m.

Georgia defeated Texas A&M 2-0 in the tournament’s early game Wednesday when Cam Shepherd hit a two-run home run with two outs in the ninth inning.

Arkansas did not play Georgia (43-14) during the regular season. The Bulldogs won 21 conference games and finished second in the SEC East behind conference champion Vanderbilt.

The Razorbacks’ win Wednesday tied the season series with Ole Miss at two games apiece. The Rebels won two of three games in Fayetteville on March 29-31.

EARLIER

Arkansas 5, Ole Miss 3 - End 8th Inning

Matt Goodheart singled to lead off the bottom of the eighth. Pinch running for him, Curtis Washington scored with one out in the inning on a fielder's choice RBI by Jack Kenley, who has 3 RBI today.

Dominic Fletcher also walked in the inning. The Razorbacks stranded two when Christian Franklin struck out and Casey Opitz grounded out to end the inning.

Matt Cronin will face the top of the Ole Miss batting order in the top of the ninth inning.

Arkansas 4, Ole Miss 3 - Middle 8th Inning

Ole Miss brought in a pinch hitter, the right hander Chase Cockrell. He fouled off two, then struck out chasing a high fastball from Matt Cronin to end the inning and strand two more base runners. The Rebels have stranded nine.

By taking Jacob Adams out of the game, Ole Miss has burned both of its second basemen today. That might be interesting to watch as the Razorbacks come back to the plate.

Arkansas 4, Ole Miss 3 - Top 8th Inning

Matt Cronin is coming into the game in a tense situation. He will inherit runners on the corners with two outs in the inning.

Casey Martin committed his league-leading 21st error to give Ole Miss a leadoff base runner, then Jacob Kostyshock hit Ole Miss catcher Cooper Johnson in the head in the next at-bat. Johnson remained in the game.

Kostshock recorded a strikeout, then got a fly out for the second out. Cronin will face left-handed hitting Jacob Adams, a Conway native who was once committed to play for the Razorbacks.

Arkansas 4, Ole Miss 3 - End 7th Inning

Casey Opitz reached on a throwing error by second baseman Jacob Adams to start the bottom of the seventh inning. He eventually reached third base, but was stranded there when Casey Martin popped up just in front of the plate to end the inning.

Arkansas has stranded four base runners.

Jacob Kostyshock is coming into the game for the Razorbacks in the eighth. There is little doubt this is a setup appearance for Matt Cronin.

Arkansas 4, Ole Miss 3 - Middle 7th Inning

Cody Scroggins made an outstanding snag on a hard-hit grounder back at the mound to end the top of the seventh inning. Cole Zabowski's hot shot bounced into Scroggins' glove as he brought it up near his neck. Scroggins is a former infielder and it showed there.

Ole Miss stranded a runner after a two-out single by Tyler Keenan. The Rebels have stranded seven base runners today.

Arkansas 4, Ole Miss 3 - End 6th Inning

Christian Franklin struck out swinging to end the sixth inning. He is 0-for-3 today.

Arkansas will bring Cody Scroggins out of the bullpen to replace Kevin Kopps in the seventh inning. Kopps leaves in line for the win after a 1 2/3-inning outing in which he allowed one run on two hits, and struck out two batters.

Arkansas 4, Ole Miss 3 - Bottom 6th Inning

Jack Kenley's two-run single scored Casey Martin and Dominic Fletcher, and the Razorbacks are back on top.

Martin walked to lead off the inning and Fletcher was hit by a pitch with one out. They advanced to second and third base on a wild pitch.

Heston Kjerstad struck out looking at a 2-2 fastball by Zack Phillips in an RBI opportunity. Kenley took a first pitch breaking ball for a strike, then evened the count 1-1 before jumping on a breaking pitch and driving it to the opposite field.

Ole Miss is going to the bullpen to replace Phillips, who is now in line for the loss. The big 6-7 right hander Austin Miller is now in the game. Miller pitched well at Arkansas earlier this season.

Ole Miss 3, Arkansas 2 - Middle 6th Inning

The Razorbacks suffered a couple of bad breaks in the sixth inning and Ole Miss took the lead as a result.

Cole Zabowski struck out on a ball in the dirt to start the inning, but he reached when catcher Casey Opitz couldn't find the ball. Ryan Olenek followed with a tailor-made double play ball, but it went off the foot of Arkansas pitcher Kevin Kopps.

Both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt and Zabowski scored on an RBI groundout by pinch hitter Kevin Graham. Kopps followed with a two-out walk to put Rebels on the corners, but Jacob Adams lined out to shortstop to end the inning.

Arkansas 2, Ole Miss 2 - End 5th Inning

After a shaky start, Ole Miss pitcher Zack Phillips has found his groove. He has retired nine straight batters since allowing consecutive hits to lead off the third inning.

Phillips' changeup has been difficult for Arkansas' hitters to pick up. The Razorbacks have three hits and aren't taking a lot of pictures. Arkansas' batters are hitting a lot of ground balls.

Arkansas 2, Ole Miss 2 - Middle 5th Inning

Kevin Kopps got Ole Miss three-hole hitter Tyler Keenan to chase three cutters in the dirt for an inning-ending strikeout. That stranded an Ole Miss runner at third base. The Rebels have stranded four.

Arkansas 2, Ole Miss 2 - Top 5th Inning

The Rebels have tied the game after an RBI single by Thomas Dillard and a sacrifice fly by Grae Kessinger. Ole Miss has a runner at third base with two outs in the inning.

Arkansas 2, Ole Miss 0 - Top 5th Inning

Arkansas is going to the bullpen after Ole Miss put runners on the corners with one out in the fifth inning. Kevin Kopps is replacing Patrick Wicklander and will face the top of the Ole Miss order.

Anthony Servideo singled with one out, advanced to second on a wild pitch (Wicklander's second of the game) and stole third base. Wicklander followed with a five-pitch walk to nine-hole batter Justin Bench.

Kopps will face Thomas Dillard first. Dillard is 1-for-2 today with a double in the third inning.

Wicklander cannot be the winner. His partial line: 4 1/3 innings, 2 hits, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts, 2 hit batters, 2 wild pitches.

Arkansas 2, Ole Miss 0 - End 4th Inning

After Heston Kjerstad reached on an error, Ole Miss All-SEC shortstop Grae Kessinger made a great diving stop on a grounder by Christian Franklin. Kessinger flipped to second base, beginning a 6-4-3 double play to get the Rebels back into the dugout.

That was an outstanding play. He has made a couple of those today, both against Franklin.

Arkansas 2, Ole Miss 0 - Middle 4th Inning

Patrick Wicklander has his first perfect inning in the fourth. It took 13 pitches because he took two batters to three-ball counts, but Ole Miss flied out three times - once to each Arkansas outfielder.

Arkansas 2, Ole Miss 0 - End 3rd Inning

Jacob Nesbit doubled and Trevor Ezell singled to start the bottom of the third. Nesbit scored on an RBI groundout by Matt Goodheart.

The Razorbacks have three hits against Ole Miss starter Zack Phillips.

Arkansas 1, Ole Miss 0 - Middle 3rd Inning

Jack Kenley made a great barehanded stop and throw on a slow roller to end the top of the third inning, saving a run after Ole Miss advanced a runner to third base.

The ball was hit by Ole Miss' three-hole hitter Tyler Keenan. It went under the glove of pitcher Patrick Wicklander, but Kenley charged and made the play just ahead of the runner.

It stranded Thomas Dillard at third base. Dillard reached with Ole Miss' first base hit, a one-out double, and advanced on a fly ball.

Wicklander has thrown 45 pitches through three innings. He hasn't been particularly great - just 26 pitches have been strikes - but he has been effective.

Arkansas 1, Ole Miss 0 - End 2nd Inning

The Razorbacks went down in order in the second inning, although it looked like first base umpire Damien Beal missed a call that would have given Arkansas a one-out base runner.

Christian Franklin grounded to Ole Miss shortstop Grae Kessinger, almost on the grass cut in left field. Kessinger, an All-SEC selection, made a great play to stop the ball and an accurate throw to first base, and Franklin was called out. Replay showed Franklin's foot touched the bag before the ball was caught by first baseman Tim Elko, but Arkansas did not challenge the play.

Casey Opitz struck out on a 2-2 fastball to end the inning.

Arkansas 1, Ole Miss 0 - Middle 2nd Inning

Both of Ole Miss' base runners have been the result of a Patrick Wicklander pitch that hit a batter. Wicklander hit Ole Miss' Ryan Olenek to lead off the second inning and Olenek advanced to second base on a wild pitch, but Wicklander bounced back to retire three straight and strand the Rebels' second runner.

Anthony Servideo flied out to center field to end the inning.

Wicklander has been a little erratic but also has three strikeouts and hasn't allowed a hit through two innings. Kevin Kopps was sent to the bullpen in the second inning after the hit batsman and wild pitch, but he won't come in unless Wicklander runs into some more trouble.

Arkansas 1, Ole Miss 0 - End 1st Inning

The Razorbacks have struck first. Casey Martin drew a one-out walk, advanced to second base on a groundout by Matt Goodheart and scored on Dominic Fletcher's two-out RBI single.

Four of the five Arkansas batters made contact in the inning, but hit into three groundouts.

Arkansas 0, Ole Miss 0 - Middle 1st Inning

Patrick Wicklander is off to a strong start for Arkansas. He bookended the top of the first inning with swinging strikeouts of Thomas Dillard and Cole Zabowski, and worked around a two-out hit batsman.

Pregame

Arkansas and Ole Miss are set to begin at 12:50 p.m. They have to follow a thrilling game between Georgia and Texas A&M.

Georgia's Cam Shepherd hit a two-run home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Bulldogs a 2-0 win over the Aggies. Georgia extended the ninth with a two-out single to bring Shepherd tot he plate.

Texas A&M had a no-hitter in the eighth inning. The teams combined for five hits.

The Arkansas-Ole Miss winner will play Georgia tomorrow in a non-elimination game at approximately 4:30 p.m. The loser will play Texas A&M in an elimination game at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow.

Ole Miss defeated Missouri 2-1 yesterday to advance to today's game against Arkansas. The Razorbacks, the No. 2 seed, had a first-day bye.

The Rebels won two of three games in Fayetteville earlier this year. Arkansas won the opening game 5-3, and Ole Miss won the final two games by scores of 4-3 and 10-5.

The pitching matchup today is between Arkansas freshman left hander Patrick Wicklander (5-2, 4.69 ERA) and Ole Miss junior lefty Zack Phillips (4-2, 4.73 ERA), who is from Texarkana. Both pitchers threw briefly in relief during the series finale between the teams on March 31.

It is a hot day in Hoover. The temperature could reach 92 degrees by the end of the game.