FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas tied its three-game baseball series with Alabama on Saturday after a tense back-and-forth game that saw tempers flare.
Jace Bohrofen homered to right field to lead off the bottom of the eighth inning to give Arkansas the lead, and the sixth-ranked Razorbacks won 9-6 at Baum-Walker Stadium. The teams are scheduled to play their series finale Sunday at 2 p.m.
Caleb Cali added a 450-foot homer to left field in the eighth to put Arkansas ahead 9-6. Both home runs were hit against Alabama freshman right-hander Kade Woods, who had a 1.59 ERA in conference play entering the day.
The Razorbacks (22-5, 5-3 SEC) homered three times. Kendall Diggs’ three-run home run in the fourth cut Alabama’s lead to 4-3 and gave Arkansas some life after Tavian Josenberger doubled for the team’s first hit earlier in the inning.
Josenberger robbed a would-be three-run homer off the bat of Jim Jarvis to end the top of the fifth inning to keep the Razorbacks’ deficit at 4-3. Josenberger singled and scored on a Bohrofen single to tie the game 4-4 in the sixth.
Arkansas left-hander Hagen Smith entered the game in the top of the seventh. He gave up a solo home run to Andrew Pinckney to regain the lead for the Crimson Tide, but Alabama (21-5, 3-5) stranded the bases loaded when William Hamiter flied out to right field.
Things got real interesting in the bottom of the seventh. Alabama coach Brad Bohannon was ejected during a heated exchange with home plate umpire Mark Winters, then walked off the field imitating the Hog Call.
Josenberger lined a two-run double to right field on the next pitch to give the Razorbacks a 6-5 lead. He finished the game 3 for 4 with 2 runs and 2 RBI.
Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn had words for the umpire Winters after Josenberger was thrown out at the plate to end the inning. Josenberger's shoulder appeared to collide hard with catcher Mac Guscette, and the play was reviewed to see if Guscette blocked the plate.
Alabama tied it again in the top of the eighth when Arkansas intentionally walked Pinckney to get to the Tide’s top hitter, Drew Williamson, who singled home a runner from third base with two outs. Pinckney and Williamson were stranded in scoring position to end the inning.
Alabama scored 4 runs and recorded 7 hits against Arkansas starter Will McEntire, who was lifted after 3 1/3 innings.
Jarvis’ solo home run to right field gave the Crimson Tide a 1-0 lead in the second inning, and Dominic Tamez and Hamiter had RBI hits against McEntire in the fourth.
Dylan Carter pitched 2 1/3 innings and Cody Adcock retired the only batter he faced before giving way to Smith.
Alabama right-hander Luke Holman allowed 4 runs and 3 hits, and struck out 8 during his 5 1/3-inning, 83-pitch start.