FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas’ baseball team will enter the final week of the regular season in first place in the SEC.
Left-hander Hunter Hollan threw a complete game to lead the third-ranked Razorbacks to a 5-1 victory over seventh-ranked South Carolina on Sunday in front of 9,981 at Baum-Walker Stadium to win the series.
Arkansas (38-13, 19-8 SEC) entered the day with a one-half game lead over LSU in the standings.
The win also helped the Razorbacks’ case to be a top-eight seed in next month’s NCAA Tournament, which would guarantee home-field advantage during the regional and super regional rounds. Arkansas improved to 30-4 at home.
Hollan, who transferred from San Jacinto (Texas) College before the season, recorded season highs in innings, strikeouts (10) and pitches (113). He recorded 19 consecutive outs until Cole Messina’s two-out single in the ninth inning.
Hollan allowed five hits and one walk. The strong start came on the heels of multiple weeks of struggles as Hollan fought through an injury to his left leg. He pitched four innings against Texas A&M two weeks ago and 3 2/3 innings at Mississippi State last week.
Parker Rowland’s two-run single in the fifth inning broke a 1-1 tie. Caleb Cali added an RBI single in the sixth inning and Ben McLaughlin’s solo home run in the eighth put the Razorbacks ahead 5-1.
South Carolina (37-14, 15-11) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning when Will Tippett led off with a solo home run against Hollan. Arkansas tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the third when John Bolton doubled to score Peyton Holt.
Hollan became the second Razorback to throw a complete game this season. Will McEntire was the first against Louisiana Tech on March 11.
Arkansas is scheduled to finish the regular season with three games at No. 4 Vanderbilt beginning Thursday.