NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Senior right-hander Mike Bolsinger allowed one unearned run in eight innings of four-hit baseball to lead Arkansas to a 4-3 win over Vanderbilt Friday night at Hawkins Field.
The Razorbacks (39-16, 17-12 Southeastern Conference) evened the series at 1-1 with the win and snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Commodores dating back to the 2007 season.
Vanderbilt’s (40-14, 16-11 SEC) seven game winning streak this season came to an end with the loss despite a comeback attempt from three runs down in the bottom of the ninth.
VU trailed 4-1 in the ninth when Aaron Westlake and Andrew Giobbi each hit solo home runs to cut the lead to 4-3. Joe Loftus lined out to right field to end the game.
“We needed a fourth run, but we were a little bit too late,” said Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin. “They dominated us with the fastball and we were out of sync for whatever reason.”
Bolsinger improved to 6-3 on the year, holding the Commodores off balance while striking out five and walking one in the win.
Brett Eibner gave up the two solo homers in the ninth but held on to pick up his first save of the year.
“Their starter didn’t make a lot of mistakes,” said Giobbi. “He had a lot of good, downhill fastballs and breaking balls. We didn’t capitalize when he did make mistakes.”
The Razorbacks’ Collin Kuhn led off game with a solo homer on to the roof of Memorial Gym in left field.
Arkansas plated three runs in the third to extend the lead to 4-0. Andy Wilkins had a RBI double and Monk Kreder belted a two-run homer to account for the scoring.
VU got on the board in the bottom of the fourth when Andrew Giobbi hit a grounder to first that got past Kreder allowing a runner to score from third.
Taylor Hill (5-4) allowed four runs on six hits in 7.1 innings with five strikeouts and a walk in the losing effort.
Richie Goodenow recorded two outs in the eighth and Drew Hayes struck out the side in the ninth to close it out on the mound.
The teams will conclude the three game set and the regular season tomorrow at 2 p.m. Sophomore right-hander Jack Armstrong (7-1, 3.53 ERA) will take the mound for VU, while the Razorbacks starter is to be determined.
“We need to be able to play tomorrow and come back from tonight,” added Corbin. “That’s what we’re focusing on right now.”
