Vandy Falls in Extras

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – No. 14 Vanderbilt battled No. 2 Arkansas for 10 innings Saturday at Hawkins Field, but came up short to the Razorbacks, losing 6-4.

Vandy got a strong start from Cody Bowker on the bump. Bowker allowed two runs over 5.0 innings before handing the ball off to Sawyer Hawks. Hawks held Arkansas to one earned over 4.0 innings out of the pen.

Arkansas used a two-run home run in the top of the second to take an early lead.

The Commodores broke through in the bottom of the fifth. Colin Barczi roped a leadoff single to center. Vanderbilt put on a hit-and-run with Barczi in motion and Rustan Rigdon at the dish.

Rigdon drove the ball to center field for a single and an error in center allowed Barczi to score all the way from first to cut Arkansas’ lead to 2-1.

The Commodores tied the game in the sixth when Mac Rose delivered a two-out, game-tying RBI single to center field to plate RJ Austin who singled to lead off the frame.

A solo home run in the top of the seventh put Arkansas back in front, 3-2.

The Dores battled back in the home half of the seventh as Jonathan Vastine worked a walk and stole second. Vastine moved to third on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch to once again tie the game.

The score remained 3-3 until the top of the 10th when the Razorbacks took advantage of some defensive miscues to push three runs across.

Vanderbilt refused to go quietly though with Jacob Humphrey hitting a single to start off the bottom of the 10th. Humphrey took second on a wild pitch and reached third on an infield single by Austin.

Riley Nelson cut Arkansas’ lead to two with a sac fly to bring home Humphrey, but the Razorbacks escaped with a 6-4 win in extras.

Vanderbilt and Arkansas will meet for the series finale Sunday at 1 p.m. on SEC Network.