Four-Run Ninth Helps Alabama Baseball Complete the Sweep of Arkansas with 7-4 Win on Sunday

Trailing by one heading into the ninth, Alabama baseball rallied for four runs in the top of the ninth to secure the 7-4 win on Sunday and the series sweep of the Arkansas Razorbacks. The sweep was the Crimson Tide’s first three-game sweep in Fayetteville since 2000, and helped improve Alabama’s overall record to 30-21 and its SEC mark to 15-12.

The Tide fell behind in the bottom of the eighth, as a two-run home run gave the Razorbacks a 4-3 lead heading into the ninth. Alabama would not go quietly in the final inning, however, scoring four to claim the 7-4 win.

A one-out single from Gene Wood gave the Tide a baserunner before Daniel Cucjen delivered another single in the next at-bat to put two on. One out later, Vance drew the walk to load the bases and bring Georgie Salem to the plate. The senior collected on the opportunity, sending a single back up the middle to plate two and give the Tide a 5-4 lead. Salem and Vance each advanced a base on the throw to put two in scoring position with two down.

In the next at-bat, Chandler Taylor drew a two-out walk to load the bases, before Will Haynie delivered a two-RBI single to right center to make it a 7-4 game. The two RBI increased Haynie’s total for the weekend to eight.

Thomas Burrows (2-0) earned the win, retiring Arkansas in the ninth. Burrows entered in the eighth and allowed the home run, but his offense picked him up to help the Crimson Tide reliever notch his second win of the season.

Starter Nick Eicholtz was handed the no decision once again, working 6.0 innings of two-run baseball, allowing only one earned run. The junior allowed just three hits and three walks while striking out four across his 98 pitches of work. Eicholtz has now allowed one or no earned runs in seven of his nine SEC starts.

The Crimson Tide jumped out front in the top of the first for the third consecutive game, using a solo home run from Salem to make it a 1-0 game. With the homer, Alabama homered in the first inning of all three games on the weekend. Arkansas took the lead in the bottom of the second, using two walks and then a double to score two, making it 2-1 after two full innings.

Alabama evened it up in the top of the third, using a one-out walk from Cucjen to start things off. A single off the bat of Keith Holcombe followed to put runners on the corners. One out later, Salem delivered his second hit of the day, sending a double to left to score Cucjen and set the score at 2-2.

The Tide regained the lead in the top of the eighth. Vance drew a one-out walk and then Taylor singled to put runners at first and second with two down. Haynie stepped into the box and one wild pitch advanced both runners into scoring position before a wild pitch on the very next throw crossed Vance to give Alabama the 3-2 lead.

An error came back to haunt the Crimson Tide in the bottom of the eighth. With one down, Arkansas reached a baserunner on an infield grounder that resulted in an error. One out later, that man would prove the tying run and the batter the go-ahead run, as the Razorbacks sent a two-run homer over the wall in left to take the 4-3 lead.

The Tide rallied in the ninth, using four hits, including two with two outs, to take the 7-4 lead before Burrows wrapped up the win in the bottom of the frame.

Next up for Alabama is a midweek contest with the Samford Bulldogs, the Tide’s final non-conference game of the season. The two teams are set for a 6:30 p.m. CT start at Sewell-Thomas Stadium with the game airing on SECN+.