Hogs Hold on Against Ole Miss, Live to Fight Another Day
OMAHA, Neb. — Despite a bottom of the ninth rally from Ole Miss, the arms of Hagen Smith and Evan Taylor helped Arkansas scratch by to stay alive in Omaha with a 3-2 victory over the Rebels on Wednesday at Charles Schwab Field.
With elimination staring them straight in the eyes, the Hogs allowed just three hits and one run to the hot-hitting Rebels, who had yet to lose a game in the postseason.
A pair of homers from Chris Lanzilli and Brady Slavens, along with an RBI single from Michael Turner in the eight, proved to be enough at the plate for Arkansas.
Up next will be a game at 3 p.m. between the Hogs and Rebels that decides who makes it to the College World Series final on Saturday.
Here is how the Arkansas took down Ole Miss:
Top 1st: Arkansas 0, Ole Miss 0
Braydon Webb drove a leadoff double to left-center to start the game. Webb was stranded after a Peyton Stovall strike out, Cayden Wallace fly out and a Michael Turner fly out.
Bottom 1st: Arkansas 0, Ole Miss 0
Justin Bench led things off for Ole Miss with a fly out to center. Jacob Gonzalez popped out to shortstop on the first pitch he saw. Hagen Smith issued a two out walk to Tim Elko, but he was stranded after a Kevin Graham fly out.
Top 2nd: Arkansas 1, Ole Miss 0
Chris Lanzilli led the inning off with a 382-foot homer to left-center. After a quick two outs, Brady Slavens drew a walk to give the Hogs a runner on. Zack Gregory popped out to short to close the frame.
Bottom 2nd: Arkansas 1, Ole Miss 1
Kemp Alderman tied the game up with a leadoff solo bomb to left field. Peyton Chatagnier grounded out to short and Hayden Dunhurst struck out to follow Alderman. Hagen Smith issued a two-out walk to Garrett Wood, but quickly erased it by striking out Calvin Harris.
Razorbacks right fielder Chris Lanzilli (18) delivers a single against Auburn in the fourth inning at Charles Schwab Field. (Steven Branscombe / USA TODAY Sports)
Top 3rd: Arkansas 1, Ole Miss 1
After a pair of quick outs, Cayden Wallace laced a single to left to give Arkansas a runner on with two outs. Wallace was stranded after Michael Turner lined out to center.
Bottom 3rd: Arkansas 1, Ole Miss 1
Hagen Smith issued a four-pitch walk to Justin Bench to lead the inning off. Smith bounced back by striking out Jacob Gonzalez, Tim Elko and Kevin Graham.
Razorbacks starting pitcher Hagen Smith (33) throws against the Ole Miss Rebels in the first inning at Charles Schwab Field. (Steven Branscombe / USA TODAY Sports)
Top 4th: Arkansas 1, Ole Miss 1
Chris Lanzilli hit a weak dribbler to John Gaddis on the mound for the first out. Robert Moore could not beat out the throw on a hit to shortstop. Jalen Battles struck out swinging to end the 1-2-3 frame.
Bottom 4th: Arkansas 1, Ole Miss 1
Kemp Alderman led the inning off with a single into left, but Hagen Smith bounced back with his sixth, seventh and eighth strikeouts of the game.
Razorbacks starting pitcher Hagen Smith (33) throws against the Ole Miss Rebels in the first inning at Charles Schwab Field. (Steven Branscombe / USA TODAY Sports)
Top 5th: Arkansas 2, Ole Miss 1
Brady Slavens smacked a 436 foot homer to dead center. After a Zack Gregory strikeout, Braydon Webb drew a walk. Peyton Stovall struck out swinging for the second out and Cayden Wallace hit into a fielder's choice to shortstop.
Bottom 5th: Arkansas 2, Ole Miss 1
After racking up a quick two outs, Hagen Smith issued a two-out walk to Jacob Gonzalez. Razorback pitching coach Matt Hobbs visited Smith on the mound and he induced a fly out to right by Tim Elko.
Razorbacks center fielder Braydon Webb (24) signals the bench after hitting a double against Ole Miss in the first inning at Charles Schwab Field. (Steven Branscombe / USA TODAY Sports)
Top 6th: Arkansas 2, Ole Miss 1
Ole Miss turned to RHP Jack Washburn to start the sixth.
Washburn sat Michael Turner down on strikes to begin his outing. After Washburn struck out Chris Lanzilli, he issued a two-out walk to Robert Moore. Jalen Battles lined out to center to close the inning.
Bottom 6th: Arkansas 2, Ole Miss 1
LHP Evan Taylor entered the game for Arkansas and issued a three-pitch see ya to Kevin Graham to start his outing. After Kemp Alderman chopped out to shortstop, Peyton Chatagnier hit a two-out single to left. Taylor struck out Hayden Dunhurst to end the inning.
Razorbacks second baseman Robert Moore in the dugout ahead of Wednesday night's game against Ole Miss at the College World Series in Omaha, Neb. (Crant Osborne / allHOGS Images)
Top 7th: Arkansas 2, Ole Miss 1
Brady Slavens led the inning off with a single to left. Slavens was out at second on a fielder's choice bunt that allowed Zack Gregory to reach base. Braydon Webb struck out and Peyton Stovall grounded out to end the frame.
Bottom 7th: Arkansas 2, Ole Miss 1
Garrett Wood lined out to right to leadoff the inning for Ole Miss. Ben Van Cleve came on to pinch hit for the Rebels, who struck out swinging. Taylor's seventh pitch of the inning was a groundout to third.
Razorbacks relief pitcher Evan Taylor came on in the sixth inning against Ole Miss in the College World Series in Omaha, Neb. (Walt Beazley / Arkansas Communications)
Top 8th: Arkansas 3, Ole Miss 1
Cayden Wallace hit a heater to third and stretched it for a double after the third baseman was unable to corral the ball. The double chased Jack Washburn and brought RHP Jack Dougherty into the game for Ole Miss.
Michael Turner hit an RBI single through the left side to bring Wallace around and give the Hogs some insurance.
Chris Lanzilli hit a bunt single to put two runners on with no outs. Robert Moore laid down a sac bunt to advance both runners. Ole Miss intentionally walked Jalen Battles to load the bases for Brady Slavens, who struck out swinging for the second out. Kendall Diggs came in to pinch hit and struck out swinging.
Bottom 8th: Arkansas 3, Ole Miss 1
Jacob Gonzalez groundout out to a shifted Robert Moore for the first out of the game. Evan Taylor struck out the power-hitting Tim Elko and then Kevin Graham popped out to shortstop to end the inning.
Razorbacks Brady Slavens is wide-eyes after mammoth homer to dead center field that was the longest in Charles Schwab Field history in Omaha, Neb., during a College World Series game against Ole Miss. (Walt Beazley / Arkansas Communications)
Top 9th: Arkansas 3, Ole Miss 1
Arkansas went down in order on a groundout, line out and strikeout.
Bottom 9th: Arkansas 3, Ole Miss 2
After Evan Taylor surrendered a leadoff single to Kemp Alderman, Dave Van Horn pulled Taylor and brought in RHP Brady Tygart. Peyton Chatagnier took a pitch off the back to give the Rebels two on with no outs. Dave Van Horn pulled Tygart and turned it over to LHP Zack Morris.
Ole Miss pinch hit Hayden Leatherwood, who struck out swinging. TJ McCants flied out to left for the second out.
Justin Bench hit an RBI single to shortstop to make it a one-run game and Jacob Gonzalez flied out to left to close the game.
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