Georgia takes series from Arkansas with late-game heroics on Sunday

BY DUDLEY E. DAWSON

In a weekend series between two of the nation’s best college baseball teams, No. 7 Georgia had one more heroic than No. 1 Arkansas.

Henry Hunter’s solo homer in the bottom of the 12th inning handed the Bulldogs a 7-6 win over the Razorbacks and a series victory.

Arkansas (34-5, 12-3) took game one of the series Friday before a late rally came up just short in Georgia’s 7-6 win on Saturday afternoon.

The Sunday loss knocked the Razorbacks out of a first-place tie in the SEC standings with No. 2 Texas, who took two of three contests at Kentucky this weekend.

“It was a tough one to lose,” Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn said. “We didn’t play good at all today in my opinion. Win or lose, I was going to tell the team thatI felt that way.

“I just don’t thing we played that well. I thought our at bats were not as good as normal. The middle of the line up didn’t do much…(Hitters) 3, 4, 5 might have got one hit and hit one other ball hard and that was disappointing.

“But again we did fight back and tie the game with one out to go. It was pretty exciting there for a couple of innings.”

Georgia head coach and former Arkansas assistant Wes Johnson was thrilled with the weekend’s outcome for his Bulldogs (31-7, 10–5).

“I mean this team we played, they are really, really good,” Johnson said. “That is probably one of the best teams at Arkansas in my times of following them. They have got depth and they have got some options off the bench, too.

“For us to just do that this weekend was really good for our team.”

Arkansas’ Ryder Helfrick and Wehiwa Aloy hit two solo home runs in the ninth to tie the game 5-5.

Helfrick’s led off the ninth while Aloy’s was with two outs.

The Razorbacks took a 6-5 lead in the top of the 11th when Charles Davalan’s fielder’s choice scored Gabe Fraser, who had singled leading off the frame.

But Arkansas reliever Aiden Jimenez hit Ryland Zaborowski with two outs and Tre Phelps then delivered a clutch double to chase home pinch runner Dan Jackson to tie it 6-6.

Phelps’ hit came off Jimenez and was his last of the day.

“We just didn’t want Aiden to have to throw anymore,” Van Horn said of Friday night’s winning pitcher. “That was going to be his last hitter whether he got him or not.”

Gibler (1-1) got the final out of the 11th and the first two outs of the 12th.

He had given up only one homer to a left hander this season and Hunter was 3 of 34 against left handed pitchers in 2025 before his blast.

“It was a heater, it was a fastball,” Hunter said. “The other day I faced that guy and he threw me three sliders, punched my ticket and got me.

“This time, once he threw me that first fastball, I thought they might try to mix it up on me and see if I was sitting on a slider. I got into a good count (3-0) and stayed with the approach and got a good pitch to hit.

“It was a fun one.”

Johnson echoed that sentiment.

“What a great game and series,” Johnson said. “I don’t even know where to start because there were so many big things. Obviously what (closer) Brian Zeldin did there at the end.

“I thought we pitched the ball extremely well. I mean this is the best offense in the country now we held them down.”

That extended to the homers given up in the ninth and a strong five-inning start by Leighton Finley.

“…Even through Tyler (McLoughlin) gave up those two homers – those two solo shots – he was throwing the ball well late,” Johnson said.

“And golly, what a start by Leighton And then you look at the home runs. I mean that home run Slate hit – my Lord.”

Landon Beidelschies started and when five innings for Arkansas was followed to the mound by Carson Wiggins, Dylan Carter, Jimenez and Gibler.

Both teams had seven hits.

Bouncing back from Friday night’s loss to Arkansas was pleasing for Johnson.

“…We just had to slow it down and not make competition bigger than it is,” Johnson said. “Not bigger than what we do in practice every day. We do a lot of hard things in practice every day and the game shouldn’t be harder. The game should be easier.

“I think on Friday, especially late, we made the game hard than what it should have been. So it was just good to see the guys just get back to a good battle.”

Arkansas returns to action Tuesday night when it hosts UAPB at 6 p.m.

Photo courtesy of Razorbacks Communications