No. 2 Arkansas held off a late rally by Michigan for a 4-3 win on Sunday in the final game of the Kubota College Baseball Series at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
The win allowed Arkansas (5-2) to go 2-1 in the three games. They defeated No. 7 Oregon State 5-4 and fell to Oklahoma State 2-1 in 14 innings Saturday night. Mason Molina worked five innings on Sunday to get the win. He didn't allow any hits or runs, walked one and struck out 10. Molina impressed Michigan Head Coach Tracy Smith.
“Molina was tough,” Smith said. “We faced him last year at Texas Tech and lost. He is a very good pitcher. If they had kept him in there nine, it might not have been like that (close at the end). He is that good."
Arkansas only had five hits in the game. Jared Sprague-Lott and Ben McLaughlin each had two and Kendall Diggs one. Michigan was limited to four hits including two for third baseman Cole Caruso.
Arkansas took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Left fielder Will Edmunson was walked by Michigan starter Dylan Vigue (0-1) who took the loss. Edmunson scored on a one-out double by McLaughlin.
The Hogs pushed the lead to 3-0 in the top of the fourth. With one out, shortstop Wehiwa Aloy was hit by a pitch. Second baseman Nolan Souza and catcher Parker Rowland walked to load the bases. Center field Ty Wilmsmeyer then struck out for the second out. Edmunson was hit by a pitch allowing Aloy to score. Diggs, who was serving as designated hitter, then walked to allow Souza to cross the plate. Michigan replaced Vigue with Will Rogers who retired McLaughlin on a ground out to end the threat.
Diggs doubled to lead off the seventh. Diggs then scored on an error on the Michigan second baseman Mack Timbrook for a 4-0 lead.
Michigan tried to fight back with a run in the bottom of the eighth off Will McEntire. The former Bryant standout worked three innings, allowing two hits, one unearned run and struck out a Michigan batter.
Koty Frank worked the ninth to earn his second save of the season. He allowed three hits, two runs, one earned and struck out a hitter. With the bases loaded, two outs and Arkansas clinging to a one-run lead in bottom of the ninth, Frank got Stephen Hrustich to fly out to Ross Lovich in right field to end the game.
“So I was proud of the way our guys came back and we were a hit away from winning the ballgame when it looked pretty much over,: Smith said. "I liked the comeback and the fight in the guys today.
“That is what you try to do - put yourselves in a position to win. And I liked who we had at the plate, but he just didn’t get it done.”
Arkansas committed four errors in the game. The Hogs will be at home Tuesday afternoon to host Grambling at 3 p.m. The game can be streamed on the SEC Network+.
