HOOVER, Ala. It was another big offensive performance for the fourth-seeded Razorback baseball team Friday night that helped it defeat fifth-seeded Mississippi State, 9-2, and move the Hogs into the semifinals of the SEC Tournament.
Its the second tournament semifinals appearance for the Razorbacks in the last four years and first since 2014. Arkansas advances to face top-seed Florida on Saturday. First pitch time has not been determined, but it will be after the other semifinal game between South Carolina and LSU.
Coupled with another great start on the mound by sophomore Blaine Knight, the Razorbacks scored nine runs on 10 hits against the Bulldogs, including a six-run sixth inning that provided Knight plenty of support. It was a nice bounce-back win as being sent to the losers bracket by Mississippi State on Thursday.
Knight had a clutch performance on the mound, scattering five hits over 6 2/3 innings, while giving up just one earned run, a home run in the seventh, and one walk. The Bryant, Arkansas native struck out nine Bulldogs for his best performance since striking out 10 against Ole Miss on April 27 and picked up his team-leading eighth win of the year.
At the plate, sophomore Jax Biggers and junior Chad Spanberger continued their hot tournament performances as the two combined to go 5-for-8 (.625) with four extra base hits against the Bulldogs. Biggers tallied his fifth three-hit game of the year, going 3-for-5 (.600) with three RBIs, including a triple and a double.
One day after hitting three home runs in the same game, Spanberger didnt get nearly as many hittable pitches as he was walked twice, but still slugged a career-high two doubles. Over his last seven games, Spanberger is 10-for-27 (.370), with all of his hits going for extra bases. Seven have been homers, including the two multi-homer games against Texas A&M (May 20) and Auburn (May 25).
Four-seed Arkansas continues its run through the SEC Tournament on Saturday when it faces Florida for a spot in the SEC Tournament championship. First pitch is to be determined, but will be sometime after LSU faces South Carolina, which is the first semifinal game of the day.
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