Missouri State gets rematch with Diamond Hogs

By: Matt Watson

Posted: 4/30/08

The Missouri State Bears are hoping not to start and end the month of April with losses to the Razorbacks.

On April 1, the Bears lost a heartbreaker at home to the Hogs in extra innings, 7-6 after a Ben Tschepikow sacrifice fly won the game in the 10th inning.

Arkansas never trailed until Missouri State took a two-run lead in the bottom of the eighth inning. The Hogs bounced back with three runs of their own keyed by a double steal and a two-RBI base hit from freshman Andy Wilkins. The Bears tied the game in the bottom of the ninth and threatened in the last inning, but Shaun Seibert struck out two Missouri State hitters with the tying and winning runs on base.

It was only the Razorbacks' third win of the season in a true road game.

Riding a six-game winning streak, the Bears will try to close out the month of April at Baum Stadium with revenge in mind.

Reigning Southeastern Conference Hitter of the Week Logan Forsythe will try to duplicate his performance against the Bears the first time around, where he led the team with three hits in the game. Forsythe quadrupled his season home run total in one day, blasting three home runs against Ole Miss for a total of four on the year.

Utility infielder Tim Smalling is also streaking after a four-home run day against Ole Miss, matching his home run total from all of last season.

Chase Leavitt leads the team with a .355 average and has hit safely in nine straight games. Brett Eibner has driven in a team-high 39 RBIs.

Though the Razorbacks are last in the SEC in team batting average (.287), they have belted 65 home runs, second only to South Carolina (82) and third in the league in slugging percentage (.484).

For the Bears, it starts and ends with left-handed sophomore Ben Carlson, who has started all 43 games and leads the team in most offensive categories, with a .425 average, 44 runs, 14 home runs, 52 RBIs and a .756 slugging percentage. But Carlson is just 1-for-7 lifetime against the Hogs.

Rightfielder Nolan Keane has had the most success against Arkansas, with three singles and a stolen base in nine at-bats. Keane also boasts a perfect fielding percentage in the Missouri State outfield this season.

Arkansas leads the all-time series 44-22 over Missouri State, including the last three contests.

The Hogs have to avoid looking ahead, with a pivotal SEC showdown with Alabama looming this weekend at Baum Stadium. The Crimson Tide are holding on to the last conference playoff spot and are only a half game ahead of the Hogs.

With nine SEC games left to play, Arkansas holds the 10th best conference record, but is only 1.5 games behind four SEC teams-Kentucky, Ole Miss, South Carolina and Tennessee are all tied at 11-10. The top eight teams, regardless of division, will go to Hoover, Ala., for the conference tournament.