HOUSTON, Tx. — The Arkansas Razorbacks are headed somewhere they haven’t been since Brett Eibner and Zack Cox donned the Cardinal and White.
Super regionals.
The Hogs defeated Sam Houston State, 5-1, Sunday night to clinch the Houston regional. Nolan Sanburn (4-1) got the win in relief for 2.2 innings of scoreless ball with three strikeouts. Starter Randall Fant tossed 4.1 scoreless and gave up just four hits.
The Razorback offense, hitting a regional-worst .161 coming in to today, broke out Saturday with 12 hits and five runs, including a career high three from Joe Serrano.
Arkansas struck first in the first. With Dominic Ficociello on third, Brian Anderson sent a high chopper to shortstop. The throw was high, Anderson was safe, and Ficociello scored. Later in the inning, Anderson scored from third on an infield single by Bo Bigham.
The Hogs got another in the third. Matt Vinson led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Jake Wise. Then, on the eleventh pitch of the at-bat, Serrano doubled to left, scoring Vinson to make it a 3-0 game.
The lead grew to 4-0 in the fourth when a sacrifice fly from Wise scored Derrick Bleeker from third.
The final run came in the sixth on another sacrifice fly, this time from Tim Carver that scored Wise.
Colby Suggs pitched a scoreless ninth to end it.
Brandon Moore pitched the eighth inning, giving up one run on three hits. That was the only earned run the Arkansas pitching staff gave up in the three games in the regional.
Arkansas will now face the winner of the Waco regional. Baylor defeated Dallas Baptist, 9-2, Sunday night, forcing a winner-take-all game on Monday. If Baylor wins, the Super Regional will be in Waco. However, if Dallas Baptist wins, Baum Stadium will host.
Final Super Regional sites will be announced Monday night at 11:00 p.m. Play begins on June 9.
