Arkansas’ second game of the College World Series against the #1 tournament seeded LSU Tigers ended differently from the past five postseason games Arkansas has played.  The difference was Arkansas lost, and it wasn’t pretty.

LSU jumped all over Arkansas starter Brett Eibner as Eibner allowed four earned in a little less than two innings.  Three of those four runs came from Mikie Mahtook’s three run blast in the 2nd that put the Tigers up 4 to 1.  Eibner was pulled and replaced by reliever TJ Forrest.  Forrest came into the game and did an outstanding job of keeping the Tiger bats silent for three innings giving the Razorbacks a chance to get back into the game before it got out of hand.  Unfortunately, Arkansas cold not get the timely hits it needed, stranding six runners, and the score remained 4 to 1 heading into the top of the 6th, where it all came apart.

For those of you who watched the game, were you as nervous as I was in the 6th?  Forrest had done an excellent job until then, but he seemed to have run out of gas.  His curve ball wasn’t biting at all, and he seemed to have lost control of his fastball.  At this point during the game, I said aloud in my living room, “Dave, get him out of there”.  But Dave didn’t, and the Tigers had a 9 to 1 lead heading into the remainder of the sixth. 

It didn’t really get any better, or worse, then that during the remaining final third of the game as the Hogs lost 9 to 1.

On a positive note, the Razorbacks are not out of it.  They return to the field Wednesday at 6pm to face the Virginia Cavaliers in an elimination game.  Plus, from watching the Hog player’s post game reactions, they don’t seem to be too broken hearted by the loss to the Tigers.  I expect them to bounce back and give Virginia all they can handle.

On a completely biased note, was it just me, or was Arkansas not getting any calls last night?  I think Dave would agree with me.  Did you see how hot he got over that call at first?  They played his total conversation with the first base ump on Sportscenter last night.  It was awesome.  Also, I felt like the home plate ump missed a strike three call on a curve ball from Arkansas’ Murphy which would have lead to the end of the top of the 6th and two fewer runs for the Tigers, but it didn’t occur, and the Tigers capitalized with a double.  Enough ranting.

Razorbacks vs. Cavaliers, Wednesday at 6pm, ESPN.