Photo: Walt Beazley, UA Athletics
Arkansas ace Ryne Stanek allowed only one run in eight innings of work, and the Razorback offense combined timely hitting with well-executed small ball to defeat the No. 2 ranked LSU Tigers 4-1 on Thursday evening in SEC tournament action.
Stanek improved to 9-2 on the season, including an 8-1 record versus SEC teams with an .086 ERA.
“My job is to go out there and throw up zeros,” Stanek said. “It doesn’t really matter who it is against. It feels good because they have a really good team. I’m out there just doing what I can to try and keep us in the ball game and get us a win.”
LSU jumped out to an early lead with a run in the third, Arkansas tied the game with a run in the top of the fifth on a perfectly executed hit-and-run double by DH Joe Serrano.
The score remained tied at one until the top of the eighth Tyler Spoon laid down a safety squeeze bunt up the first base line, scoring Matt Vinson from third base and allowing Spoon to reach first with an infield single.
Arkansas added two insurance runs in the top of the ninth, and reliever Colby Sugg slammed the door on the Tigers in the 9th to earth his school record-tying 12th save of the year.
Arkansas advanced to the semifinals of the SEC tournament with the win, and will take on the winner of Friday’s LSU/Alabama game at noon on Saturday, May 25.
2013 SEC Tournament Bracket
