Diamondhogs Lose SEC Opener At Florida

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Two seventh-inning throwing errors doomed No. 10 Arkansas on Friday night, 6-3, in front of 1,623 fans at McKethan Stadium. "We gave them the game," Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn said. "We have to play defense if we are going to win ball games. It really is too bad because it was a pretty clean game until that point." The loss snapped a five-game winning streak and dropped Razorbacks` record to 16-2 on the season. Florida improved its record to 16-6 and extended its winning streak to seven games. Nick Schmidt falls to 4-1 on the season after matching his career high with 11 strikeouts. He allowed four runs - two earned - over 6.2 innings. Schmidt walked four on 127 pitches. It was Schmidt`s first loss since falling to Ole Miss on May 20 of last season. Bryan Ball (4-2) got the win with seven strong innings. He allowed three runs - two earned - on six hits. He matched his career high with seven strikeouts while not issuing a walk. Darren O`Day recorded his fourth save of the season, pitching the final two innings. Danny Hamblin and James Ewing both collected two hits each for the Hogs, while Gavin Dickey led the Gators with three hits. Florida took the lead in the bottom half of the seventh inning with a leadoff double by David Cash that came around to score on a ground ball to the pitcher by Gavin Dickey. Schmidt threw wide of first base allowing Dickey to reach and move to second base. Matt Willard followed with a throwing error at shortstop that allowed Dickey to score and Adam Davis followed with a RBI double down the right-field line to give the Gators` their first lead of the night at 4-3. Freshman James Ewing put the Hogs ahead in the top of the seventh inning when he slapped a single past the first baseman to score Danny Hamblin who had doubled with one out in the inning. Ewing moved up to second base on the throw and then moved to second base on a throwing error by the right fielder. With two outs Blake Parker singled up the middle to score Ewing and extend the Razorbacks` lead to 3-1. The single extended Parker`s hitting streak to a career-best 14 games. The 14-game hitting streak matched UA`s longest hitting streak of the season by Hamblin earlier in the season. Arkansas took the early 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning as Hamblin`s leadoff single to center field came around to score on David Hum`s sacrifice fly to center. The Gators tied things up at 1-1 in the bottom of the second inning on a RBI single by Gavin Dickey that he blooped in over the head of Hamblin at first base. Florida added two runs in the eighth inning to stretch the lead to 6-3. The Razorbacks and Gators will square off Saturday at 3 p.m. from McKethan Stadium in Gainesville. RazorZone subscribers can watch a live webcast of the game at www.hogwired.com. -- HOGS -- File: AR18.pdf (54Kbytes) Arkansas vs Florida (Mar 17, 2006) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Box score (NCAA) Play-by-Play Line score -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Box score (NCAA) Arkansas Razorbacks #13 Arkansas at #10 Florida Mar 17, 2006 at Gainesville, Fla. (McKethan Stadium) Arkansas 3 (16-2,0-1 SEC) Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Craig Gentry cf.......... 4 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 Chris Hollensworth rf.... 4 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 Jake Dugger lf........... 4 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 Danny Hamblin 1b......... 4 2 2 0 0 1 9 1 0 James Ewing 2b........... 4 1 2 1 0 2 0 1 0 David Hum dh............. 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 Blake Parker 3b.......... 3 0 1 1 0 1 0 2 0 Brian Walker c........... 3 0 0 0 0 0 10 1 1 Matt Willard ss.......... 3 0 0 0 0 2 2 4 0 Nick Schmidt p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Brian McLelland p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Devin Collis p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 31 3 6 3 0 11 24 10 2 Florida 6 (16-6,1-0 SEC) Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Adam Davis ss............ 5 0 1 1 0 3 0 3 2 Matt LaPorta dh.......... 2 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 1 Brian Jeroloman c........ 3 0 1 0 1 2 11 1 0 Austin Pride 1b.......... 4 0 0 0 0 2 8 1 2 Brian Leclerc rf......... 3 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 David Cash 3b............ 3 2 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 Stephen Barton lf........ 1 0 0 0 1 1 3 0 0 Chris Woods cf.......... 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Gavin Dickey cf/lf....... 4 1 2 3 0 1 3 0 0 Matt Gaski 2b............ 3 1 1 1 0 0 1 3 0 Bryan Ball p............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Darren O`Day p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 Totals................... 29 6 8 5 5 11 27 10 7 Score by Innings R H E ------------------------------------------- Arkansas............ 010 000 200 - 3 6 2 Florida............. 010 000 32X - 6 8 1 ------------------------------------------- E - Willard(2); Schmidt(1); Leclerc(2). DP - AR 2. LOB - AR 2; UF 7. 2B - Gentry(2); Hamblin(5); Davis(4); Cash 2(3). SH - Cash(2); Barton(3); Gaski(3). SF - Hum(1). SB - Gentry(4); Parker(7). CS - Ewing(2). Arkansas IP H R ER BB SO AB BF ----------------------------------------------- Nick Schmidt........ 6.2 6 4 2 4 11 25 30 Brian McLelland..... 0.2 2 2 2 1 0 3 5 Devin Collis........ 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 Florida IP H R ER BB SO AB BF ----------------------------------------------- Bryan Ball.......... 7.0 6 3 2 0 7 25 26 Darren O`Day........ 2.0 0 0 0 0 4 6 6 Win - Ball (4-2). Loss - Schmidt (4-1). Save - O`Day (4). WP - Ball(1). Umpires - HP: Tim Couch 1B: Steve Manders 3B: Danny Everett Start: 6:35 pm Time: 2:35 Attendance: 3128 Game notes: Arkansas assistant coach Todd Butler was ejected in the 8th inning Game: AR18 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Play-by-Play Arkansas Razorbacks #13 Arkansas at #10 Florida - Play-by-Play Mar 17, 2006 at Gainesville, Fla. (McKethan Stadium) Score by Innings R H E ------------------------------------------- Arkansas............ 010 000 200 - 3 6 2 Florida............. 010 000 32X - 6 8 1 ------------------------------------------- Arkansas starters: 12/cf Gentry; 10/rf Hollensworth; 24/lf Dugger; 3/1b Hamblin; 6/2b Ewing; 5/dh Hum; 20/3b Parker; 21/c Walker; 25/ss Willard; 33/p Schmidt; Florida starters: 9/ss Davis; 13/dh LaPorta; 8/c Jeroloman; 43/1b Pride; 2/rf Leclerc; 32/3b Cash; 6/lf Barton; 17/cf Dickey; 4/2b Gaski; 44/p Ball; Arkansas 1st - Gentry struck out looking. Hollensworth grounded out to 2b. Dugger struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Florida 1st - Davis struck out looking. LaPorta walked. Jeroloman singled through the left side; LaPorta advanced to second. Pride struck out looking. Leclerc struck out swinging. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB. Arkansas 2nd - Hamblin singled up the middle. Ewing singled through the left side; Hamblin advanced to second. Ewing out at second c to 2b, caught stealing; Hamblin advanced to third on a wild pitch. Hum flied out to cf, SF, RBI; Hamblin scored. Parker grounded out to ss. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Florida 2nd - Cash doubled down the lf line. Barton walked. Dickey singled to right field, RBI; Barton advanced to third; Cash scored. Gaski grounded into double play ss to 1b; Dickey out on the play. Davis struck out looking. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Arkansas 3rd - Walker grounded out to 2b. Willard struck out looking. Gentry doubled to right center. Gentry stole third. Hollensworth grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Florida 3rd - LaPorta struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b. Jeroloman struck out looking. Pride grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Arkansas 4th - Dugger grounded out to ss. Hamblin struck out. Ewing struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Florida 4th - Leclerc grounded out to 3b. Cash flied out to cf. Barton struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Arkansas 5th - Hum flied out to lf. Parker struck out looking. Walker flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Florida 5th - Dickey struck out looking. Gaski singled to left field. Davis struck out swinging. LaPorta grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Arkansas 6th - Willard grounded out to 3b. Gentry flied out to cf. Hollensworth struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Florida 6th - Jeroloman walked. Pride struck out looking. Leclerc grounded into double play 2b to ss to 1b; Jeroloman out on the play. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Arkansas 7th - Dugger popped up to lf. Hamblin doubled down the lf line. Ewing singled, advanced to second, advanced to third on a throwing error by rf, RBI; Hamblin scored. Hum grounded out to 2b. Parker singled up the middle, RBI; Ewing scored, unearned. Parker stole second. Walker lined out to lf. 2 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB. Florida 7th - Cash doubled to left center. Barton grounded out to p, SAC, bunt; Cash advanced to third. Dickey reached on a throwing error by p, advanced to second, RBI; Cash scored. Gaski reached on a throwing error by ss, advanced to second; Dickey scored, unearned. Davis doubled, RBI; Gaski scored, unearned. LaPorta walked. Jeroloman struck out swinging. McLelland to p for Schmidt. Pride out at first 1b to p. 3 runs, 2 hits, 2 errors, 2 LOB. Arkansas 8th - Woods to cf for Barton. Dickey to lf. O`Day to p for Ball. Willard struck out looking. Gentry grounded out to p. Hollensworth struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Florida 8th - Leclerc walked. Cash grounded out to 3b, SAC, bunt; Leclerc advanced to second. Woods singled; Leclerc advanced to third. Dickey singled, RBI; Woods advanced to third; Leclerc scored. Collis to p for McLelland. Gaski grounded out to 1b unassisted, SAC, bunt, RBI; Dickey advanced to second; Woods scored. Davis flied out to cf. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Arkansas 9th - Dugger struck out swinging. Hamblin out at first 1b to p. Ewing struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Line score Florida 6, Arkansas 3 (Mar 17, 2006 at Gainesville, Fla.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Arkansas............ 010 000 200 - 3 6 2 (16-2, 0-1 SEC) Florida............. 010 000 32X - 6 8 1 (16-6, 1-0 SEC) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitchers: Arkansas - Schmidt; McLelland(7); Collis(8). Florida - Ball; O`Day(8). Win-Ball(4-2) Save-O`Day(4) Loss-Schmidt(4-1) T-2:35 A-3128 Game notes: Arkansas assistant coach Todd Butler was ejected in the 8th inning Game: AR18