After No. 5 Arkansas had cut into a six-run deficit and shaved four runs off a five-run deficit, Parker Caracci got the last five outs to clinch the series as No. 4 Ole Miss won 11-10 before 11,146 fans at Swayze Field on Saturday.
It’s the second weekend in a row that Caracci has saved two SEC wins for Ole Miss (25-4, 6-3 SEC), and it’s the third time this season Ole Miss was won a series after dropping the opening game.
Caracci also picked up a save on Tuesday against Southern Miss and has five saves in the nine days. He gave up a leadoff double in the ninth but retired the next three he faced with a strikeout between two fly balls.
Freshman Tyler Keenan led the Rebels at the plate with three hits, none bigger than his three-run home run in the seventh inning. Arkansas had cut an 8-2 lead to 8-6 at that time.
While Caracci finished the job, it was starting pitcher James McArthur who got the Rebels off to a good start.
Arkansas (19-9, 5-4 SEC) had 25 hits and a .329 batting average over the first two games of the series, but McArthur limited the Razorbacks to four hits and three runs in six innings of work.
nMSU loses: Mississippi State’s weekend trip to Alex Box Stadium concluded with a 4-0 loss in the Southeastern Conference series rubber game Saturday.
No. 21 LSU improved to 18-11 overall and 5-4 in league play, while MSU fell to 14-15 and 2-7.
MSU received strong starting pitching for the third time in the series. Jacob Billingsley (2-2) worked 6 1/3 innings, allowing three hits and two runs (both earned), with seven strikeouts and three walks.
Zach Neff and J.P. France pitched in relief for the Bulldogs.
The three MSU pitchers combined to allowed seven hits with nine strikeouts.
“Jacob had an outstanding effort for us today,” MSU head coach Gary Henderson said.
“That’s what you need in the rubber game of a three-game series. We just couldn’t get the key hit at the right time.
