April 30, 2000
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Scott Crossett went 3-for-4 with two RBI to help Arkansas to an 8-5 win over Kentucky on Sunday in the finale of a three-game Southeastern Conference series at Baum Stadium.
The win gave the Razorbacks (19-28, 4-18 SEC) a 2-1 series victory over the Wildcats (31-15-1, 8-14-1 SEC) and earned the Hogs back-to-back wins for the first time since March 22. UK won Friday’s series opener 7-6, UA won 12-10 on Saturday.
Arkansas won for the third time in four games and earned a series win over the Wildcats in regular season play for the fourth time in five seasons. Kentucky suffered its sixth loss in eight games.
UA starter Jared Manatt (2-2) worked a career-high six innings en route to his first career win in SEC play. The sophomore left-hander allowed five runs (four earned) on nine hits and struck out five. Jon Murphy earned his first career save with three innings of scoreless, hitless relief for the Razorbacks.
Wildcat starter Scott Wade (7-5) suffered his third-consecutive loss, giving up six runs (four earned) on eight hits in 3 2/3 innings.
Arkansas took a 3-0 lead in the first inning on Crossett’s RBI single and a two-run, two-out triple by Kyle Washburn.
Crossett drove in the another run in the second with an infield single that scored Nick Pitts from third base. Greg Blum followed with a fly ball to center field that should have ended the inning but was dropped by UK center fielder Seth Morris, allowing Crossett and Jack Welsh to score for a 6-0 Razorback lead.
UK got on the scoreboard with two runs in the top of the third inning. Aaron McGlone’s sacrifice fly scored Andy Green with the first run and Jeff Meade scored the second on a throwing error to first base off the bat of Vince Harrison.
The Wildcats trailed 6-2 until Kentucky’s Seth Morris’ three-run homer in the top of the sixth trimmed the UA lead to 6-5. Morris’ homer was his second of the season.
Arkansas exploited UK errors for single runs in the sixth and seventh while Murphy shut down the Wildcat batters.
With three hits on Sunday, Crossett finished the series 9-for-13 with five RBI and five runs scored. The junior has at least two hits in each of his last five games. Meade led the Wildcats with three hits.
Kentucky returns to Lexington to host Morehead on Tuesday at 2 p.m. ET. Arkansas hosts Southwest Missouri State on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. CT. Both teams continue SEC play next weekend with UK hosting LSU and UA hosting No. 1 South Carolina in three-game series.
