SEC BASEBALL : Arkansas native makes Hogs pay
Posted on Saturday, April 26, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Sports/223903/
OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss freshman Logan Williams is having a blast playing against teams from his home state.
Williams hit his second home run in as many games to help Ole Miss defeat Arkansas 12-4 Friday before 5, 603 at Swayze Field. His three-run shot to left field Friday came in the fifth inning when Ole Miss scored four runs to break a 3-3 tie.
Williams hit his first home run of the season Wednesday in a 9-4 victory over Arkansas State.
He was supposed to redshirt this season, but the backup infielder from Southside Bee Branch was forced into the lineup after several injuries to the Rebels. He’s played in only five games with four starts.
“You always want to do well, especially against your home state,” said Williams, who served as the designated hitter Friday while making his first SEC start. “The wind was blowing out, but I wasn’t really swinging for the fence. I hit a curveball and got it up in the air, and I thought it had a pretty good chance to go.”
Williams received little recruiting from Arkansas, but he said he holds no grudges and enjoys playing at Ole Miss.
“Everybody in Arkansas roots for the Razorbacks and they have a great program,” Williams said. “But they already had some great players at the corners. Things didn’t fall in right for me and I received a great opportunity to come here. It’s working out good and, hopefully, I can continue to contribute.”
Williams, Logan Power and Cody Overbeck each had home runs for Ole Miss (28-15, 11-8 ), which outhit Arkansas. Power and Overbeck connected in the first inning off Dallas Keuchel (3-2 ), who allowed 9 hits and 9 runs in 5 1 / 3 innings.
Ryan Cisterna hit a home run for Arkansas (24-18, 7-11 ), which must win the next two games to avoid its fifth consecutive series defeat to the Rebels.
“We didn’t get the big hits and, obviously, they did,” Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said. “We handled Lynn all right, but we couldn’t get over the hump. We got runners on, but it was a matter of driving them in.”
Arkansas trailed 3-1 before poor defensive play by Ole Miss in the fifth allowed the Razorbacks to tie the game. Logan Forsythe was credited with an RBI double with two outs when his high popup fell near third base. The play likely unnerved Lance Lynn, who walked the next two batters to force in the tying run. The inning started on an error by shortstop Sean Stuyverson and Ben Tschepikow reached on an infield single that could have been ruled another error by Stuyverson.
“That was an ugly inning, but it happens sometimes,” Ole Miss Coach Mike Bianco said. “Lance lost his composure there for a couple of hitters, then he was able to bear down and that’s what makes him good. He pitched terrific tonight.”
Arkansas had a scoring chance in the first inning when a popup by Tschepikow dropped behind the mound for a single and Forsythe walked. But Lynn worked out of trouble when he struck out Jeff Nutt and Casey Coon to end the inning.
Keuchel gave up back-toback home runs in the first inning and the Rebels went ahead 3-1 after a throwing error by Forsythe in the fourth.