Arkansas Bounces Back From Blown Save With Combined No-Hitter Against Auburn

2 at bats.
2 home runs.

🔥🔥 Chad Spanberger 🔥🔥 https://t.co/Kp6XdxdBHS pic.twitter.com/Wp5oaLrjLx

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) May 25, 2017

HOOVER, Ala.—Arkansas’ day at the Southeastern Conference Tournament started with a blown save against Mississippi State that saw the Razorbacks use five pitchers in the ninth inning in an ill-fated attempt to preserve a one-run lead. It ended with an outstanding all-around performance in an elimination game against Auburn that Butch Thompson said was the most complete game an opponent had played in his two years as the Tigers head coach.

No. 13 Arkansas defeated No. 20 Auburn, 12-0, in an elimination game that was shortened to seven innings by run rule. First baseman Chad Spanberger hit three home runs (a tournament record) and pitchers Dominic Taccolini, Matt Cronin and Josh Alberius combined for the first no-hitter in tournament history.

“We have been hanging in there and it has been a long day,” coach Dave Van Horn said. “The first game got away from us, unlike this ballgame where we seemed to take charge early. Mostly because Chad hit a solo homer in the first, a two-run homer in the third and with that we were off and running.”

With the victory, Arkansas (40-16) advances to play Friday night in another elimination game against the loser of Friday afternoon’s game between Florida and Mississippi State. Auburn (35-24) was knocked out and will now await Selection Monday and the NCAA Tournament.

Arkansas was originally scheduled to play its first game of the tournament Wednesday night, but rain Tuesday pushed the whole schedule back a time slot, bumping the Razorbacks’ first game to Thursday morning. They took an early 3-0 lead with righthander Trevor Stephan on the mound, but the bullpen was unable to close it out. Losing that game meant Arkansas had to come back just a few hours later to play Auburn.

The Razorbacks again took an early lead, as Spanberger, their two-hole hitter, launched his first home run in the top of the first. Unlike the morning game, Arkansas was able to build on its lead, thanks in large part to its junior first baseman. He homered in his first three at bats, driving in seven of the Razorbacks’ first eight runs.

“It puts great confidence in the team,” Spanberger said. “But it wasn’t just me, it was great pitching that also helped us play great today.”

Spanberger is hitting .298/.373/.596 with 17 home runs this season. His career day happened in front of a host of scouts at the Hoover Metropolitan Stadium, and could have helped push him up a few draft boards. The lefthanded hitter has plus raw power, but some questions remain about how much he’ll get to it against professional pitching after he struck out in 23 percent of his plate appearances this season.

Spanberger’s power has played plenty well this spring, however, as Auburn found out Thursday. The Tigers tried a few different ways to pitch to Spanberger, but were unable to find a successful approach.

“He gets all the credit, the way he executed,” Thompson said. “He hit a fastball, changeup and breaking ball, three different pitches. I think it’s a learning experience for us in preparation, but also it’s not necessarily what you throw, but where you throw it. I think that was the line of the day, looking back.”

With Spanberger providing the offense, Arkansas’ pitchers had plenty of cushion to work with. Taccolini started the game, but his wildness made his outing a short one. He walked four of the nine batters he faced, including back-to-back walks to Bo Decker and Will Holland, Auburn’s eighth and ninth hitters, to start the third inning. Spanberger had just hit his second home run to give Arkansas a 3-0 lead and Van Horn, sensing the game hanging in the balance, brought on freshman lefthander Matt Cronin.

Cronin struck out the next three hitters to escape the jam, and whiffed six of the first eight batters he faced. He completed three innings before giving way to righthander Josh Alberius.

Van Horn said he knew Arkansas had a no-hitter going in the fourth and really started thinking about it in the sixth.

“You’re thinking this would be kind of neat,” he said. “We brought in Josh, who’s a senior. We know he’s going to throw strikes, make them earn it.”

Alberius did just that and retired all six batters he faced to finish the no-hitter. It was Arkansas’ first no-hitter since 2006, which was also a combined effort, and its first in SEC play since Todd Abbott threw one against Vanderbilt in 1994.

The Razorbacks’ victory all but assured them of hosting a regional next week. Arkansas reached the 40-win milestone, ranks No. 14 in RPI and finished fourth in the SEC. If the selection committee does award Arkansas a regional, it will be the first time Baum Stadium has hosted a regional since 2010.

Much like Thursday, it has been a total team effort all season for the Razorbacks to put themselves in position to host a year after finishing last in the SEC.

“I think that the pitchers and the hitters kind of feed off each other,” Cronin said. “Although it makes it more fun out there when you have 12 runs behind you.”