FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.?Scott Lyons hit a two-out, two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th inning to lift No. 5 Arkansas to a 10-9 victory over ULM Wednesday afternoon at Baum Stadium to salvage a split in the two-game series ? ULM won the opener 3-2 Tuesday night.
The Warhawks (22-13) took a 9-8 lead in the top of the 10th on a two-out single to right field by Perry Smith. Corey Brown retired two of the first three batters he faced in the bottom of the 10th, but Lyons pulled a low changeup over the wall in left for the victory.
ULM sent the game into extra innings scoring a run in the top of the ninth off Arkansas (25-9) closer Stephen Richards. Boomer Blanchard led off the frame with a double and came home to score on an error by second baseman Bo Bigham.
With the Warhawks leading 7-5, Brett Eibner hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Razorbacks an 8-7 lead.
Matt Collins gave ULM that 7-5 advantage with a three-run homer of his own in the top half of the seventh inning after the Razorbacks erased a 4-1 ULM lead with three runs in the fifth and one in the sixth.
Arkansas tied the game in the fifth inning as Lyons chopped a single over Nick Wade's head at third base for a pair of runs. With a runner on third base, Drew Graham struck out Andy Wilkins on a curveball, but the ball got away from catcher Ryan McMillan allowing the run to score.
The Razorbacks plated another unearned run in the seventh inning as Bigham scored on a routine fly ball to left field that would have ended the inning. Shortstop Ben Soignier and left fielder Jon Prevost collided in the outfield allowing the ball to fall for an error.
The teams traded solo home runs in the first inning. Prevost hit his team-leading 10th of the season for the Warhawks in the top half of the frame and Chase Leavitt led off the Arkansas half of the first with his first homer of the season.
Matt Laird gave the Warhawks their 4-1 lead in the third inning as he hit a bases loaded triple off the wall in right-center field.
Brown (1-2) takes the loss for ULM allowing three runs on two hits ? both home runs ? in 3.1 innings of work. Zack Cox (4-1) picked up the win despite allowing three hits and a run in the top of the 10th inning.
The Warhawks return to Sun Belt Conference play this weekend at Middle Tennessee. ULM trails the Blue Raiders by two games in the conference standings heading into the weekend. First pitch Friday is scheduled for 6 p.m.
