Razorbacks Fall 7-4 at Top-Ranked Arizona State

TEMPE, Ariz. – After facing top-ranked Arizona State’s ace on Tuesday night, Arkansas got a look at the Sun Devils’ No. 2 pitcher on Wednesday and southpaw Josh Satow was impressive in a 7-4 ASU win in front of 3,033 Fans at Packard Stadium.

Satow pitched 7.2 innings to improve to 2-0 on the season. He allowed four runs – two earned – on three hits with seven strikeouts and no walks. UA starter Brett Eibner took the loss to fall to 2-1, allowing four runs – all earned – on four hits over two-plus innings.

Eibner walked the leadoff batter in second inning and then allowed a bunt base hit and walked the next guy to load the bases. He went to a 3-0 count on the fourth hitter before getting a double play that allowed the leadoff walk to score but kept the Sun Devils from a big inning. Eibner retired the next hitter and ASU managed just a 1-0 lead after two innings.

Eibner continued to struggle with his location in the third inning and got tagged with a three-run home run off the bat of Brett Wallace as ASU extended the lead to 4-0.

Mike Bolsinger came on in relief of Eibner and worked two innings, holding ASU in check with four strikeouts while not allowing a hit.

The Razorbacks got their pre-season All-American candidate Logan Forsythe back last night from a pulled hamstring, and he came through on Wednesday with a two-out triple that he legged out down the right-field line in the top of the sixth inning. Andy Wilkins followed with his fifth home run of the season to straight-away center field to cut the ASU lead to 4-2.

ASU came right back with three runs in the bottom half of the sixth inning on a two-RBI single from Petey Paramore with the third run scoring on a throwing error on shortstop Tim Smalling.

After Satow retired the first two hitters of the eighth inning, the Razorbacks got a rally started that ended the left-handers night. Satow hit Chase Leavitt and Forsythe reached on a fielder error by the shortstop. ASU went to the bullpen for Stephen Sauer, who walked Wilkins.

With the bases loaded, the Sun Devils once again went to the bullpen for Reyes Dorado, and Jacob House greeted him with a two-RBI double into right-center field. Aaron Murphree grounded out to end the inning as the Hogs cut the lead to 7-4.

Tommy Rafferty pitched around a leadoff double by Ben Tschepikow in the ninth to earn his first save of the season.

The Razorbacks return home to open SEC play with Georgia at 6:35 p.m. Friday at Baum Stadium.