FAYETTEVILLE -- The only thing missing was the possum.
In a loss strikingly similar to one last season to LSU, the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville blew a seven-run lead over the final three innings Saturday and lost to the Tigers 10-8 in front of 10,987 at Baum Stadium -- the Razorbacks' third-largest crowd ever for a regular-season game.
The No. 13 Tigers (21-11, 6-5 SEC) scored five runs in the top of the ninth inning to take the lead. Arkansas appeared to have won the game when Jax Biggers fielded a two-out groundball from Kramer Robertson, but Biggers overthrew first baseman Chad Spanberger, which allowed two LSU runners to score and give the Tigers a 9-8 lead.
The No. 15 Razorbacks (25-7, 8-3) committed two errors in the inning, including a throwing error by second baseman Carson Shaddy that allowed LSU to score its fifth run. The inning also included two hit batters and a wild pitch by Arkansas reliever Cannon Chadwick.
"It was really an amazing comeback," LSU Coach Paul Mainieri said. "I haven't had a chance to analyze it yet because it's all new, but it's going to be one of those ones where you look at it and say, 'How in the world did that happen?' "
LSU players said they had referenced last year's eight-run comeback against Arkansas earlier in the week. That comeback, known as the "rally possum" because a possum ran on the field during the game, also was a Saturday.
"We talked about we've done this before; we've been behind and come from behind plenty of times," said Robertson, who made a key defensive stop with two outs in the bottom of the eighth to keep Arkansas from adding to its lead. "You get 27 outs to play with, and we battled to the end. When you hit balls hard and put pressure on them, good things will eventually happen."
Arkansas put two runners in scoring position in the bottom of the ninth after a leadoff walk by pinch-hitter Evan Lee and a double from Eric Cole.
After a pair of flyouts, LSU intentionally walked Spanberger, who was 3-for-4 with 5 RBI and a home run. But LSU reliever Hunter Newman struck out Luke Bonfield on a 0-2 pitch to end the game.
The Razorbacks stranded 13 runners for the second consecutive game.
"There were many different ways we let that game get away," Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said. "It wasn't just one bad throw or a hit batter or a ball or a strike or a guy not driving in a run. It really was that we left too many runners on.
"I think we have a great team, and I really like them, and let's learn from it and move on."
Arkansas scored seven runs over the first four innings to chase LSU starter Jared Poche, a senior left-hander who entered the game with a 1.15 ERA. Poche, who is tied for third all-time at LSU with 33 career victories, took his third career no-decision against the Razorbacks.
Poche also started the game that LSU came from behind to win over Arkansas last season. In four career starts against the Razorbacks, Poche has a 12.21 ERA as opposed to a 2.87 ERA against all other opponents.
Spanberger hit a three-run home run in the second to give the Razorbacks a 5-1 lead, and Grant Koch extended it to 6-1 with a leadoff home run in the third. Spanberger chased Poche with an RBI single in the fourth. Arkansas scored in every inning against Poche.
"For some reason, Jared always has trouble with Arkansas," Mainieri said. "That's four years in a row that he hasn't pitched his best game against them. I give credit to Arkansas. They have a lot of tough outs in their lineup."
Starter Trevor Stephan allowed 2 runs and struck out 7 in a 7 innings for the Razorbacks. LSU scored three against Arkansas reliever Kevin Kopps in the eighth, including two on Greg Deichmann's home run with two outs.
Chadwick suffered his first loss by allowing five runs -- two earned -- over the final 1⅓ innings.
"He's going to have to get it going," Van Horn said of his closer. "And we're going to have to have a couple of other guys step up in that bullpen."
Sports on 04/09/2017