ATHENS--Matt Cerione’s one-out single in the bottom of the ninth scored Johnathan Taylor from second to give Georgia a 4-3 win over Arkansas in front of 3,640 fans Friday at Foley Field.
The Bulldogs (30-7, 12-4 SEC) now hold a one-game lead over LSU in the SEC race and lead Arkansas (25-10, 10-5 SEC) by 1.5 games.
With the score tied at 3-3, Taylor entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the ninth and drew a leadoff walk, then advanced to second on a throwing error by the Arkansas catcher. After Mike Bolsinger struck out Levi Hyams, Michael Demperio walked to set up Cerione’s game-winning hit.
Georgia scored three runs in the first and one in the ninth in the win.
“We started out great and (Bryce) Massanari gave us a big lift in the first,” Georgia coach David Perno said. “We started out very strong but (Dallas) Keuchel kept getting better as the game went on. We hung in there and fought and scored runs when we had to.”
Georgia starter Trevor Holder allowed three runs on five hits in 6.2 innings while Arkansas starter Keuchel tossed seven innings and gave up three runs on six hits.
“Trevor was lights out tonight,” Perno said. “When he can pitch like he did tonight, he is one of the best in the country. Anytime we can strike out nine and walk one we put ourselves in great position to win.”
Will Harvil (4-1) earned the win with 2.1 innings of scoreless relief. Mike Bolsinger (3-2) took the loss for Arkansas.
Ben Tschepikow hit a two-out home run in the top of the first to give Arkansas a 1-0 lead, but Georgia grabbed the lead in the bottom of the inning. Cerione and Rich Poythress walked and Massanari blasted his 12th home run to left field to give Georgia a 3-1 lead. It was Massanari’s 10th home run in his last 16 games.
The score remained 3-1 until the fifth when Arkansas’ Zack Cox was hit to start off the inning, and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Tim Carver. The Razorbacks knotted the score at 3-3 in the seventh after a leadoff walk to Andy Wilkins and a two-out RBI single by Carver.
Massanari had two hits and three RBI to lead Georgia, and Adam Fuller and Levi Hyams both added a pair of hits.
Georgia and Arkansas will play the second game of the series Saturday at 1 p.m. on FS South. Alex McRee (4-0, 2.30) will start for the Bulldogs while the Razorbacks will counter with T.J. Forrest (2-3, 5.02).