Kentucky 5, Arkansas 4

Kentucky limited Arkansas to three hits and the Wildcats beat the Razorbacks 5-4 on Saturday in the first game of a doubleheader at Baum Stadium.

The No. 3 Wildcats tied the weekend series with the No. 11 Razorbacks at one each. Arkansas won the first game of the series, 8-7, on Friday.

Kentucky (31-5, 10-4 SEC) scored three runs in the first inning off Arkansas starting pitcher Barrett Astin. Razorbacks shortstop Tim Carver committed three errors in the frame, helping fuel the rally.

Arkansas (25-9, 8-6) responded in the bottom of the first with a two-run home run by Matt Reynolds. The Razorbacks took a 4-3 lead in the second, scoring on an error and a balk.

It would be the last bit of offense the Razorbacks could muster, however, as relievers Chandler Shepherd and Tim Peterson combined to limit Arkansas to one hit in the final 5 2/3 innings.

Kentucky took the lead in the top of the fourth inning on consecutive RBI doubles by Thomas McCarthy and A.J. Reed. The Wildcats, the SEC's leading offensive team, recorded nine hits in the win and have 20 through the first two games of the series.

The Razorbacks loaded the bases in the fourth inning, but Shepherd got pinch-hitter Jimmy Bosco to hit into a double play. Bosco hit a line drive at Kentucky second baseman J.T. Riddle, who forced Jacob Morris out at second base to end the inning.

Arkansas had only one base runner in the final five innings.

Astin suffered the loss for the Razorbacks, allowing two earned runs (five total) on seven hits in 4-plus innings. Brandon Moore pitched five scoreless innings in relief for Arkansas, allowing just two hits.

The two teams will play the series finale Saturday afternoon with a start time scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Junior right-hander DJ Baxendale (6-1, 4.20 ERA) will get the start on the mound for Arkansas, while sophomore left-hander Corey Littrell (5-0, 2.02) will start for the Wildcats.