Associated Press
TEMPE, Ariz. — Corbin Shive hit a two-run homer in Charlotte’s three-run second inning and Andrew Smith limited Arkansas to a run on five hits in 7 1-3 innings to help the 49ers beat the Razorbacks 3-2 on Friday in the first game of the NCAA Tempe Regional.
“He left a ball up and in to me. Kind of surprised me,” Shive said. “I guess I put a good swing on it. A big time to hit it, so it felt good.”
The homer was Shive’s first of the season.
“I’m stupid, Corbin is a two-way guy for us and we haven’t given him enough at-bats, but he started figuring it out the last couple of weeks,” Charlotte coach Loren Hibbs said about the designated hitter/first baseman. “I couldn’t be more prouder of our guys.”
Arizona State faced New Mexico in the second game. The winners and losers of the Friday games will meet Saturday in the double-elimination regional.
Smith (10-4) gave up a leadoff double in the third, then retired six in a row and got double plays to end the fifth and sixth innings for Charlotte (43-14), the Atlantic 10 champion.
Corey Roberts finished for the save, allowing Kyle Robinson’s homer in the ninth.
The 49ers chased starter Randall Fant (3-5) after just 11 batters.
In the second, Justin Wilson singled and Shive homered to make it 2-0. Corey Shaylor then singled and scored on Justin Roland’s grounder to second.
Shane Brown led off the 49ers’ third with an infield single. But he was caught stealing on a pitchout and Arkansas reliever Brandon Moore then retired the next seven men. Moore and Barrett Astin allowed just two hits over the final six innings.
In the bottom of the third, Arkansas’ Tim Carver led off with a double down the left-field line and scored on a fly ball to cut the 49ers’ lead to 3-1.
“I think early in the game we pressed a little bit,” said catcher James McCann, the Razorbacks’ second-leading hitter who went 0 for 4 on Friday. “By the time we got settled down, it was too late, he (Smith) had already found his groove out there.”