FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas' No. 2 baseball team rallied from a seven-point deficit to defeat Texas Tech 9-8 on Tuesday night at Baum-Walker Stadium.
Third baseman Jared Sprague-Lott scored the go-ahead run from third base in the ninth inning on a sacrifice fly from pinch hitter Nolan Souza. The Red Raiders committed two errors and gave a hit to a batter to start the inning.
The University of Arkansas (31-5) extended its home winning streak to 24 games. The Razorbacks came back from their biggest deficit to win since a 13-10 win over Louisiana Tech in 2017, when the University of Arkansas trailed 10-1.
22-year Razorbacks coach Dave Van Horn said the win was “a really good win” given the struggles of Arkansas' offense, which suffered a series loss to No. 14 Alabama last weekend. said.
“I'm proud of our players,” Van Horn said. “They came together and kept going and found a way to beat a team that could really hit.”
The University of Arkansas led 7-0 until the third and a half innings (26-12) against the Red Raiders, but they scored one run in the bottom of the fourth inning and six runs in the bottom of the fifth to tie the score at 7-7. Ta.
“Honestly, the dugout was good from the moment we got it,” Van Horn said. “I didn’t feel like the game was over.”
Austin Green hit a home run against Will McIntyre to give Texas Tech an 8-7 lead in the seventh inning, but Peyton Stovall hit into a double play and pinch runner Ty Wilmsmeyer scored for Arkansas. They conceded and tied the score again at 8-8. Third baseman in the 8th inning. Jason Jones led off the inning with a double, and Wilmsmeyer advanced on a wild pitch.
Texas Tech third baseman Cade McGee's error allowed Sprague Lott to reach to lead off the ninth inning, and Wehiwa Aloy reached when pitcher Parker Hatila slipped trying to throw to Sprague Lott at second base. Ben McLaughlin hit a 1-2 hit with a pitch, and the bases were loaded.
Texas Tech brought in an outfielder and set up a five-man infield for the game against Souza. The first-year student fell behind 0-2, but tied the game with two consecutive pitches to even the count. He took a 2-2 pitch into the right field seats, and Sprague Lott easily scored from third base.
“If the wind wasn't blowing, it might have disappeared out of the park,” Van Horn said.
Souza was mauled by his teammates on the first base side, had his uniform ripped off and was doused with cold water.
“I was really excited when I found out I could hit in that spot and get a walk,” Souza said.
The Red Raiders, who entered this game ranked 7th in the nation in scoring (9.8 RBIs per game) and 8th in batting average (.324), scored six runs in the second inning against Arkansas sophomore right-hander Ben Bybee. We won -0. .
“We weren't giving them anything,” Van Horn said. “They just went after Bybee. Basically, they struck out everything he threw in the second inning.”
Bybee allowed six hits in seven at-bats before being led by classmate Christian Faucci. After allowing Green a two-run double with two outs, Fauci struck out runners on second and third base and left him stranded. The inning also included a key defensive play when Sprague Lott opted for a forceout at home plate instead of hitting an inning-ending double play.
Bybee did well in the 1-2-3 first inning, and in the second he had one out and led McGee, a six-hole hitter, 0-2. However, after two outs, McGee fouled three pitches in a row and hit a home run into the left field seats in his sixth at-bat, giving Texas Tech a 2-0 lead.
Four consecutive singles by TJ Pompey, Tracer Lopez, Dylan Maxey, and Gavin Kash followed before Bybee was replaced. Maxcy and Kash had RBI hits to push the Red Raiders' lead to 4-0.
In the third inning, Fauci and Gage Wood combined to hit a runner on third base, and in the fourth, Wood allowed a two-out infield hit to Green, giving Texas Tech a 7-0 lead. Green, a clean-up hitter, had 5 hits for 5 at bats with 2 runs and 4 RBIs.
Arkansas entered the game in the fifth inning with an RBI single by Jack Wagner, and Sprague Lott scored in both innings with two walks.
In the fifth inning, Jones doubled and Will Edmundson walked to take on Texas Tech's left-handed starting pitcher Zach Erdman, and the Razorbacks battered replacement left-hander Hudson Ruth.
Peyton Holt (single), Aloy (double), McLaughlin (home run), and former Texas Tech catcher Hudson White (double) all had RBIs in the first inning. With the bases loaded, Sprague Lott converted a double play and Edmundson scored.
McLaughlin's 377-foot home run into the left-field seats pulled the Razorbacks within 7-6, and White's double over third base tied the game.
Texas Tech defeated Arkansas 13-10, but the Razorbacks slowed down the Red Raiders in the second half. Ten of Texas Tech's hits came in the fourth.
The Razorbacks' bullpen, which included Fauci, Wood, Parker Coyle, McIntyre, and Gabe Gaechle, held the Raiders to two runs on seven hits and one walk in 7 2/3 innings. Arkansas' pitchers combined for 14 strikeouts.
Goechl earned his second win with 1 2/3 innings of relief. He interfered with a passing baserunner at second base in the eighth inning, and avoided a one-out single and a stolen base in the ninth.
“We're a good ball club,” Gaechl said. “The offensive line did its job, the bullpen came in and kept putting up zeros. It worked out in the end.”
The ninth inning included a great running catch by Wilmsmeyer, who replaced him on defense at the start of the inning. With Will Burns at second base, Wilmsmeyer covered a lot of ground to take away potential extra-base hits from Drew Woodcox.
“He made a great jump on that ball, made a great read and drove it down,” Van Horn said. “A lot of people contributed to the win tonight. It was great to see.”
Aardman allowed five hits, one walk and three runs over four innings. Futira, who entered the game from the 9th inning, allowed an unearned run and suffered his first loss.
Why Arkansas won
The Razorbacks didn't panic even though they were down seven points early. With more patient batting in the middle innings, the University of Arkansas gradually took the lead.
Texas Tech starter Erdman forced the Razorbacks out with 33 pitches through the first three innings, but he left the Razorbacks with no outs and no runs allowed in the fifth inning with 61 pitches.
Most Valuable Player: Arkansas LF Jason Jones
Jones went 2-for-4, with leadoff doubles in the fifth and eighth innings. The Razorbacks scored seven runs in that inning.
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The University of Arkansas and Texas Tech will conclude their back-to-back on Wednesday at 4 p.m.
