Razorback bats explode in late innings to clinch series over Alabama
No. 22 Arkansas (23-13, 7-7 SEC) exploded for 10 runs in the final 2 innings to clinch the series over the No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide (26-10, 8-6 SEC) and bring their SEC record back to .500.
For the first 4 innings, the game was a near carbon copy of Friday’s game. Arkansas found themselves down 3-1 because of the Alabama running game. The Crimson Tide stole 4 bases off Cole Gibler making his first start of his career.
Gibler lasted 4 ⅔ innings in his first start, allowing 5 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), walking 4 and striking out two.
Arkansas’ offense came alive in the fifth inning. Nolan Souza snuck a ball inside the left field line for a leadoff double. Carter Rutenbar continues to impress, his RBI single cut the lead to just one. Rutenbar is the team’s leader in batting average in SEC games (13-for-38, .342). The Razorbacks pulled off a double steal of their own before scoring on a throwing error to tie the game.
Arkansas played fundamental baseball, moving runners with productive outs the entire afternoon. The Razorbacks scored 5 runs on outs, including Ryder Helfrick’s go-ahead sac fly.
The Razorbacks chased Alabama starter Zane Adams after 6 innings and feasted on an Alabama bullpen that struggled for the second straight day.
In just 6 innings of work across the first two games, Arkansas plated 18 runs, including 5 runs in both the eighth and the ninth inning Saturday. TJ Pompey hit a home run for the second straight game and now has eight on the season, third-most on the team.
The Razorbacks finished 8-for-16 with runners in scoring position.
Steele Eaves allowed an unearned run to score in the sixth to tie the game but got 5 key outs to bridge the gap to Colin Fisher. Eaves stranded the go-ahead run in scoring position.
Colin Fisher made his first relief appearance of the season, getting the final 9 outs, allowing 2 runs.
The Razorbacks look to sweep the Crimson Tide 1 p.m. Sunday. The game will be streamed on SEC Network+.
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No. 22 Arkansas (22-13, 6-7 SEC) looks to build on a series opening win over the No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide (26-9, 8-5 SEC) and clinch the series and bring their SEC record back to .500. Arkansas also picked up 11 spots in the RPI to move into the top 50. The Razorbacks now turn to lefty Cole Gibler (3-0, 2.57 ERA) for his first start in his career. Alabama turns to lefty Zane Adams (4-2, 4.07 ERA). Adams pitched a career-high 8 scoreless innings against the Razorbacks in 2024, striking out 5.
Alexander Peck also gets just his second start of his career, playing first base. Peck has not appeared in the starting lineup since the third game of the season against Texas Tech.
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Starting Lineups:
Arkansas:
LF Carter Rutenbar
C Ryder Helfrick
CF Maika Niu
SS Camden Kozeal
LF Damian Ruiz
DH Kuhio Aloy
1B Alexander Peck
2B Nolan Souza
3B TJ Pompey
LHP Cole Gibler
Alabama:
CF Bryce Fowler
SS Justin Lebron
RF Brady Neal
3B Jason Torres
C John Lemm
DH Eric Hines
LF Chase Kroberger
1B Luke Vaughn
2B Brennan Holt
LHP Zane Adams
Bottom 9th:
- Lebron struck out swinging
- Peyton Steele replaced Neal
- Steele walked
- Caleb Barnett replaced Torres
- Steele advanced to second on defensive indifference
- Barnett singled to right, Steele scored, Arkansas 15, Alabama 6
- Will Plattner replaced Lemm
- Plattner grounded out to short, 2 outs
- Evan Taylor replaced Hines
- Taylor grounded out to third, 3 outs
Top 9th:
- Niu hit by a pitch
- Kozeal grounded out to second, Niu to second, 1 out
- Niu stole third
- Ruiz walked
- Ruiz advanced to second on a wild pitch
- Aloy singled to center, Niu scored, Ruiz to third, Arkansas 11, Alabama 5
- Tate Robinson replaced Morris
- Robinett walked
- Souza singled to right, Ruiz scored, Aloy scored, Robinett to third, Arkansas 13, Alabama 5
- Pompey singled to right center, Souza to third, Robinett scored, Arkansas 14, Alabama 5
- Christian Turner replaced Colin Fisher
- Turner grounded into a fielder’s choice, short to second, Robinett scored, Arkansas 15, Alabama 5
- Helfrick grounded out to short, 3 outs
Bottom 8th:
- Hines singled to left
- Osterhouse grounded out to the pitcher, Hines to second, 1 out
- Vaughn singled to left, Hines to third
- Holt grounded into a fielder’s choice, Hines scored, Vaughn out at second, second to short, Arkansas 10, Alabama 5
- Fowler grounded out to second, 3 outs
Top 8th:
- Kozeal doubled to left
- Ruiz singled to center, Kozeal scored, Arkansas 6, Alabama 4
- Aloy singled to center, Ruiz to second
- Luke Smyers replaced Mitchell
- Robinett singled to first, bunt, Ruiz to third, Aloy to second
- Souza flied out to center, Ruiz scored, Aloy to third, Robinett to second, 1 out, Arkansas 7, Alabama 4
- Austin Morris replaced Smyers
- Pompey homered to left, Aloy scored, Robinett scored, Arkansas 10, Alabama 4
- Rutenbar struck out swinging, 2 outs
- Helfrick struck out swinging, 3 outs
Bottom 7th:
- Colin Fisher replaced Eaves
- Neal walked
- Torres grounded into a double play, second to first, Neal out at second, 2 outs
- Lemm grounded out to first, 3 outs
Top 7th:
- Osterhouse replaced Kroberger in left field
- Sam Mitchell replaced Adams
- Pompey doubled to left
- Rutenbar grounded out to short, Pompey to third, 1 out
- Helfrick grounded out to short, Pompey scored, 2 outs, Arkansas 5, Alabama 4
- Niu grounded out to third, 3 outs
Bottom 6th:
- Reese Robinett replaced Peck at first base
- Hines struck out swinging, 1 out
- Justin Osterhouse replaced Kroberger
- Osterhouse singled to center
- Vaughn reached on a throwing error by the third baseman, Osterhouse to second
- Osterhouse advanced to third on a passed ball, Vaughn to second
- Holt walked
- Fowler flied out to left, Osterhouse scored, 2 outs, Alabama 4, Arkansas 4
- Lebron struck out swinging, 3 outs
Top 6th:
- Kozeal reached on a throwing error by the second baseman
- Ruiz grounded out to the pitcher, bunt, sacrifice, Kozeal to second, 1 out
- Aloy walked
- Peck flied out to left, 2 outs
- Souza grounded out to short, 3 outs
Bottom 5th:
- Lebron grounded out to short. 1 out
- Neal doubled to left center
- Steele Eaves replaced Gibler
- Torres struck out looking, 2 outs
- Lemm grounded out to first, 3 outs
Top 5th:
- Peck lined out to right, 1 out
- Souza doubled to left
- Pompey hit by a pitch
- Rutenbar singled to center, Souza scored, Pompey to second, Alabama 3, Arkansas 2
- Pompey stole third, Rutenbar stole second, Pompey scored on a throwing error by the catcher, Rutenbar to third, Arkansas 3, Alabama 3
- Helfrick flied out to center, Rutenbar scored, Arkansas 4, Alabama 3
- Niu flied out to left. 3 outs
Bottom 4th:
- Lemm grounded out to second, 1 out
- Hines struck out swinging, 2 outs
- Krobeger singled to the pitcher, bunt
- Vaughn walked, Kroberger to second
- Holt singled to center, Kroberger scored, Vaughn to second, Alabama 3, Arkansas 1
- Fowler flied out to left, 3 outs
Top 4th:
- Kozeal popped up to short, 1 out
- Ruiz flied out to left, 2 outs
- Aloy struck out swinging, 3 outs
Bottom 3rd:
- Holt walked
- Holt stole second
- Fowler popped up to second, 1 out
- Lebron singled to center, Holt scored, Alabama 2, Arkansas 1
- Neal grounded out to second, Lebron to second, 2 outs
- Lebron stole third
- Torres grounded out to the pitcher, 3 outs
Top 3rd:
- Pompey lined out to right, 1 out
- Rutenbar doubled to right
- Helfrick singled to third, Rutenbar to third
- Niu grounded into a fielder’s choice, Helfrick out at second, third to second, Rutenbar scored, 2 outs, Arkansas 1, Alabama 1
- Niu picked off, pitcher to first to short, 3 outs
Bottom 2nd:
- Lemm grounded out to second, 1 out
- Hines struck out swinging, 2 outs
- Kroberger walked
- Vaughn popped up to third, 3 outs
Top 2nd:
- Kozeal flied out to center, 1 out
- Ruiz walked
- Aloy singled to left, Ruiz to second
- Peck struck out swinging, 2 outs
- Souza grounded out to second, 3 outs
Bottom 1st:
- Fowler singled to right
- Lebron grounded into a fielder’s choice, Fowler out at second, short to second, 1 out
- Lebron stole second
- Lebron stole third, scored on a throwing error by the catcher, Alabama 1, Arkansas 0
- Neal walked
- Torres grounded into a double play, third to second to first, Neal out at second, 3 outs
Top 1st:
- Rutenbar flied out to left, 1 out
- Helfrick struck out swinging, 2 outs
- Niu struck out swinging, 3 outs
