Razorbacks blast quartet of home runs to run-rule Oklahoma
No. 17 Arkansas (33-17, 14-11 SEC) blasted four home runs to win the series opener in run-rule fashion over No. 24 Oklahoma (30-17, 12-13 SEC), 12-2 in seven innings.
After giving up the game’s first run in the top of the second, Arkansas sent nine hitters to the plate and chased Oklahoma starter LJ Mercurius after just 4 outs recorded.
Maika Niu opened the Hogs’ account with an RBI double before a TJ Pompey RBI single.
Damian Ruiz hit his first home run since April 17 against Georgia, a 2-run shot to left field into the Hog Pen to cap the inning.
Oklahoma’s first run came at a heavy price for Arkansas. Carter Rutenbar tried to block a ball hit to him at first base. The ball took a wicked hop and bounced up and hit Rutenbar in the face.
With Rutenbar bleeding, Alexander Peck was called into action for just the sixth time in SEC play to take over at first base.
After striking out in his first plate appearance, Peck was just 1-for-14 on the season, but launched a 2-run home run for his first extra-base hit of his career and stretch the Razorback lead to 7-2.
With Hunter Dietz on the mound, the 7 runs were more than enough support as Dietz turned in yet another solid start. Because of the run-rule, Dietz gets credit for a complete game, striking out seven and working around 7 hits and 3 walks. One of the 2 runs charged to Dietz was unearned thanks to a fielding error out in left field by Ruiz.
Dietz’s season ERA now sits at 3.22 and the Razorbacks have won each of the last 6 games that Dietz has started.
Oklahoma came into the game with a reputation for playing small ball, leading the SEC in stolen bases, but it was Arkansas that gave the Sooners a taste of their own medicine. Despite the prominence of the long ball, Arkansas used back-to-back bunt singles up the third base line from TJ Pompey and Ruiz to load the bases with no outs.
Camden Kozeal then drove everyone in with a grand slam to straightaway center, his 15th home run of the year, tying catcher Ryder Helfrick for the team lead.
Maika Niu capped off the run-rule with a solo shot in the bottom of the seventh.
Arkansas looks to clinch the series against the Sooners with a game to spare. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday and will be streamed on SEC Network+.
Live Updates:
No. 17 Arkansas (32-17, 13-11 SEC) opens its final home series of the season against No. 24 Oklahoma (30-16, 12-12 SEC). The Razorbacks are clinging to outside chances to host a regional for the fourth straight season. Arkansas also enters the play Friday 2.5 games out of fourth in the SEC for a coveted double bye in the conference tournament.
The Razorbacks also currently hold the final single bye spot at No. 8 with four teams within two games of Arkansas in the chasing pack, including Oklahoma. Arkansas sends lefty Hunter Dietz (6-2, 3.43 ERA) to the mound. The Razorbacks have won each of Dietz’s last five starts. Oklahoma counters with righty LJ Mercurius (6-5, 4.95 ERA).
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Starting Lineups:
Arkansas:
LF Damian Ruiz
SS Camden Kozeal
C Ryder Helfrick
1B Carter Rutenbar
DH Kuhio Aloy
2B Nolan Souza
CF Maika Niu
3B TJ Pompey
RF Zack Stewart
LHP Hunter Dietz
Oklahoma:
3B Camden Johnson
C Brendan Brock
1B Detien LaChance
SS Jaxon Willits
LF Trey Gambill
DH Drew Dickerson
CF Jason Walk
2B Kyle Branch
RF Dasan Harris
RHP LJ Mercurius
Bottom 7th:
- Souza flied out to left, 1 out
- Niu homered to left, Arkansas 12, Oklahoma 2
Top 7th:
- Branch struck out swinging, 1 out
- Harris singled to left
- Johnson singled to left, Harris to second
- Brock grounded into a double play, pitcher to short to first, Johnson out at second, 3 outs
Bottom 6th:
- Reid Hensley replaced Barfield
- Stewart walked
- Pompey singled to third, bunt, Stewart to second
- Ruiz singled to third, bunt, Stewart to third, Pompey to second
- Kozeal homered to center, Ruiz scored, Stewart scored, Pompey scored, Arkansas 11, Oklahoma 2
- Helfrick singled to center
- Issac Williams replaced Hensley
- Helfrick out at second, catcher to second, 2 outs
- Aloy struck out swinging, 3 outs
Top 6th:
- Gambill grounded out to short, 1 out
- Dickerson struck out looking, 2 outs
- Walk grounded out to short, 3 outs
Bottom 5th:
- Kozeal lined out to right, 1 out
- Helfrick walked
- Jaden Barfield replaced Wesloski
- Peck homered to left, Helfrick scored, Arkansas 7, Oklahoma 2
- Aloy grounded out to short, 2 outs
- Souza doubled to left
- Niu struck out swinging, 3 outs
Top 5th:
- Johnson doubled to left
- Brock struck out swinging, 1 out
- LaChance singled to left, Johnson to third, scored on an error by the left fielder, Arkansas 5, Oklahoma 2
- LaChance out at second, catcher to second, 2 outs
- Willits grounded out to short, 3 outs
Bottom 4th:
- Stewart grounded out to second, 1 out
- Pompey struck out swinging, 2 outs
- Ruiz struck out looking, 3 outs
Top 4th:
- Gambill grounded out to third, 1 out
- Dickerson struck out swinging, 2 outs
- Walk walked
- Branch singled to short, Walk to second
- Harris grounded out to second, 3 outs
Bottom 3rd:
- Aloy lined out to center, 1 out
- Souza struck out swinging, 2 outs
- Niu struck out swinging, 3 outs
Top 3rd:
- Brock popped up to short, 1 out
- LaChance struck out swinging, 2 outs
- Willits grounded out to third, 3 outs
Bottom 2nd:
- Aloy walked
- Souza singled to right, Aloy to second
- Niu doubled to left, Aloy scored, Souza to third, Arkansas 1, Oklahoma 1
- Stewart flied out to center, Souza scored, Niu to third, Arkansas 2, Oklahoma 1, 1 out
- Pompey singled to right, Niu scored, Arkansas 3, Oklahoma 1
- Pompey stole second
- Ruiz homered to left, Pompey scored, Arkansas 5, Oklahoma 1
- Kozeal singled to left
- Nick Wesloski replaced Mercurius
- Helfrick fouled out to second, 2 outs
- Peck struck out swinging, 3 outs
Top 2nd:
- Gambill walked
- Dickerson grounded into a fielder’s choice, third to second, Gambill out at second, 1 out
- Walk struck out swinging, 2 outs
- Branch walked, Dickerson to second
- Harris singled to first, Dickerson scored, Branch to second, Oklahoma 1, Arkansas 0
- Alexander Peck replaced Rutenbar at first
- Johnson grounded out to second, 3 outs
A painful run against Arkansas as Carter Rutenbar takes a nasty shot in the face on a hop. 2 walks in the inning so far. Hogs had a shot to turn two and didn’t. Now Alexander Peck takes over at first.
Bottom 1st:
- Ruiz struck out looking, 1 out
- Kozeal singled to right
- Helfrick flied out to right, 2 outs
- Rutenbar struck out swinging, 3 outs
Top 1st:
- Johnson grounded out to second, 1 out
- Brock struck out looking, 2 outs
- LaChance singled up the middle
- Willits grounded out to third, 3 outs
