Razorbacks run-rule Arkansas-Pine Bluff for fifth straight win
No. 16 Arkansas won its fifth straight game, tying the longest winning streak of the season with a 12-2 run-rule win over the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions.
The Razorbacks took advantage of 12 free passes (9 walks and 3 hit batters) to score in five of the seven innings. Kuhio Aloy built on his strong weekend after breaking out of a prolonged slump. Aloy drove in 4 runs with a trio of singles.
Since breaking out of his 3-for-28 slump against Alabama, Aloy is now 7 for his last 14 to raise his batting average nearly 30 points from .252 to .281.
Carter Rutenbar reached base four times out of the leadoff spot with 3 walks. Eight of the nine Razorback starters got a hit. Damian Ruiz was the lone starter who failed to record a hit but reached base three times on a pair of hit by pitches and a walk.
Zack Stewart got a unique walk-off RBI. With a runner on third and just one out, Stewart looked to have hit a can of corn popup in foul territory to second baseman Trinidad de la Garza. De la Garza dropped the ball and Camden Kozeal scampered home to score the run and end the game.
Razorback pitchers held the Golden Lions to just two hits. Colin Fisher pitched three scoreless innings in his first midweek start after being demoted from the weekend rotation. Mark Brissey also got back on track. After allowing at least 1 run in each of his last four appearances, Brissey allowed just 1 hit in 2 ⅓ scoreless innings.
Jackson Kircher and Cooper Dossett each allowed one run each in their outings.
The Razorbacks now return back to Baum-Walker Stadium for a series with Georgia which could have huge implications for the SEC standings. Arkansas sits three games behind the Bulldogs at 8-7. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday and will be broadcast on ESPNU.
Live Updates:
No. 16 Arkansas (24-13, 8-7 SEC) looks to carry over the momentum from its strongest week of the season after sweeping Alabama to vault themselves back into the SEC race. The Razorbacks are back on the road to face the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions (17-21, 10-5 SWAC) at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock. Arkansas starts lefty Colin Fisher (3-4, 4.50 ERA) after he was recently demoted from the Sunday Starter role against Alabama. The Lions start righty Reagan James (3-2, 5.45 ERA)
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Starting Lineups:
Arkansas:
1B Carter Rutenbar
C Ryder Helfrick
SS Camden Kozeal
LF Damian Ruiz
2B Nolan Souza
CF Maika Niu
RF Zack Stewart
DH Kuhio Aloy
3B TJ Pompey
LHP Colin Fisher
Pine Bluff:
LF Jose Vasquez
SS Zach Wieder
RF Blake Coleman
2B Aaron Grant
DH Joe Adams
CF Zyon Hamilton
1B Lazaro Alvarado
3B Ian Smith
C Matt Dworsky
RHP Reagan James
Bottom 7th:
- Rutenbar walked
- Robinett singled to left, Rutenbar to second
- Kozeal doubled to left, Rutenbar scored, Robinett to third, Arkansas 10, UAPB 2
- Ruiz hit by a pitch
- Souza flied out to center, Robinett scored, Kozeal to third, Ruiz to second, 2 outs, Arkansas 11, UAPB 2
- Niu walked
- Stewart fouled out to second, 2 outs, Kozeal scored, Arkansas 12, UAPB 2
Top 7th:
- Cooper Dossett replaced Brissey
- Gingerich walked
- Gingerich advanced to second on a balk
- Hockemeyer grounded out, Gingerich to third, 1 out
- Alvarado grounded out to second, Gingerich scored, 2 outs, Arkansas 9, UAPB 2
- Smith walked
- Gietzen struck out looking, 3 outs
Bottom 6th:
- Stewart struck out swinging, 1 out
- Aloy struck out looking, 2 outs
- Pompey singled to left
- Pompey stole second
- Pompey picked off of second base, pitcher to short, 3 outs
Top 6th:
- Wieder popped up to short, 1 out
- Coleman struck out swinging, 2 outs
- Grant grounded out to third, 3 outs
Bottom 5th:
- Stewart doubled to right
- Aloy singled to right, Stewart scored, Arkansas 7, UAPB 1
- Aloy advanced to second on a wild pitch
- Pompey walked
- Jordan Medellin replaced Hasten
- Rutenbar popped up to short on the infield fly rule, 1 out
- Helfrick walked, Aloy to third, Pompey to second
- Kozeal struck out swinging, 2 outs
- Ruiz hit by a pitch, Aloy scored, Pompey to third, Helfrick to second, Arkansas 8, UAPB 1
- Souza walked, Pompey scored, Helfrick to third, Ruiz to second, Arkansas 9, UAPB 1
- Brendan Hamlin replaced Medelin
- Niu flied out to right, 3 outs
Top 5th:
- Nick Hockemeyer replaced Hamilton
- Hockemeyer grounded out to the pitcher, 1 out
- Alvarado singled to left
- Smith walked, Alvarado to second
- Owen Gietzen replaced Dworsky
- Gietzen struck out swinging, 2 outs
- Vasquez fouled out to the catcher, 3 outs
Bottom 4th:
- Jack Hasten replaced Fabian
- Kozeal flied out to center, 1 out
- Ruiz flied out to left, 2 outs
- Souza doubled to right
- Niu flied out to left, 3 outs
Top 4th:
- Jackson Kircher replaced Fisher
- Vasquez struck out swinging, 1 out
- Wieder walked
- Coleman walked, Wieder to second
- Wieder advanced to third on a wild pitch, Coleman out at second, catcher to second, 2 outs
- Grant walked, Wieder scored on a wild pitch, Arkansas 6, UAPB 1
- Weston Gingerich replaced Adams
- Mark Brissey replaced Kircher in a 1-0 count
- Gingerich struck out swinging, 3 outs
Bottom 3rd:
- Ruiz walked
- Souza singled to left, Ruiz to second
- Ruiz stole third, Souza stole second
- Niu struck out swinging, 3 outs
- Stewart hit by a pitch
- Aloy singled to center, Ruiz scored, Souza scored, Stewart to third, Arkansas 5, UAPB 0
- Kenney Fabian replaced King
- Pompey struck out looking, 2 outs
- Stewart scored on a passed ball, Aloy to second, Arkansas 6, UAPB 0
- Rutenbar singled to left, Aloy to third
- Rutenbar stole second
- Helfrick struck out swinging, 3 outs
Top 3rd:
- Alvarado grounded out to second, 1 out
- Smith lined out to right, 2 outs
- Dworsky grounded out to first, 3 outs
Bottom 2nd:
- Niu singled to third, bunt,
- Stewart grounded out to second, 1 out, Niu to second
- Aloy singled to center, Niu scored, Arkansas 3, UAPB 0
- Pompey struck out swinging, 2 outs
- Aloy stole second
- Rutenbar walked, Aloy advanced to third on a wild pitch
- Joe King replaced James
- Helfrick walked, Rutenbar to second
- Kozeal lined out to center, 3 outs
Top 2nd:
- Grant grounded out to short, 1 out
- Adams singled to the pitcher
- Adams picked off of first, pitcher to first, 2 outs
- Hamilton grounded out to short, 3 outs
Bottom 1st:
- Rutenbar walked
- Helfrick singled to left, Rutenbar to second
- Kozeal singled to right, Rutenbar scored, Helfrick to third, Arkansas 1, UAPB 0
- Ruiz grounded into a double play, third to second to first, Kozeal out at second, 2 outs, Arkansas 2, UAPB 0
- Souza struck out looking, 3 outs
Top 1st:
- Vasquez grounded out to third, 1 out
- Wieder popped up to second, 2 outs
- Coleman struck out swinging, 3 outs
