Seven-run eighth sparks Arkansas comeback over Oklahoma, wins third straight SEC game
No. 17 Arkansas (34-17, 15-11 SEC) sent 11 batters to the plate in the bottom of the eighth to put up 7 runs and erased an 8-5 deficit, clinching the series against No. 24 Oklahoma (30-18, 12-14 SEC) 12-8.
Arkansas put runners on the corners with one out, bringing up Kuhio Aloy as the tying run. Aloy hit a hard ground ball right at the shortstop Jaxon Willits. Willits bobbled the ball and couldn’t pick the ball cleanly, allowing a run to score and Aloy to reach first.
Had Willits picked the ball cleanly, it likely would have started an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play.
Despite scoring 5 runs, Arkansas had just 3 hits coming into the eighth as Oklahoma largely worked its way around 13 free passes (11 walks and 2 hit by pitches). Three straight Razorbacks picked up RBI base hits in the span of 4 pitches off Oklahoma reliever Jackson Cleveland.
Zack Stewart, who came into the at-bat 4 for his last 29 (.137) hit the go-ahead 2-run double down the right field line to clinch the series for Arkansas.
Gabe Gaeckle started for the Razorbacks in his second week back in the weekend rotation. Pitching on short rest after pitching Sunday against Ole Miss, Gaeckle allowed 3 earned runs in 4 ⅔ innings of work, striking out 4 on 81 pitches. Gaeckle left with the Razorbacks up 5-3.
Parker Coil stranded the pair of inherited runners that Gaeckle left him in the fifth but was charged with 4 runs in his 1 ⅓ innings of relief. Oklahoma scored 5 unanswered runs in 3 innings from the sixth to the eighth to take an 8-5 lead.
Coil allowed a 2-run game-tying home run to Kyle Branch in the sixth before Steele Eaves allowed two inherited runners to score on a 2-run double off the bat of Detien LaChance in the seventh.
Oklahoma right fielder Dasan Harris came into the game with 3 career home runs in 3 seasons hit a pair of homers, including a solo shot for extra insurance off Tate McGuire in the eighth.
That insurance policy turned out to be no good as the Razorbacks exploded for 7 runs in the bottom of the inning. Arkansas has now outscored opponents 58-18 in the eighth on the season, the biggest margin of any inning. It was also Arkansas’ first win of the season when the opponent scored 7 or more runs. The Razorbacks had been 0-11 in such games before today.
Ethan McElvain pitched a scoreless ninth. Despite back-to-back baserunners with 2 outs, the tying run never came to the plate.
Arkansas goes for the sweep in the final regular season home game. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday and will be streamed on SEC Network+.
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No. 17 Arkansas (33-17, 14-11 SEC) looks to clinch the series against No. 24 Oklahoma (30-17, 12-13 SEC) after winning the opener 12-2 in 7 innings. Arkansas came into the day in eighth place due to tiebreaker and holding on to the final single bye in the upcoming SEC Tournament. However, the Razorbacks are tied with five other teams in the loss column for fourth, giving Arkansas an unlikely chance still at a double bye. Arkansas sends righty Gabe Gaeckle (5-3, 4.35 ERA) to the mound. Oklahoma counters with righty Cameron Johnson (6-1, 2.96 ERA). Johnson lasted just one inning last week against Florida before being removed due to injury, but has not allowed a run in his last 11 ⅔ innings of work.
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Starting Lineups:
Arkansas:
LF Damian Ruiz
SS Camden Kozeal
C Ryder Helfrick
DH Kuhio Aloy
2B Nolan Souza
CF Maika Niu
RF Zack Stewart
3B TJ Pompey
1B Alexander Peck
RHP Gabe Gaeckle
Oklahoma:
CF Jason Walk
3B Camden Johnson
C Detien LaChance
SS Jaxon Willits
DH Trey Gambill
LF Brendan Brock
RF Dasan Harris
2B Kyle Branch
1B Connor Larkin
RHP Cameron Johnson
Top 9th:
- Ethan McElvain replaced McGuire
- Johnson struck out looking, 1 out
- LaChance struck out swinging, 2 outs
- Willits singled to left
- Willits advanced to second on defensive indifference
- Gambill walked
- Brock flied out to center, 3 outs
Bottom 8th:
- Ruiz grounded out to short, 1 out
- Kozeal walked
- Helfrick singled to left center, Kozeal to third
- Aloy reached on a fielding error by the shortstop, Kozeal scored, Helfrick to second, Oklahoma 8, Arkansas 6
- Souza singled to center, Helfrick scored, Aloy to third, Oklahoma 8, Arkansas 7
- Niu singled to center, Aloy scored, Souza to second, Oklahoma 8, Arkansas 8
- Stewart doubled to right, Souza scored, Niu scored, Arkansas 10, Oklahoma 8
- Christian Turner replaced Stewart at second
- Jason Bodin replaced Cleveland
- Pompey grounded out to first, Turner to third, 2 outs
- Rutenbar singled to center, Turner scored, Arkansas 11, Oklahoma 8
- Rutenbar advanced to second on a wild pitch
- Ruiz singled to center, Rutenbar scored, Arkansas 12, Oklahoma 8
- Ruiz stole second
- Kozeal lined out to center, 3 outs
Top 8th:
- Tate McGuire replaced Eaves
- Harris homered to left, Oklahoma 8, Arkansas 5
- Branch grounded out to third, 1 out
- Dayton Tockey replaced Dickerson
- Tockey fouled out to the catcher, 2 outs
- Walk flied out to right, 3 outs
Bottom 7th:
- Third baseman charged with an error on a dropped foul ball
- Niu struck out swinging, 1 out
- Jackson Cleveland replaced Stevens in a 1-0 count
- Stewart struck out swinging, 2 outs
- Pompey walked
- Carter Rutenbar replaced Peck
- Pompey stole second’
- Rutenbar struck out swinging, 3 outs
Because of another injury, Oklahoma forced to go to the righty in the middle of the at-bat against Stewart, loses the left-on-left matchup.
Top 7th:
- Walk singled to short
- Johnson singled to left center, Walk to second
- Steele Eaves replaced Coil
- LaChance doubled to right center, Walk scored, Johnson scored, Oklahoma 7, Arkansas 5
- Willits flied out to center, 1 out
- Gambill fouled out to first, 2 outs
- Brock grounded out to short, 3 outs
Bottom 6th:
- Ruiz struck out swinging, 1 out
- Kozeal walked
- Helfrick walked, Kozeal to second
- Aloy struck out looking, 2 outs
- Nolan Stevens replaced Leon
- Souza struck out looking, 3 outs
Leon struck out Aloy on a 3-2 pitch and then immediately hunched over. Lengthy delay incoming here. 2 on, 2 out in a tie game.
Top 6th:
- Gambill struck out swinging, 1 out
- Brock fouled out to first, 2 outs
- Harris singled to right
- Branch homered to left center, Harris scored, Oklahoma 5, Arkansas 5
- Drew Dickerson replaced Larkin
- Dickerson struck out swinging, 3 outs
Bottom 5th:
- Souza walked
- Niu lined out to left, 1 out
- Nate Smithburg replaced Mercurius
- Stewart struck out swinging, 2 outs
- Kadyn Lyon replaced Smithburg
- Souza stole second
- Pompey walked
- Peck grounded out to second, 3 outs
Top 5th:
- Larkin grounded out, first to pitcher, 1 out
- Walk struck out looking, 2 outs
- Johnson singled to the catcher
- LaChance walked, Johnson to second
- Parker Coil replaced Gaeckle
- Willits grounded out to second, 3 outs
Bottom 4th:
- Peck doubled to left
- Ruiz grounded out to second, Peck to third, 1 out
- Kozeal walked
- Helfrick grounded into a fielder’s choice, Peck scored, Kozeal out at second, short to second, 2 outs
- Aloy struck out swinging, 3 outs
Top 4th:
- Gambill flied out to right, 1 out
- Brock grounded out to short, 2 outs
- Harris homered to right, Arkansas 4, Oklahoma 3
- Branch grounded to short, 3 outs
Bottom 3rd:
- Kozeal struck out swinging, 1 out
- Helfrick walked
- Helfrick stole second
- Aloy walked
- Souza hit by a pitch, Helfrick to third, Aloy to second
- Xander Mercurius replaced Johnson
- Niu grounded into a fielder’s choice, Helfrick scored, Souza out at second, unassisted, Aloy to third, Helfrick scored, Arkansas 4, Oklahoma 2
- Stewart walked, Niu to second
- Pompey struck out swinging, 3 outs
Top 3rd:
- Branch grounded out, first to the pitcher, 1 out
- Larkin singled to second
- Walk doubled to right, Larkin to third
- Johnson grounded out to second, Larkin scored, Walk to third, Arkansas 3, Oklahoma 2
- LaChance walked
- Willits flied out to center, 3 outs
Bottom 2nd:
- Souza struck out looking, 1 out
- Niu homered to right, Arkansas 1, Oklahoma 1
- Stewart hit by a pitch
- Pompey homered to left center, Arkansas 3, Oklahoma 1
- Peck lined out to center, 2 outs
- Ruiz grounded out to the pitcher, 3 outs
Top 2nd:
- Gambill struck out looking, 1 out
- Brock grounded out to short, 2 outs
- Harris grounded out to third, 3 outs
Bottom 1st:
- Ruiz grounded out to short, 1 out
- Kozeal struck out looking, 2 outs
- Helfrick walked
- Aloy lined out to right, 3 outs
Top 1st:
- Walk struck out swinging, 1 out
- Johnson flied out to center, 2 outs
- LaChance homered to left, Oklahoma 1, Arkansas 0
- Willits struck out swinging, 3 outs
