The Razorbacks had a rollercoaster 6-5 win over Texas Tech in the final game of the Shriner’s Children’s College Baseball Showdown Sunday.
The Razorbacks were up three runs entering the top of the ninth, then right-handed junior Cooper Dossett stepped on the mound to pitch. Dossett Loaded the bases in way of two walks and a single. Sophomore right fielder Jace Souza started the scoring rally by drawing a walk.
The Hogs then chose the right-handed sophomore Steele Eaves to relieve Dossett. Eaves hit one batsman, bringing the deficit for Texas Tech down to one. Tech’s senior second baseman Tracer Lopez finally opened up the inning with a single into right field on a two strike count to score two more runs, which allowed Tech to take the lead going into the bottom of the ninth.
Cam Kozeal hits a homerun
Rani Mendolia // Visuals Editor
The Hogs came into the bottom of the ninth down one and quickly went down one out due to a groundout, which brought junior second baseman Camden Kozeal. Kozeal, the Omaha native, went down quickly in the count as he fouled off a pitch and got a strike on him.
Kozeal quickly recovered, as he took the next pitch to the right field bleachers to tie up the game.
The 10th inning went quickly as both sides went three up, three down. Eaves made quick work in the top of the 11th only allowing a walk.
Then came the bottom of the inning, when redshirt junior left fielder Damian Ruiz continued his hot streak by lacing a single to center.
Ruiz was moved to third by junior catcher Ryder Helfrick as he delivered a single to right. Then, senior outfielder Maika Niu delivered the walk-off sacrifice fly to the right center field gap, scoring Ruiz.
“(Ruiz) is not swinging at balls… that was really the only time he chased all day,” head coach Dave Van Horn said.
The Razorbacks were down early with Nolan Souza, Reese Robinett, and Kuhio Aloy all out of the starting lineup. This allowed the Hogs to start four freshmen, which makes it the first time since 2005 that an SEC team has started four freshmen in a lineup.
The freshmen did struggle however against the big time opponent, only tallying two hits in 16 at bats.
“I started four freshmen in the field. Very rare in the Southeastern Conference. And you know wanted them to get some time.” Van Horn said
Texas Tech struggled early on in the game, as junior lefty Colin Fisher only allowed three baserunners, one by way of a single and two by way of walks.
Fisher finished the day recording five one hit innings with eight strikeouts and no runs allowed. Fisher was then relieved by redshirt sophomore James DeCremer, who pitched two one hit innings with one strikeout and one walk.
The Hogs got to see a fair share of arms, as the Red Raiders used seven pitchers. The loss for the Red Raiders went to junior righty Logan Bevis, as he went one inning, two hits and one earned run, which was the walkoff.
“Again we left runners out there early. We should’ve scored more runs,” Van Horn said.
Randi Mendolia // Visuals Editor
The Hogs once again struggled to deliver a big blow as the Razorbacks left 11 runners on the bases in back to back games. The Razorbacks do have quite a few bright spots as leadoff hitter Ruiz went 2-for-2 with four walks, raising his average to a team leading .714.
Helfrick continued his preseason Golden Spikes watchlist campaign with two more hits against the Red Raiders to put his batting average at .357, second on the team.
The Hogs finished their four game weekend with a win against Tarleton State in the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series Monday with a final score of 3-1.
Arkansas will return home for the home opener against Xavier Friday. The game will be aired on the SEC network with first pitch at 3:00 p.m.