FAYETTEVILLE -- Stetson jumped on Arkansas starter James DeCremer in the top of the first and went on to take a 6-4 win on Monday at Baum-Walker Stadium to earn a split in the four-game series.
The first five hitters for Stetson all reached base forcing Dave Van Horn to remove DeCremer before he ever recorded an out. Juan De la Cruz walked and then Renzo Gonzalez and Foster Apple singled. De la Cruz scored on Apple's single. Then Yohann Dessureault sent a ball over the fence in right field for a 4-0 lead. Samuel Fernandez followed with a single and that was it for DeCremer. Van Horn commented on DeCremer's outing.
"His last outing wasn't very good," Van Horn said. "The one before was really good. He has had two really bad games in a row. Five hitters and we don't an out and down four runs."
Van Horn turned to Tate McGuire, Steele Eaves and Parker Coil for the remainder of the game. They combined to allow just seven hits and two runs, walking none and striking out five.
"A good job by the bullpen for the most part," Van Horn said. "They gave us a chance to get back in the game and win it."
Carter Rutenbar, a true freshman, earned his second start in a row. He had four hits in five at bats. He was on base in the bottom of the second when Reese Robinett hit a two-run home run. Van Horn liked what he saw from Rutenbar in the ninth with two outs.
"Rutenbar got down two strikes then slapped the ball through there," Van Horn said. "A great at bat and his fourth hit of the day. He gave us a chance.
"We're trying to figure out how to get Rutenbar in the lineup. That is why I put Rutenbar up there in the four-hole. I felt he gave us some good at bats [on Sunday]. He got four hits but never had anyone to drive in."
Rutenbar talked after the game about his approach at the plate. He played right field on Sunday and designated hitter on Monday. His natural position is catcher.
"I feel really confident right now," Rutenbar said. "I was just looking for a quality at bat."
"I like the way we competed," Van Horn said. "We did a pretty nice job on defense for the most part. It was really a pretty good game. I don't like to lose, but we played really solidly and hit the ball hard. We pitched well out of the pen, but we just didn't win the game."
In the bottom of the second, Maika Niu singled after Robinett's home run. He then scored on a double by Nolan Souza making the score 4-3.
It stayed that way until the top of the fourth when Landon Russell singled off McGuire. Jayden Hylton followed with a two-run shot over the fence for a 6-3 lead.
Ryder Helfrick singled to left with one out in the bottom of the fifth inning. He went to second on a ground out by Rutenbar. Kuhio Aloy then hit a shot to shortstop that resulted in an error allowing Helfrick to score what turned out to be the game's final run.
Stetson used four pitchers on the day. Starter Dallis Moran gave up the three runs in the bottom of the second. Joel Core followed him to the mound for 1.2 innings. Connor Ball (1-0) proved to be exactly what Stetson needed out of the bullpen. He got the win after working 5.2 innings allowing just five hits and one run. He struck out eight Razorbacks. Andrew Lepine earned the save by getting the final out when Aloy grounded out to third base. He also earned the save on Sunday.
Arkansas finished the game with 12 hits and stranded 10. Stetson (7-10) finished with 11 hits, committed the game's only error and stranded five runners.
Arkansas (12-5) will open SEC play on Friday night when they host Mississippi State at 6 p.m. That game will be on SEC Network+. Saturday's game at 1 and Sunday's at 2 p.m. will both be televised on the SEC Network.
