Razorback junior left fielder Zack Gregory (#3) from Keller, TX slides into home plate to score against OSU Sunday night at O'Brate Stadium in Stillwater, OK
By Otis Kirk
Arkansas was three outs away from winning the Stillwater Regional Sunday, but that is when it all collapsed and the host Oklahoma State took a 14-10 extra-inning victory to force another game on Monday.
Catcher Michael Turner hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth to put the Razorbacks up 8-7 heading to the ninth inning. At that point, Dave Van Horn opted to bring in Friday's starter Connor Noland to try and close out the game in the ninth. However, the Cowboys for three runs to take a 10-8 game into the bottom of the ninth.
The Hogs rallied in the bottom half of the ninth when Brady Slavens singled to right field with two outs allowing Peyton Stovall and Zack Gregory to score and tie the game. Van Horn brought in closer Brady Tygart to pitch the 10th. Tygart worked 0.2 inning, face six batters allowing four hits and runs, all earned, including a home run by Nolan McLean (2-1) who started the game at third base, but pitched 2.0 innings and took the win.
The win over Arkansas put the final mark on a crazy day in Stillwater. The Cowboys, facing elimination, trailed Missouri State 12-0 before rallying to take a 29-15 win in a game that appeared more like Mike Gundy facing Bobby Petrino in football considering 44 runs scored. The Cowboys scored 43 runs in the two games on Sunday.
Arkansas jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Braydon Webb led off with a double to left field. He scored on a Brady Slavens single.
Oklahoma State answered with three runs in the top of the second including a home run from David Mendham. The Cowboys got to Arkansas starter Jaxon Wiggins who only last 1.1 innings, Wiggins faced nine hitters, gave up four hits and two walks along with the three runs.
Will McEntire entered for Wiggins. He worked 5.1 innings allowing four hits, three runs, four walks and struck out one. OSU's Roc Riggio hit a two-run home run off McEntire in the top of the fourth and then Grifin Doersching hit a solo shot in the top of the fifth. That gave the Cowboys a 6-2 lead after 4 1/2 innings.
Jalen Battles singled in the bottom of the second and then eventually scored on a ground out by Webb. Cayden Wallace hit a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the fifth pulling the Hogs to within 6-3. Wallace also had a two-RBI single to score Stovall and Webb in the bottom of the sixth leaving the Razorbacks within one at 6-5.
The Cowboys scored a run in the top of the eighth to go up 7-5. The Cowboys used three pitchers against the Hogs. The Cowboys had 15 hits on the day, but committed four errors and left eight runners on base.
The Razorbacks had 14 hits, committed two errors and stranded 12 runners. The Hogs used seven pitchers trying to get the win and avoid the if game on Monday. Wallace led the Hogs with three hits while Slavens, Stovall and Turner each had a pair.
The winner of Monday's game will face either North Carolina or VCU in the super regional. North Carolina is hosting the Chapel Hill Regional. The Tar Heels, like Oklahoma State, had to win two games on Sunday to avoid elimination. They defeated Georgia 6-5 and then topped VCU 19-8 to force an if game on Monday.
Arkansas fell to 40-19 with the loss while Oklahoma State is 42-21. The two will meet at 6 p.m. on Monday to decide who advances to the super regional and keeps the hope of making it to Omaha, Neb., for the College World Series still alive.