Razorback head coach Dave Van Horn meets with the umpires prior to their game against Southern Illinois Wednesday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, AR.
By Otis Kirk
FAYETTEVILLE -- It took longer than anticipated, No. 8 Arkansas escaped with an 11-inning 10-9 win over Illinois State Wednesday afternoon in Baum-Walker Stadium.
In the bottom of the 11th, designated hitter Kendall Diggs doubled to allow second baseman Peyton Stovall, who also doubled to start the inning, to score and end a hard-fought game. Dave Van Horn was pleased to see Arkansas (6-2) find a way to win.
"Yeah, I mean it was a wild game, obviously, a mid-week game," Van Horn said. "We were coming off a loss. I thought our guys put in a great effort tonight. Didn’t get off to a great start. They punched in a run in the first. Then all of a sudden, there we were, bases loaded, one out and we already had three in. You just felt we left one or two out there. We needed to score another one or two there in the first. I think we had a pop-up and another strikeout, I’m not sure (a 5-3 actually)."
Diggs, who went 3 for 5 with two RBIs, talked about the walk-off double.
"Yeah, felt really good," Diggs said. "Obviously, I can kind of feel when it’s a big moment in the game, but I wouldn’t say I’m changing anything really about my mindset or anything like that. But yeah, put a good swing on it. Shoutout to Dylan (Carter). We couldn’t have been in that situation without him, and he pitched his butt off, so it was good."
Carter was the winning pitcher. He worked the final 2.1 innings only allowing one hit while also striking out a hitter. That was Carter's first decision this season. Diggs was also part of an amazing seventh inning that saw Arkansas break a 5-5 tie with three consecutive solo home runs. Stovall, Diggs and third baseman Caleb Cali all hit one-out blasts that put the Razorbacks up 8-5. Van Horn talked about that inning and then the Illinois State comeback.
"And here we go," Van Horn said. "You just kind of knew it was going to be tight. They got the lead on us. We put together a really good inning there in the sixth. Then that seventh inning was amazing with three back-to-back-to-back home runs. You’re thinking you’re in control. (Brady) Tygart’s on the mound. They popped him a couple of times and got right back in it. I thought we did a great job responding. We scored in the eighth. I think we got a one-out single and a stolen base, a big base hit to give us that two-run lead going in the ninth.
"Then that guy hits an oppo home run that sneaks just inside the foul pole down there. You know, you saw what happened after that. We kind of made a bad decision on trying to get a force out at second. The play was at first. It was kind of a hit and run and he got jammed. Not super fast. I think he had a lot better shot at getting the runner at first. And he threw the ball down the line and they tie it up."
Van Horn also praised Carter, who is a former standout at Bentonville West High School and Crowder (Mo.) College.
"Just a really, really good job by Dylan Carter coming in there with two outs, 1-1 count, getting through that then holding them down for two more innings to give us a chance to finally win that game with a couple of back-to-back doubles I think," Van Horn said.
Carter was thankful for the opportunity even in a very tight situation.
"It felt really good, you know?," Carter said. "Game plan was just go out and execute, and they have a veteran lineup, and pretty much the game plan the whole night was go out there and execute like we have all pre-spring and last fall."
As Van Horn noted the Hogs did miss a great opportunity in the bottom of the first to possibly blow the game open. After Tavian Josenberger flied out to center field to start the inning, the Hogs pounced on starter Thomas Harper, who didn't record another out before giving way to Jayson Hibbard.
Jace Bohrofen was hit by a pitch. Jared Wegner followed with a two-run shot over the fence. Brady Slavens walked, Stovall then singled to center. Diggs walked to load the bases with one out. Cali also drew a walk that allowed Slavens to score for a 3-1 advantage. But Parker Rowland then popped up to the shortstop and John Bolton grounded out to third base.
Zack Morris got the start, but was out after allowing two runs on five hits before recording an out in the top of the second. Koty Frank gave the Hogs four innings of solid relief. Cody Adcock pitched two innings and Tygart 1.2.
Arkansas will now host Wright State (2-5) for a three-game series that starts Friday at 3 p.m. Saturday will also be at 3 p.m. and then Sunday at 1 p.m. Wright State did defeat Kentucky 12-9 this past Saturday.
Illinois State (4-4) now heads to Conway to face UCA in a three-game series with Friday night's contest to start at 6 p.m. Illinois State took two of three from Arkansas State before heading to Fayetteville.
Photos Courtesy of Craven Whitlow CW3 Sports Action
Razorback senior pitcher Zack Morris (#32) from Cabot, AR throws a strike against Southern Illinois Wednesday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, AR.
Razorback junior catcher Parker Rowland (#44) from Tulsa, OK fakes a throw to first against Southern Illinois Wednesday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, AR.
Razorback sophomore pitcher Dylan Carter (#31) from Bentonville, AR throws a strike against Southern Illinois Wednesday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, AR.
Razorback junior third baseman Caleb Cali (#6) from Montverde, FL fields and throws for a putout against Southern Illinois Wednesday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, AR.
Razorback sophomore pitcher Dylan Carter (#31) from Bentonville, AR attempts a pickoff at first against Southern Illinois Wednesday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, AR.
Razorback sophomore second baseman Peyton Stovall (#10) from Haughton, LA celebrates his double against Southern Illinois in extra innings and scored the game winning run Wednesday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, AR.
Razorback sophomore designated hitter Kendall Diggs (#5) from Olathe, KS crushes a game winning hit to center field against Southern Illinois Wednesday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, AR.