By Otis Kirk
Arkansas exploded for five runs in each of the second, third and fifth innings on its way to a 18-1 run-rule win over Oklahoma State Sunday in the College Baseball Showdown in Globe Life Field.
The win allowed Arkansas to get out of Arlington with a 2-1 record. The Razorbacks defeated Texas 3-2 on Friday night, but fell to TCU 18-6 on Saturday evening. Sunday's game saw the Hogs break out the offense against the Cowboys.
Hunter Hollan got the start and picked up the win for the Hogs. He pitched four innings, allowed three hits, one run, two walks and fanned five.
Jared Wegner had a base-clearing triple in the top of the second to help break the game open. Wegner then hit a two-run home run in the third and had five RBIs on the the day. Tavian Josenberger had a home run, two hits and knocked in a pair of runs.
Others with two RBIs for the Hogs were John Bolton, Brady Slavens, Peyton Stovall and Parker Rowland.
The Razorbacks also sent Koty Frank, Cody Adcock and Gage Wood to the mound against the Cowboys. Wood, a freshman from Batesville, faced three batters and struck out each in his second appearance of the season.
Friday, Arkansas 3 - Texas 2
Hagen Smith pitched five scoreless innings and then saw Brady Tygart come in the closer role and shut the door on the Longhorns comeback attempt. Cody Adcock pitched one inning and got the win and while Koty Frank went 1.1 innings before giving way to Tygart. Tygart worked 1.2 innings to get the save.
Dave Van Horn obviously was pleased to get the season started off on the right foot and Arkansas' fans always enjoy beating the Longhorns.
“It was one of those games that was very exciting and emotional and we will sleep good tonight,” Van Horn said Friday.
In the seventh, Kendall Diggs broke up a scoreless game with a two-run double. John Bolton's single later in the seventh provided Arkansas with its third run.
“It felt great,” Diggs said. “There was another situation earlier in the game with runners in scoring position and I didn’t come through, So I just wanted to get up there. He started me off with a slider and then I got a fastball and just put a good swing on it.”
Saturday, TCU 18 - Arkansas 6
The Horned Frogs collected 19 hits against nine Razorback pitchers on their way to an easy win.
“So, basically we got it handed to us and handed to us pretty good,” Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn said. “We had a couple of plays early in the game where we felt like if we could turn two double plays, it would have saved us five runs.
“The one in the fifth kind of hurt us because we had to throw a lot more pitches. At that it was 4-4 and then we are down 6-4 and to throw a bunch more pitches and then it was on.”
TCU scored four in the sixth, one in the seventh, two in the eighth and another four in the top of the ninth.
Jared Wegner had three hits and a trio of runs batted in to lead the Hogs effort. Zack Morris who followed up starter Will McEntire, who is from Bryant, took the loss. Morris worked 3.1 innings and gave up three hits and a pair of runs.
Up Next
Arkansas will make its home debut on Tuesday afternoon at 3 p.m. in Baum-Walker Stadium when they host Grambling.