Razorback sophomore third baseman Cayden Wallace (#7) from Greenbrier, AR steals second base with a head first slide against UAPB Tuesday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, AR.
FAYETTEVILLE - The University of Central Arkansas Bears can say they led the nationally No. 2 by D-1 Baseball Arkansas Razorbacks for one half inning.
The Bears’ cycle ends there as Arkansas backup catcher Dylan Leach hitting the cycle plus one cycled the Razorbacks to a 21-9 victory Tuesday night at Baum-Walker Stadium.
After knocking out Arkansas starter Miller Pleimann with a 3-run first inning , the Bears allowed an unearned run in the Arkansas first then were overwhelmed with Arkansas salvos of six runs in the second and four in the third.
Starting in place of regular catcher Michael Turner, finally rested after either catching or playing first base Arkansas’ previous 26 games, No. 9 hitting Leach hit for the cycle plus one with a single, double, triple, and two home runs. Leach’s 5 for 5 night netted five RBI upon entering the game batting 1 for 22.
Leach’s triple off a “slug bunt” knocked in Arkansas’ first runs from first and second of the 6-run second and "got us going," Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said.
“Coach wanted me to get the bunt down to move the runners over,” Leach said. “The first one I missed. I tried to get out of the box too soon. That was on me. He told me, if they charge up and the shortstop pulls over, he said pull it back and just hit it right down their throat. He gave me he right pitch and I did.”
The switch-hitter had bunted a single in the second doubled in the fourth and hit his home runs both batting left and right.
“Baseball is a tough sport,” Leach said of his 1 for 22 start. “You fail more than you succeed. I started off to a tough start but my players believed in me. My coaches believed in me. And so I just kept pushing every day and they just happen.”
It so happened that Van Horn said, “Dylan Leach had the game of his life. It’d be hard to ever duplicate that.”
Leach did not get the luxury of a home trot for his first home run completing the cycle.
“I actually was thinking double out of the box because I didn’t think I hit it high enough,” Leach said. “So I was trying to hustle out of the box to get a double. And then I saw the people in the bullpen go crazy and then I knew. My mind just went blank that I just did that.”
Jace Bohrfen, two home runs, Braydon Webb, a grand slam and RBI, and Jalen Battles also homered for Arkansas.
Brady Slavens, a double and a triple, knocked in two Razorbacks runs. Robert Moore, also a double and a triple, knocked in two.
All of Arkansas’ starters netted at least one of the Hogs’ 19 hist
Tuesday’s nonconference triumph ups Van Horn’s Razorbacks to 22-5 heading into a Thursday through Saturday 3-game SEC series at Florida in Gainesville.
Coach Nick Harlan’s UCA Bears fall to 11-16 but battled hard heading into their 3-game Atlantic-Sun Conference series hosting Jacksonville State Friday through Sunday at Bear Stadium in Conway.
Both teams saving their frontline pitching for their conference games reflected in Tuesday’s total of a combined 30 runs and 32 hits.
The Bears, whacking 13 hits Tuesday, get another crack at Arkansas at 6 p.m. April 26 at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock.
UCA scored three off Pleimann first on Hunter Hicks’ 1-out RBI double scoring Kolby Johnson who singled leading off. A throwing error upon Andrew Pollum’s single scored the second run. AJ Mendola doubled home Pollum.
UCA center fielder Drew Sturgeon, recording a spectacular catch perhaps robbing Bohrfren of a third home run ending Arkansas’ 4-run sixth, singled home two off reliever Zack Morris in the third and added a sacrifice fly in the 3-run seventh.
“I made the comment that Jace Bohrofen hit two and half home runs tonight,” Van Horn said citing the two home runs and great Sturgeon catch. “And nobody really noticed because a guy hit for the cycle and hit a second homer.
Connor Emmet homered off reliever Nick Moten leading off the UCA seventh
Razorback senior first baseman Brady Slavens (#17) from Olathe, KS celebrates his home run against UAPB with third base coach Nate Thompson Tuesday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, AR
Razorback sophomore third baseman Cayden Wallace (#7) from Greenbrier, AR throws for a put-out against UAPB Tuesday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, AR.
Razorback junior second baseman Robert Moore (#1) from Leawood, KS steals second base against UAPB Tuesday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, AR.
Razorback senior shortstop Jalen Battles (#2) from San Antonio, TX scoops and throws for a put-out against UAPB Tuesday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, AR.
Razorback senior pitcher Kole Ramage (#28) from Southlake, TX throws a breaking ball for a strike against UAPB Tuesday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, AR.
Razorback senior first baseman Brady Slavens (#17) from Olathe, KS slides wildly into third base for a triple against UAPB Tuesday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, AR.