Arkansas hadn't won a series in Nashville against Vanderbilt since 2010, but on Sunday the No. 2 Razorbacks completed a sweep of the No. 14 team in the nation 7-3.
On Sunday, Dave Van Horn got a great pitching performance from Landon Beidelschies and Ben Bybee as well some power hitting from Charles Davalan and Logan Maxwell to rally late and get the win. Vandy held a 3-2 lead until the Razorbacks exploded for five runs in the top of the eighth. Davalan hit his second home run of the game and two batters later Maxwell hit another solo shot, With two outs, Brent Iredale singled and then Cam Kozeal and Ryder Helfrick walked. Iredale would score on a wild pitch. Nolan Souza followed with a double that plated both Kozeal and Helfrick.
"Yeah, just… I said yesterday, another great win, have an opportunity to sweep a team like Vanderbilt on the road, I don’t think it’s been done for a long time," Van Horn said. "I don’t know if during Tim’s time here. We found a way to do it. Kept the game close. We kept thinking if we can just keep this thing close, we can get them late and we did it. Charles Davalan had a great day, three RBIs, and some production from the end of the order. It was really good again. Because we had a couple of our better hitters didn’t hit a whole lot here this weekend, but we had some of the guys that have come through here and there, maybe don’t have as high a batting average or whatever, and they really chipped in this weekend and again today."
Bybee (3-0) relieved Beidelschies and worked 4.0 innings to pick up the win. He allowed two hits, no runs, walked one and struck out seven. Van Horn praised his midweek starter who pitched well out of the bullpen Sunday.
"Ben came in and using three, four pitches and throwing most of them around the zone," Van Horn said. "Threw his fastball for a strike, changeup to lefties, a few breaking balls, a couple cutters here and there. Really when we got the four-run lead going into the bottom of the eighth, we just said, ‘Ben, just pound the zone with your heater. Let them hit it.’ He spun a couple breaking balls, a couple changeups, but for the most part, the last couple innings he just went at them with fastballs. I think he did a great job."
It's obvious that Van Horn and his staff upgraded this team in recruiting. The entire starting outfield is new and so is Iredale at third base, Kozeal first base and Kuhio Aloy designated hitter. The depth of the offense continues to shine.
"Yeah, no doubt," Van Horn said. "I just feel like that it’s that time of year. Guys are starting to heat up, seeing a lot of pitches, seeing a lot of sliders and off speed stuff, and you just get a little more comfortable. You kind of see it and react. I don’t know, it’s just a great job by the offense. I think they’re all just motivating each other."
In addition, Beidelschies and Friday starter Zach Root came to the Hogs in the transfer portal. Van Horn saw his pitchers go through a tough stretch a few week's ago, but they have seemingly turned it around since the Ole Miss series.
"The staff has been really good," Van Horn said. "Obviously, we throw a lot of strikes. We make you earn it. I think that our pitching staff is confident that the defense is going to play good defense behind them. Not going to give up much. Not going to kick balls around. Maybe make a great play every now-and-then. I think they also have in the back of their mind ‘we can score’. I think that takes a little bit of pressure off of them. Whether it was a starter, middle guys or the guys finishing games, the last couple of weeks they’ve been really good."
The Hog took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third when Justin Thomas Jr. doubled with one out. Davalan followed with his first home run of the game. That lead held up until Vanderbilt catcher Colin Barczi blasted a three-run home run. The 3-2 lead held up until Arkansas' big eighth inning. Beidelschies got the start and worked 5.0 innings. He allowed six hits, the three runs, walked two and struck out four. He also hit a couple of Vandy batters.
"I thought he did a good job," Van Horn said. "I mean, he got behind in the count a couple times and fought back. Kind of bent but didn’t break, so to speak. Gave up a few hits, but not a lot. Give their catcher credit, he went down and hit a cutter that was down-and-in, and he just got it. Sometimes you just have to tip your cap. The pitch wasn’t elevated. He probably guessed a little bit, thought he was going to bring a cutter in and he did. He had to square it up and he did. Found ourselves down 3-2, didn’t panic, got out of another jam and the game went on a few innings without us doing anything, and then we tied it up and then obviously took a four-run lead, and we needed six outs. I’d give him a good grade on today. I appreciated the effort. Five innings. He gave us an opportunity to have a chance to win the game in the last few innings."
Van Horn was asked if he had an update on Batesville junior pitcher Gage Wood who has been out since early in the season with an injury?
"No, maybe we will sometime this week or after the game on Tuesday, Wednesday, somewhere in there," Van Horn said. "I know he's feeling good, playing catch, just healing up. We're just super anxious to get him back, hopefully we do."
Arkansas (26-3, 8-1) will be in North Little Rock on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. to take on Grambling State (10-15) who had a game not completed yet on Sunday against Jackson State. The Razorbacks will be at Baum-Walker Stadium next weekend for a three-game series against Missouri (9-17, 0-9). Friday's game will begin at 7 p.m. and televised on the SEC Network. Saturday's game will be at 6 p.m. and then 2 p.m. on Sunday. Both Saturday and Sunday can be streamed on the SEC Network+.