FAYETTEVILLE — There was lots of talk Tuesday about those who were around last year for a crazy NCAA Regional at Baum Stadium.
Lots of veterans were back on both teams, including the regional MVP, Missouri State shortstop Jeremy Eierman. Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn remembers the long home runs Eierman blasted against Arkansas and Oklahoma State to help the Bears win the regional.
But it was a pair of Arkansas freshmen who had just finished high school last June that proved to be the difference in the Razorbacks' 11-7 victory.
Casey Martin and Heston Kjerstad combined for 5 hits and 8 RBI to help the No. 3 Razorbacks rally from a 7-3 deficit after three innings.
Martin started the rally with an RBI double in the fourth, then Kjerstad led off the fifth with a solo shot to left, an opposite-field smash that rode the south wind into the UA bullpen. Martin finished the five-run fifth with a three-run homer to left.
It was Kjerstad's ninth homer, Martin's eighth. Van Horn could recall only one other time in his 24 seasons as a Division I head coach. He remembered a Nebraska first-year tandem in 1999 that compared.
“I had a couple at Nebraska (in Adam Stern and John Cole) who could really hit and run,” Van Horn said. “One of them (Stern) played a long time in the major leagues and the other had three knee operations.
“These two are really dynamic. They bring so much to the lineup as freshmen. Martin has power and can run. Kjerstad is just such a threat.”
Kjerstad is hitting .373 and Martin .331 through 38 games. Neither has gone through any truly tough stretch.
“That's what makes them so dynamic, that they haven't gone into any severe slump,” Van Horn said. “This is a tough league. It can beat you up.”
Everyone takes their lumps, including Eierman, a first-team All-America last year with 23 home runs, fifth in the nation. Eierman went 0-for-5 on this Baum trip. He bounced into two double plays, including one with the bases loaded in the third to keep the Bears from breaking the game open. He also struck out twice and fouled out to first base.
“Two years ago he came here and went (4-for-5) with two homers,” Van Horn said. “Then, he had a pretty good regional. He hit a walk-off homer to beat Oklahoma State, then hit some against us. He likes hitting here.
“Maybe he's going through a rough stretch and hitting just .300. He's better than that and he'll turn it on.”
Van Horn has used Martin in several spots in the lineup, but has him in the lead off spot now.
“He's done a really good job there,” Van Horn said. “He fits the profile, can hit to all fields and run. Obviously, he has power, too.”
Martin said he's just listening to the veterans on the team, especially Carson Shaddy and Eric Cole.
“I do what Shaddy tells me, and Cole,” he said. “I take a deep breath and try to stay through the middle of the field. He's such a leader. He tells me what kind of hitter I am.
“I just was trying to let my hands work tonight, stay back and let it happen.”
Kjerstad said the Hogs knew “a four-run deficit” was not too much to overcome.
“We knew we were going to score some more runs,” Kjerstad said. “We have great leadership from our older guys. What we know is that we can't take at bats for granted. Our older guys keep getting important information.”
Of course, it helped that reliever Jake Reindl pitched four shutout innings to record his second save. He allowed one hit, a one-out flare in the ninth. It was Reindl's second straight stellar performance. He retired 18 straight in a victory against Auburn.
“I wanted to show everyone it wasn't a fluke and that's who I am,” Reindl said. “I made a small mechanical tweak.”
And, there was some motivation for the Hogs in facing the Bears. No doubt, it was talked about in the locker room that they ended the UA season last year.
“It was mentioned,” Reindl said. “This is a pride game. I was excited. I'm not a huge fan of them.”