Kjerstad? Cole? Gates? Opinions vary on Hogs' best catch of the postseason

OMAHA, Neb. — Arkansas’ best defensive play of this postseason run was a topic of discussion in the Razorbacks’ clubhouse Tuesday night after a 4-1 win over Oregon State.

First baseman Jared Gates’ diving grab in foul ground in the fifth inning added to a pair of highlight-reel catches in the last month.

Perhaps the most memorable prior to Tuesday was Heston Kjerstad’s home-run saving catch on Dallas Baptist slugger Devlin Granberg’s towering shot to left in Arkansas’ clinching win at the Fayetteville Regional on June 3. Kjerstad took away a run that night, then added an insurance run in the seventh to seal an Arkansas win.

Right fielder Eric Cole earned his way on SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays last Friday with a leaping catch against the railing in foul territory against defending national champion Florida. Cole’s catch retired the Gators’ leadoff hitter in the ninth inning and gut-punched Kevin O’Sullivan’s club.

Then, a half inning after jumpstarting Arkansas’ four-run fifth with a single to right that advanced Carson Shaddy to third, Gates took flight defensively and recorded a crucial second out in the fifth.

“I don’t know if I had to dive or not, but I felt more comfortable diving," Gates said. "More importantly, we got an out and we got out of that inning with zero runs."

In a poll of a number of Arkansas players and coaches following Tuesday’s win, Kjerstad’s catch against Dallas Baptist was most impressive of the three. Pitching coach Wes Johnson, in descending order, said Kjerstad’s catch was best, followed by Cole, then Gates.

Dominic Fletcher and hitting coach Nate Thompson concurred.

“Personally, I take Heston’s catch because of what the situation was,” Thompson said. “That would have tied the game. Cole’s catch certainly kind of took the air of out Florida and make them go, ‘Geez, what do we need to do here?’ Gates’ play was just awesome.

“He soared out with his body right there. That’s a big time play by a competitor.”

In a WholeHogSports poll on Twitter with better than 600 votes, Arkansas fans voted Gates’ catch the best of the three:

"Gates is a real good defensive player," said third baseman Casey Martin, who added that Cole's catch against Florida was his favorite. "Gates has been making plays like that throughout the entire season as long as he’s been out there, so it’s kind of expected from him. He plays hard for each and every one of these guys and I’m proud of him."

Kjerstad's outfield assist, which cut down Zak Taylor by 5-6 feet after a single down the line at third past a diving Martin, and Barrett Loseke's bare-handed stop and throw in the eighth were impressive as well and indicative of Arkansas' good fortune Tuesday.

Loseke's play, while it may become lost among the other plays, kept the Beavers from placing a leadoff man on and applying pressure in a game that was ultimately still well within reach. Composed, he tracked down a dribbler between the mound and third base line and fired an accurate ball to Gates at first.

Every out at this point in the season is valuable and, this postseason, the Razorbacks have a habit of looking good while making them.

"We played pretty good defense for the most part here, played pretty good in the regional, super regional," Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said. "We've had it where we've made three or four errors but we've run off a streak or two, four or five games without making one.

"(We are a) pretty steady team for the most part. They're doing a good job of handling the ball so far."