Postgame Thoughts
Arkansas thought it might get a close game tonight in Memphis because of the quality of the Tigers’ midweek starting pitcher, but it was probably a bit surprising to be in a close, high-scoring contest against a team that had been shutout twice in three games.
The Razorbacks’ hitters answered the challenge and came through with several timely hits, a contrast to the offensive struggles Arkansas had over the weekend at Florida. Obviously, Memphis midweek is not the caliber of the defending national champion Gators on the weekend, but so much of baseball is mental, so breaking that trend has to be viewed as a positive step moving forward for the Razorbacks.
Arkansas scored all eight of its runs with two outs and went 5-for-9 with runners in scoring position. The Hogs batted .467 (7-for-15) with two outs.
Carson Shaddy had the game’s biggest swing, a two-out RBI single to give Arkansas the lead for good in the ninth, and also a two-run single in the fourth that answered Memphis’ big inning in the third.
Jax Biggers and Casey Martin also had a pair of two-out RBI hits. Biggers had a solo home run to tie the game in the third inning and a single to tie it again in the fourth, while Martin gave the Razorbacks the lead for the first time with an RBI single in the third and the lead again with an two-run single in the sixth.
But the star of the game for Arkansas might have been right-hander Barrett Loseke, who pitched 4 1/3 innings to calm a pitching staff that was unstable before he entered the game in the fourth inning. Loseke was efficient pitching to contact and needed only 63 pitches to record 13 outs. He ran into trouble and left abruptly in the eighth inning after a pair of two-out singles for Memphis, which eventually tied the game on Jackson Rutledge’s first pitch out of the bullpen.
It was the second straight week that Loseke had a strong outing for Arkansas. He struck out eight in a three-inning start at Charlotte last Wednesday, a planned short start to give several Razorback relievers some work before the trip to Florida.
Loseke’s last two outings have lowered his ERA to 4.76. Consider that his ERA was a team-worst 11.25 going into the Charlotte game last week.
Also credit Jackson Rutledge, who worked through a couple of stressful situations in the eighth and ninth innings. Rutledge stranded two Memphis runners in the eighth, then worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth. His power slider was effective in the ninth, especially on the 3-2 pitch to Kyle Ouellette that was the difference between having two on and no outs, or one on and one out.
Concerning for Arkansas was the start by Jake Reindl, who continues to struggle a year after being one of the Razorbacks’ most trusted arms in the bullpen. Reindl allowed 5 runs - 4 earned - on 6 hits in 2 2/3 innings. He also had a walk and 2 wild pitches, and struck out 5.
Reindl’s ERA jumped from 5.23 to 6.92. That is 1.38 points higher than any other pitcher on the Arkansas staff.
Memphis is likely kicking itself because it blew another chance to beat an SEC team. The Tigers are 0-4 in midweek games against the SEC, with losses by final scores of 8-6 at Ole Miss, 2-1 at Tennessee, 5-4 at Auburn and 8-7 to Arkansas.
The Tigers outhit the Razorbacks 11-8, but four Memphis errors were an equalizer. Two Arkansas runs were aided by errors.
Up next for Arkansas is a trip to No. 4 Ole Miss. The Razorbacks will practice in Oxford tomorrow and the three-game series is scheduled to begin Thursday at 6:30 p.m.
Arkansas 8, Memphis 7 - Final
Jackson Rutledge walked the leadoff batter and nearly walked a second with no outs, but a mound visit from Arkansas pitching coach Wes Johnson calmed down Rutledge and the Razorbacks have a hard-fought midweek win.
Rutledge struck out two in the ninth and the game ended when Jared Gates made a great diving stop to rob Nick Vaage of a base hit. Gates popped to his feet and took two stomps to first to end the game.
Rutledge is the winning pitcher for the Razorbacks (18-7). Hunter Smith, who gave up the game-winning hit to Carson Shaddy in the top of the ninth, took the loss for Memphis (8-17).
Postgame thoughts coming up.
Arkansas 8, Memphis 7 - Middle 9th Inning
Carson Shaddy's two-out single has given Arkansas the lead. That is the Razorbacks' eighth run with two outs tonight.
Shaddy's hit scored Jack Kenley, who was pinch-running for Grant Koch. Koch singled with one out and Kenley advanced on an infield tapper by Heston Kjerstad.
The inning ended when Shaddy was caught stealing second base. Memphis catcher Jason Santana has caught 15 of 27 runners this year.
It will be a freshman battery in the ninth for Arkansas, Jackson Rutledge will pitch and Casey Opitz will catch. Memphis will send its 4, 5 and 6 hitters to the plate.
Arkansas 7, Memphis 7 - End 8th Inning
Tyler Webb sat on a first-pitch fastball and roped a single into right field to tie the game. The inning ended on a great defensive play by Carson Shaddy, who fielded a multi hopper to his left, then threw back across his body to get the out at first. That saved a run.
Barrett Loseke gets a no-decision after a great 4 1/3-inning outing in which he allowed 1 run on 3 hits. He struck out 2 and walked 1, and lowered his ERA to 4.76.
Arkansas sends Dominic Fletcher, Grant Koch and Heston Kjerstad to the plate in the top of the ninth.
Arkansas 7, Memphis 6 - Bottom 8th Inning
It appeared Barrett Loseke was on cruise control, but Arkansas is in a tight situation after Memphis put two on with two outs in the eighth. Loseke's night is over and Jackson Rutledge is coming in from the bullpen to face the Tigers' two-hole hitter Tyler Webb.
This rally began when catcher Jason Santana reached on an infield single. He advanced to third when Colton Neel followed with a single.
Arkansas 7, Memphis 6 - Middle 8th Inning
The Razorbacks stranded two in the eighth when Jared Gates grounded out with runners on first and second. Jax Biggers and Luke Bonfield had reached on a walk and the Tigers' fourth error of the game.
Bonfield has been on base four times tonight without a hit. He has walked twice and reached twice on an error.
Memphis threw right-hander Blake Bennett in that inning. Bennett began his career at Ole Miss, then transferred out after redshirting his freshman season.
Barrett Loseke will face the bottom third of the Tigers' lineup in the bottom of the eighth.
Arkansas 7, Memphis 6 - End 7th Inning
Barrett Loseke continues to pitch well for Arkansas, with three groundouts to the left side of the infield in the seventh. He has pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings tonight after throwing three scoreless innings last week. Not bad for a pitcher who seven days ago had an ERA over 10.
There is no access to a radar gun, but Loseke appears to be throwing pretty hard. His hat keeps falling off on his follow through, just like it did at Charlotte last week. The only other pitcher who I can remember with that problem was Dominic Taccolini, whose hat fell off just about each inning he pitched during his early years.
There is a likelihood that Loseke will continue to throw, and perhaps finish this game. Kole Ramage is getting warm in the bullpen in case he is needed.
Arkansas 7, Memphis 6 - Middle 7th Inning
Memphis reliever Takoda Metoxen issued a pair of one-out walks to Grant Koch and Heston Kjerstad, but Carson Shaddy hit into an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play and the Razorbacks are still in a tight one. That was the 13th double play hit into this season by the Razorbacks in 25 games.
Kjerstad has walked twice tonight and neither time it appeared like Memphis pitchers wanted to get too close to the plate. He had a double earlier in the game. He has had four consecutive multi-hit games coming into tonight.
Barrett Loseke will continue to pitch for Arkansas in the bottom of the seventh. He has been efficient tonight, a good follow-up to his great outing last week in Charlotte.
Arkansas 7, Memphis 6 - End 6th Inning
Barrett Loseke worked around a leadoff walk in the sixth. He made up for the mistake when Memphis tried to play small ball to put a runner in scoring position. Colton Neel bunted, but Loseke fielded and threw out the lead runner at second.
Loseke has not allowed a hit in 2 2/3 innings out of the bullpen. He has needed only 35 pitches.
The Hogs have some big bats, including Heston Kjerstad, coming to the plate in the top of the seventh.
Arkansas 7, Memphis 6 - Middle 6th Inning
Takoda Metoxen induced an inning-ending flyout by Evan Lee, stranding the bases loaded in the Arkansas sixth. The Razorbacks have left seven on base tonight.
Jared Gates will take over at first base after Lee pinch-hit for Jordan McFarland. McFarland was 0-for-3 tonight, snapping his team-leading 10-game hit streak.
Barrett Loseke will remain on the mound for the Razorbacks in the sixth.
Arkansas 7, Memphis 6 - Top 6th Inning
The Razorbacks have been solid with two outs tonight, scoring all seven of their runs with two-out hits.
Casey Martin's two-out, two-run single in the sixth has given Arkansas its first lead since the second inning. Martin's ripped a first-pitch fastball up the middle to score Heston Kjerstad and Jax Biggers, who each walked in the inning.
Martin's hit came off Memphis reliever Taylor Bobo, who came out of the bullpen to face switch-hitter Eric Cole with two Arkansas runners on base. But Bobo's first pitch hit Cole in the foot, then Martin singled on the next pitch. Bobo's night was a short one, pulled after he walked Luke Bonfield on four pitches.
The bases are loaded for Arkansas pinch-hitter Evan Lee.
Memphis 6, Arkansas 5 - End 5th Inning
Kyle O'Keefe, whose two-run homer in the third ultimately sent Arkansas to the bullpen for the first time, nearly hit a second home run to lead off the fifth, but Eric Cole ran the ball down on the warning track in right-center. The Tigers went down in order for the first time when Keith Stepter struck out swinging at a 1-2 pitch by Barrett Loseke.
Like last week at Charlotte, Loseke has been efficient in 1 2/3 innings for the Razorbacks. He has needed only 15 pitches to record five consecutive outs. Twelve of those pitches have been for strikes.
Memphis is going back to the bullpen for the sixth, bringing in a right-hander, Joshua Scheer, for the first time. It will be interesting to see if the Razorbacks bring some of those lefty batters off the bench as the game progresses.
Memphis 6, Arkansas 5 - Middle 5th Inning
Luke Bonfield walked with one out, but he didn't advance for the second time tonight. Jordan McFarland flied out to right and Dominic Fletcher's drive to left-center was caught at the warning track in front of the Arkansas bullpen.
Memphis 6, Arkansas 5 - End 4th Inning
Barrett Loseke got a strikeout and a groundout to end the Memphis fourth, stranding two base runners. The Tigers have left five on tonight.
Something to keep an eye on is the weather. If you're in Arkansas, you've probably experienced some heavy showers at some point today. The leading band of that system is around Forrest City, about 50 miles to the west of downtown Memphis.
Memphis 6, Arkansas 5 - Bottom 4th Inning
Bryce Bonnin has run into trouble in the fourth and his night is finished. Bonnin gave up a single and a walk to begin the inning, and Alec Trela's slow roller made it through the infield to put the Tigers back on top.
Barrett Loseke, who had eight strikeouts in three innings last week at Charlotte, is coming in to try and put out the fire for the Razorbacks. The Tigers have runners on first and second with one out.
Memphis is outhitting Arkansas 8-5 tonight.
Arkansas 5, Memphis 5 - Middle 4th Inning
Jax Biggers stole his fifth base in his fifth attempt, but was stranded at second when Eric Cole struck out on a check swing. All five Arkansas runs tonight have come with two outs.
Arkansas 5, Memphis 5 - Top 4th Inning
Jax Biggers has 2 RBI after his two-out single off Danny Denz in the fourth. That scored Carson Shaddy from second and has forced a Memphis pitching change. Another lefty, Alex Smith, will take over for the Tigers. He has a 6.23 ERA in 8 2/3 innings this year.
Biggers also had a two-out homer to start Arkansas' scoring in the third. The Razorbacks are now 3-for-3 with 4 RBI with runners in scoring position tonight.
Memphis 5, Arkansas 4 - Top 4th Inning
The Razorbacks are putting together a good two-out rally against Memphis starter Danny Denz. Dominic Fletcher reached on a one-out walk, then advanced on a double to right by Heston Kjerstad. Both scored when Carson Shaddy singled the other opposite way on a 1-0 pitch. Shaddy advanced to second on a throwing error by Kelly Ouellette, who was trying to gun down Kjerstad at home.
Arkansas is 2-for-2 and has 3 RBI tonight with runners in scoring position. That is an encouraging sign after the Razorbacks went 4-for-30 with runners in scoring position over the weekend at Florida.
Memphis 5, Arkansas 2 - End 3rd Inning
Bryce Bonnin took over a 1-0 count to Nick Vaage and walked him on a full-count pitch, but ended the inning with a strikeout of Keith Stepter, who swung at a slider and had to be thrown out at first.
Jake Reindl's ERA ballooned from 5.23 to 6.92 after tonight's outing. He has not looked like the same pitcher who was so good in relief a year ago.
Memphis 5, Arkansas 2 - Bottom 3rd Inning
Things have fallen apart for Jake Reindl with two outs in the third. He has given up three consecutive two-out hits that has put Memphis ahead 5-2.
Cale Henneman's double scored Tyler Webb, and Henneman scored on Kyle Oullette's single. Then Kyle O'Keefe homered to left.
Reindl's night is over after a 2 2/3-inning outing that included 6 hits, 5 runs (4 earned), 2 wild pitches and a walk. He struck out five and threw 67 pitches.
Freshman right-hander Bryce Bonnin will take over for Reindl.
Arkansas 2, Memphis 1 - Middle 3rd Inning
The Razorbacks couldn't take advantage of a Memphis error in the second, but did in the third. Eric Cole followed Jax Biggers' home run with a four-pitch walk, then moved to third on an error by Memphis pitcher Danny Denz, whose lackadaisical throw to first was at least a foot over the head of the first baseman and took a funny bounce into the spacious foul ground.
Cole scored when Casey Martin beat out an infield hit to the shortstop.
Arkansas 1, Memphis 1 - Top 3rd Inning
Jax Biggers tried to sneak in a bunt on the first pitch of his two-out at-bat in the third. Arkansas is glad it went foul. Biggers turned on a fastball the next pitch and pulled it into the picnic tables in right field. That was the Razorbacks' first run and first hit.
Biggers has three home runs this year. Arkansas now has 47 home runs, which is second nationally to Tennessee Tech.
Memphis 1, Arkansas 0 - End 2nd Inning
Jake Reindl struck out two more in the second - he has four strikeouts in all - and worked around a one-out single in the second inning. The inning ended when Casey Martin made a nice stop on a hot shot to third and threw out a runner at first.
Memphis 1, Arkansas 0 - Top 2nd Inning
Luke Bonfield reached on a throwing error to lead off the inning, but never advanced. Jordan McFarland watched strike three at the knees, Dominic Fletcher flied out to right field and Grant Koch popped up into foul ground, where Memphis catcher Jason Santana made a nice sliding catch in front of the Arkansas dugout.
Memphis 1, Arkansas 0 - End 1st Inning
Jake Reindl stranded a runner at third with a strikeout of Kyle Oullette. Reindl struck out two in the inning, both on sliders - inside to left-handed leadoff hitter Colton Neal and outside to Oullette. But he needed 28 pitches in the inning, which was not the ideal start for the Razorbacks. He wasn't likely to pitch too many innings tonight because he'll need to be fresh for relief work this weekend.
Memphis 1, Arkansas 0 - Bottom 1st Inning
Jake Reindl is having a rough start. He gave up a one-out double and walk, and threw a wild pitch before a passed ball by Grant Koch put Memphis on the scoreboard first. The Razorbacks have pitchers headed to the bullpen.
Arkansas 0, Memphis 0 - Middle 1st Inning
The Razorbacks came out swinging against Memphis lefty Danny Denz, who needed just six pitches to retire three batters in the first. Jax Biggers and Eric Cole each grounded out, and Casey Martin flied out to shallow center.
Pregame
The rain that has been soaking much of Arkansas will make it to Memphis by some point tonight, but there is hope the teams can get this game played before it crosses the river.
Arkansas is going to throw Jake Reindl tonight in an attempt to get him on track after some struggles in relief this season. Memphis is throwing a veteran left-hander, Danny Denz, who has started every midweek game for the Tigers this season, including against Ole Miss and Auburn.
The Razorbacks are going to use the lineup we have become accustomed to seeing against left-handers, notably with Jordan McFarland at first base. McFarland enters tonight's game on a 10-game hit streak. He did not play Sunday at Florida.
Memphis enters tonight's game with an 8-16 record. The Tigers have lost seven of their past nine games.
AutoZone Park plays similar to Baum Stadium - 319 feet down the left field line, 360 feet to left-center, 400 feet to center, 373 feet to right-center and 322 feet to right. The wind is blowing out to left field tonight.
Arkansas is wearing its gray jerseys and pants, and red hats. Memphis is in white jerseys, pants and hats.