Texas 7, Arkansas 6, Final
Arkansas saved its veteran pitching for the weekend as No. 15 Texas rallied for a 7-6 victory Wednesday night at Disch-Falk Field.
The No. 9 Razorbacks led 4-0 after two innings, 5-2 in the fourth, but youngsters couldn't find the strike zone as Texas took advantage of 13 walks and four hit batsmen. UA coach Dave Van Horn used six freshmen and a first-time appearance by a junior college transfer to try to close out the game. The Longhorns took the lead with three runs in the sixth and turned it over to one of their top closers for the last three innings.
Texas snapped a five-game losing streak against Arkansas. The Hogs had won the series opener, 11-4, on Tuesday night. Arkansas beat the Longhorns three times last year, including the opener of the College World Series.
Arkansas scored one run in the ninth to make it a one-run game. Jack Kenley was hit with two outs and scored on a Jacob Nesbit double. Cole Quintanilla struck out pinch-hitter Matt Goodheart to end the game to earn his fourth save.
Arkansas (18-3) had won seven straight on the season and will take a 3-0 SEC mark to play Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Friday. Texas is 16-8.
Texas 7, Arkansas 5, End 8th Inning
Casey Martin popped to center, Heston Kjerstad bounced out to first and Trevor Ezell went down on a fly to the line in right. The Hogs went 1-2-3 for the first time in the game.
Arkansas led 4-0 after two innings and 5-2 heading to the bottom of the fourth, but Texas has rallied as Dave Van Horn decided to save his veteran pitching for the weekend. Six freshmen pitchers have walked 10 and hit four batters to allow the Longhorns to score five unanswered runs. Texas scored two in the third, one in both the fourth and fifth and three in the sixth inning.
Carter Sells added to that walk total (now 12) with two to open the eighth. Michael McCann's bounce out to third put two runners into scoring position. Lance Ford lined out to Jack Kenley at second. Junior college transfer Collin Taylor, redshirt sophomore, relieved Sells to end the string of freshmen to the mound. It's Taylor's first appearance for the Hogs. He walked Mason Hibbeler to load the bases. Taylor handled a comeback bouncer for the final out of the inning.
Texas 7, Arkansas 5, End 7th Inning
Triston Stevens hit Jacob Nesbit to open the 7th, then was replaced by Cole Quintanilla. Zach Plunkett fanned and Nesbit was thrown out at second on the play. Christian Franklin bounced out to the pitcher as the Longhorns faced the minimum for the first time on the night. Quintanilla is one of two Texas closers. He's got three saves and is pitching in his 10th game of the season with an ERA of 1.72.
Caden Monke retired the leadoff man on a soft liner to shortstop Casey Martin, but he issued back-to-back walks to end his night. Carter Sells is the seventh pitcher of the night for the Razorbacks, the sixth freshman. It's just his second appearance of the year. Eric Kennedy walked to load the bases. Zach Zubia popped out to Heston Kjerstad in right field and the throw to the plate doubled up Duke Ellis to end the inning. The umpires reviewed the video upon protest by Texas coach David Pierce, but the out call was upheld.
Texas 7, Arkansas 5, End 6th Inning
Heston Kjerstad reached on a walk against reliever Matt Whelan to open the inning. Trevor Ezell followed with a bunt single. Dominic Fletcher took a called third strike. Tristan Stevens relieved and Jordan McFarland tapped out to third with the runners both moving into scoring position. Jack Kenley stranded them both on a pop to shallow center.
Elijah Trest allowed a leadoff single to Mason Hibbler. He fanned Austin Tood, then got a grounder to second for a fielder's choice by Austin Todd. Eric Kennedy walked. Zach Zubia fell behind 0-2, but singled to center to score Todd and tie the score at 5-5. Ryan Reynolds walked to load the bases, ending the night for Trest. Freshman Caden Monke inherits the jam and forces in two with a walk and a hit batsmen. Monke finally ended the inning on a 3-2 pitch, getting Lance Ford on a bounce out to shortstop Casey Martin.
So the Hogs led 4-0 after two innings, but five straight freshmen pitchers couldn't hold the lead. The theme of the night for freshmen pitchers Evan Taylor, Jacob Burton, Liam Henry, Elijah Trest and Caden Monke have six walks and hit four batters. Starter Marshall Denton did give the Hogs two scoreless innings.
Arkansas 5, Texas 4, End 5th Inning
Nico O'Donnell hit Jack Kenley to open the Arkansas fifth, then was replaced by Matteo Bocchi. The fourth Texas pitcher hails from Parma, Italy. He fanned Jacob Nesbit for the first out of the inning. Zach Plunkett reached on an infield single, a bouncer the third baseman threw away on a tough play. They moved into scoring position on Christian Franklin's bounce out to second. Casey Martin chased three sliders for a strikeout to end the threat. Martin is hitless in four at bats with two strikeouts.
Liam Henry exited after hitting a batter and giving up a single to open the bottom of the fifth. The single was a hot shot off the glove of Jacob Nesbit's glove at third. Freshman Elijah Trest relieved for the Hogs. He fanned his first batter, then loaded the bases with a walk. Michael McCann's fly to center plated Eric Kennedy on a sacrifice. The Arkansas lead has been cut to 5-4. Lance Ford popped out to center to end the threat.
Arkansas 5, Texas 3, End 4th Inning
Texas goes to its third pitcher of the night, sophomore right-hander Nico O'Donnell. Trevor Ezell worked a two-out walk, then scored from first on Dominic Fletcher's double into the right field corner. He was stranded at second when Jordan McFarland fanned. Casey Martin had opened the frame with a strikeout and Heston Kjerstad popped out to left. Ezell has two hits and a walk on the night.
Freshman Jacob Burton came on to pitch the fourth for the Hogs, but didn't last long. He hit Michael McCann to open the inning, then was pulled after missing badly with four pitches to walk No. 9 hitter Lance Ford. Freshman Liam Henry relieved. He got the first out of the inning with a pop to third. But a wild pitch allowed both runners to advance, and a run scored when Henry missed the return throw -- a little high -- from catcher Zach Plunkett after a pitch. He got out of the inning on a ground out to short.
Arkansas 4, Texas 2, End 3rd Inning
The Hogs loaded the bases with one out in the third, but did not score when Christian Franklin bounced into a double play to end the inning. Jack Kenley walked, Jacob Nesbit singled and Zach Plunkett walked. Jordan McFarland popped out to start the inning. Franklin's bouncer was to third base and it was a touch of the bag and a throw to first to end the frame.
Lefty pitcher Evan Taylor will pitch the bottom of the third for the Hogs after Marshall Denton allowed a walk and a single in his two innings of work.
Taylor gave up two runs when he ran into control problem. He gave up two hits, then two walks and a hit batter. Lance Ford and Mason Hibbeler opened the inning with singles and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. Austin Todd struck out, but Eric Kennedy walked to load the bases. A run was forced in when Taylor hit Zach Zubia with a pitch. Ryan Reynolds battled back from an 0-2 count to walk, bringing home a second run.
Arkansas 4, Texas 0, End 2nd Inning
The Razorbacks batted around to knock out Kolby Kubichek in the second inning. Jordan McFarland was hit by pitch to start the inning as the first three reached base. Jack Kenley bounced a shot into the UA bullpen for a ground rule double. Jacob Nesbit plated McFarland with a single. Zack Plunkett's sacrifice bunt scored Kenley. Christian Franklin singled home Nesbit. Heston Kjerstad's bouncer to short was throw away, scoring Franklin. Trevor Ezell singled to end Kubichek's night. The Hogs used four hits and a Texas error to build the four-run inning.
Marshall Denton worked around a two-out walk. Denton, a side-arm specialist, got three ground balls in the inning.
Arkansas 0, Texas 0, End 1st Inning
Trevor Ezell was stranded after a two-out single in the first inning for the Razorbacks. Texas did not score after Duke Ellis legged out a double to center.
Pre-Game
Arkansas slugged Texas 11-4 on Tuesday night for its fifth straight victory, including three last year. Arkansas redshirt sophomore Marshall Denton (1-0) is the starting pitcher. Texas goes with freshman pitchet Kolby Kubichek (0-0, 1.50 ERA).