Hogs beat K-State when extra-innings pitch goes awry

Arkansas' Carson Shaddy slides into first base during a game against LSU on Friday, April 7, 2017, in Fayetteville.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Arkansas Razorbacks won a wild game on a wild pitch.

Carson Shaddy raced home when Tyler Eckberg's first pitch to Evan Lee eluded catcher Josh Rollette with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning to lift the No. 14 Razorbacks to a 6-5 victory over Kansas State Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium before an announced crowd of 2,988.

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"We'll take them anyway we can get them, especially at this time of the year," Razorbacks Coach Dave Van Horn said. "We're trying to watch some arms and not throw guys too much.

"I think K-State was in the same boat."

Shaddy, who led off the 10th with a single and advanced to third on two groundouts, said he was watching closely to see if a pitch would get away.

Shaddy said he was ready when Eckberg's first pitch to Lee was a wild one.

"I made sure it wasn't going to kick back towards their catcher," Shaddy said. "Luckily it kicked back towards our dugout and I took off.

"It was pretty much smooth sailing. They didn't have a play at all."

It took 4 hours and 25 minutes to play, as the teams combined to use 16 pitchers and leave 22 runners on base.

Kansas State left the bases loaded in the top of the 10th inning when freshman Jacob Kostyshock -- who had thrown 4 1/3 innings on the season coming into the game and was the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville's ninth pitcher of the game -- struck out Cameron Thompson swinging on a 3-2 pitch.

"When they loaded the bases I came up to Jacob and said, 'You either need to be the hunter or the hunted,' " said Shaddy, a junior second baseman. "I think he took those words to heart and he was definitely out there to hunt.

"He got us out of there without them scoring and that's why ultimately we won the game."

Van Horn said the 10th inning belonged to Kostyshock -- whatever happened -- because the Razorbacks' pitching was depleted.

"I'm glad for him," Van Horn said. "I think that was a big outing for him mentally and he gained some confidence, and we'll need him again sometime this year."

Van Horn said the pitch Thompson struck out on looked like a borderline strike.

"Probably a little bit high, but the hitter went after it and missed it," Van Horn said. "The momentum swung back our way and we thought, 'Hey, we've got a chance to win in the bottom of the 10th,' and that's what we did."

Lee, who was at the plate when the winning run scored, said he wasn't surprised by Kostyshock's performance under pressure.

"He's a competitor," Lee said. "He wants to succeed so bad.

"Now that's he got that opportunity under his belt, it's huge for his confidence. It's really going to help him moving forward."

Arkansas (33-10) got the potential winning run to second base with no outs in the bottom of the ninth and the game tied 5-5 when Lee drew a leadoff walk and stole second base.

But Eckberg struck out Chad Spanberger, intentionally walked Luke Bonfield and struck out Grant Koch before getting Jared Gates on a popout to send the game to the 10th inning.

Kansas State (21-20) also stranded two runners in the top of the ninth against Jake Reindl, who struck out Steve Serratore before Dominic Fletcher caught up to Rollette's deep fly to center field to keep the scored tied 5-5.

Arkansas tied the game 5-5 with two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning when Cole beat first baseman Jake Scudder's throw home to score on Jake Arledge's fielder's choice ground ball, and Fletcher scored on Bonfield's flyout to right field.

Kansas State took a 5-3 lead with three runs in the top of the seventh, capped by a two-run home run by Quintin Crandell against Angus Denton.

Arkansas scored three runs with two outs in the fifth inning off Matt Zumbrandt -- Kansas State's third pitcher of the game -- to take a 3-1 lead with the help of pinch-hit singles by Fletcher and Lee.

Lee singled in Shaddy, who drew a leadoff walk, and Fletcher and scored on Spanberger's double off the right field wall.

Kansas State closed within 3-2 on Josh Rollette's two-out RBI single off Josh Alberius in the sixth inning. Alberius then got Hans Harker on a popout two leave runners at first and second base.

Scudder hit a home run leading off the second inning off Kevin Kopps to put Kansas State ahead 1-0. It was Scudder's 12th home run of the season.

Lee, a freshman from Bryant who had was 1 for 2 with a walk and 3 runs batted in Tuesday night, said it was a thrill to play in Kauffman Stadium -- home of the Kansas City Royals -- because his father, Michael, was a Royals scout for eight years.

"I've always been a Royals fan ever since I could walk," Lee said. "To be able to play on the field I've dreamed of playing on since I was a little kid is just huge.

"To perform like I did is just icing on the cake."

The Razorbacks went 21-4 in nonconference games this season and avoided a second consecutive loss after No. 9 Auburn beat Arkansas 11-6 last Sunday to take two of three games.

Arkansas resumes SEC play against Ole Miss Thursday night at Baum Stadium.

Kansas State had won four of its last five games, including take two of three from West Virginia last weekend to knock the Moutaineers out of the USA Today coaches' poll.

"You just feel better when you win," Van Horn said. "K-State been playing really well of late, so it was a good win for us at a neutral site."

Up next

ARKANSAS VS. MISSISSIPPI

WHEN 6 p.m. Thursday

WHERE Baum Stadium, Fayetteville

RECORDS Arkansas 33-10, 12-6 SEC; Mississippi 25-16, 9-9

RADIO Razorback Sports Network. Not all games will be carried by all affiliates. Check local listings.

TELEVISION SEC Network

THE WEEK AHEAD

TODAY Off

THURSDAY vs. Ole Miss *, 6 p.m.

FRIDAY vs. Ole Miss *, 6 p.m.

SATURDAY vs. Ole Miss *, 4 p.m.

SUNDAY Off

MONDAY Off

TUESDAY Off * SEC game

Sports on 04/26/2017