FAYETTEVILLE — The Arkansas bullpen went to work Tuesday night at Baum-Walker Stadium.
Six pitchers combined to work around several Oral Roberts base runners as the top-ranked Razorbacks won 4-2.
Arkansas (14-2) has won 10 consecutive games.
“This was a game that had me a little worried because of conference starting this weekend and [being] the game after the weekend” Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said. “I thought our guys showed up, they were into it. I just thought Oral Roberts pitched us pretty good for the most part.”
Freshman right-hander Gabe Gaeckle worked out of another late-inning jam to earn his fourth save. With Arkansas ahead 4-2 and runners at first and third base, Gaeckle entered in the eighth inning and induced an inning-ending fly out by David Herring.
Gaeckle has inherited 10 base runners without allowing a run this season. He has stranded seven runners in scoring position in those situations.
“Lately it seems to be those jams they put me in, and I love it,” Gaeckle told the Razorback Sports Network postgame show. “It’s fun having a challenge.”
More from WholeHogSports: ORU coach talks Gaeckle's save
Freshman left-hander Colin Fisher worked around 3 hits and 1 walk in 3 scoreless innings on a pitch count and earned his fourth victory. The Razorbacks also got 2 innings from Will McEntire, 2 outs apiece from Stone Hewlett and Dylan Carter, and 1 1/3 innings from Koty Frank.
Arkansas pitching combined to allow 9 hits and 2 walks and struck out 10. The Razorbacks lowered their ERA — which ranked third nationally entering the game — to 2.74.
“They didn’t walk anybody, and we did,” ORU coach Ryan Folmar said. “We had eight free passes today [7 walks and 1 hit batsman] to their two, and I thought that was probably the difference in the game.”
Arkansas scored three runs on consecutive one-out RBI singles by Peyton Stovall and Wehiwa Aloy in the second inning. Stovall’s bases-loaded single scored Peyton Holt (walk) and Ross Lovich (hit by pitch), and Aloy's single scored Ty Wilmsmeyer (walk).
All three runs were charged to freshman right-hander Braydon Sanford, who replaced starter Caleb Isaacs after one inning. Sanford was charged the loss when he allowed 3 runs, 3 hits and 3 walks in 2 2/3 innings.
It appeared the Razorbacks might score in the inning, but it ended abruptly with a double play that included a great defensive play and an aggressive base-running decision by Stovall.
ORU second baseman Dylan Wipperman made a running stop to his left on a ball hit deep in the hole by Ben McLaughlin. Wipperman threw off-balance to first base for the first out, and first baseman Drew Stahl threw out Stovall at home plate as he tried to score from second base.
Arkansas went ahead 4-0 in the fifth inning when Kendall Diggs hit a two-out solo home run against right-hander Ryan Carmack. Diggs' hit traveled 378 feet to the scoreboard in right-center field.
“The one inning where strikes weren’t thrown, we took advantage of it and punched in three runs,” Van Horn said. “Obviously when Kendall hit the home run it gives us a four-run lead. That’s kind of one of the magic numbers is when you get to four. It’s a little more difficult.”
VIDEO: Dave Van Horn, players recap ORU win
The Golden Eagles (7-10) cut into the lead in the seventh when Sam Thompson’s sacrifice fly scored Herring. Stahl added a two-out single to score Elijah Rodriguez in the eighth.
McLaughlin and Hudson Polk walked to lead off the seventh inning against right-hander Hudson Hart, but right-hander Dalton Patten retired three in a row to strand McLaughlin and pinch runner Will Edmunson in scoring position.
“It just seemed like we held on at the end,” Van Horn said. “We had a chance in the seventh to just tack on one more run, but give credit to their pitcher. He struck [Holt] out on three pitches, and then we didn’t get the big hit.”
ORU’s two runs were charged to Carter and Frank. Carter pitched for the second time in three days. He debuted Sunday against McNeese State in his first outing since he underwent Tommy John surgery last May.
PHOTO GALLERY: Arkansas beats ORU at Baum-Walker Stadium
“We thought we better get Dylan in there and get him in a little more of a leverage situation,” Van Horn said. “The ball was coming out of his hand good. They took a couple of good swings at him, but I was proud of him. He threw well.”
The Golden Eagles out-hit the Razorbacks 9-6, but Arkansas drew 7 walks and had several more chances to produce runs.
The Razorbacks were 2 for 15 with runners on base and 2 for 11 with runners in scoring position, and stranded 9.
ORU had multiple outs on the bases. Rodriguez was picked off by Fisher at first base in the first inning and the Razorbacks turned two double plays — a first base-to-shortstop-to-first double play in the fourth inning and a shortstop-to-second-to-first double play in the seventh.
Fisher also stranded the bases loaded in the third when two-hole hitter Kyle Booker flied out to center field.
Why Arkansas won
The Razorbacks' bullpen continues to produce in big moments, and Arkansas' lineup is producing just enough timely hitting most games.
Player of the Game: RHP Gabe Gaeckle
The freshman continues to dazzle in tight situations.
In the four times he has entered a game with base runners, the tying or go-ahead run has been on base each time, and a runner has been at third base three times. He has escaped each jam — against Oklahoma State, Murray State, McNeese State and ORU.
Gaeckle also worked out of a bases-loaded jam he created for himself in the ninth inning last Tuesday to earn a save during a 9-7 victory over Central Arkansas.
“This kid, I don't know how he's even here,” Diggs said, “but we're super happy he's on the team and he's doing an amazing job for us.”
Up next
Arkansas is scheduled to host the first of three games against Missouri on Friday at 6:30 p.m. in the SEC opener for both teams.