Hogs’ “Native Sons” Get Last Laugh + More From Game 1 Comeback at Missouri

It put the game-tying runs in scoring position, but arguably more importantly, it finally knocked McDevitt out of the game. He had been carving up the Razorbacks since discovering his command after three first-inning walks and Missouri’s bullpen had much less success.

Right-hander Trey Lawrence gave up a two-out, two-run single to Carter Rutenbar that tied the game at 3-3 and was still on the mound for Stewart’s moonshot.

Arkansas Native Giveth and Taketh

Unlike last season, when they set the school record for runs in an SEC series while out-scoring the Tigers 51-9 across three games at Baum-Walker Stadium, the Razorbacks found themselves in a dogfight in this year’s series opener.

That’s because Missouri, after escaping a bases-loaded jam, jumped all over Hunter Dietz in the home half of the first.

Just three batters — and four pitches — into the game, the Tigers found themselves with a 3-0 lead thanks to a pair of home runs sandwiched around a HBP.

Jase Woita ambushed a first-pitch fastball from Dietz for a monstrous leadoff homer and then the left-hander plunked Kam Durnin two pitches later. That brought up Blaize Ward, a promising freshman from Maumelle who’s just hitting his stride for Missouri.

With some help from the wind, the second baseman got just enough of the first pitch he saw from Dietz to get it over the left field fence for a two-run shot. It was his third home run in five games after not leaving the yard in his first 26 games.

Considering the Razorbacks never really recruited him, despite signing high school teammate Peyton Lee, it had to be a great moment for Ward.

Unfortunately for him, the good times didn’t last.

After a leadoff single in the sixth inning, which raised his SEC batting average to .382 (21 for 55), Ward moved into scoring position thanks to a wild pitch. However, he inexplicably tried advancing to third when Kaden Peer followed with a ground ball to the left side. Camden Kozeal easily cut him down for the first out.

The base running blunder cost the Tigers a run, as Cameron Benson’s two-out single just put runners on the corners instead of driving Ward in from second. That was ultimately the difference because Missouri scratched across one run in the ninth before stranding the tying run on first.

Whether or not it was related to that mistake is unclear, but Jackson actually pulled Ward from the game in the middle of the next inning. At the same time he brought in a reliever for McDevitt, he also subbed in Eric Maisonet at second base.

Dietz Settles In

Despite the shaky start, Hunter Dietz still turned in his fourth straight quality start on the road Thursday night. Take away his first four pitches, though, and it would have been a true gem.

After the home run by Ward, the left-hander allowed only six more base runners and made it through the seventh inning. Without those first three batters, Dietz would have thrown seven scoreless innings with five singles, a walk and eight strikeouts.

There were a couple of stressful moments along the way, the most notable of which came in the sixth when Ward’s base running blunder saved him a run. Still, the Tigers had runners on the corners when Dietz got Pierre Seals to ground out to second and end the threat.

In the third inning, Missouri stranded a runner on third when Kaden Peer went down swinging. That came after Kam Durnin drew a one-out walk, swiped second and advanced to third on Ward’s ground out.

Dietz also benefited from a couple of double plays and stranded Seals after a two-out single in the fourth.

The performance actually caused his ERA to slightly tick up to 3.62, but he’s now 5-2 with an SEC-leading 92 strikeouts in 59 2/3 innings this season. However, he’s been especially dominant on the road:

• at South Carolina: ND, 6.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 12 K
• at Auburn: W, 7 IP, 6 H, 2 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 11 K
• at Alabama: ND, 6 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 9 K
• at Missouri: W, 7 IP, 7 H, 3 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 8 K
• TOTALS: 2.70 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 13.5 K/9IP, 2.0 BB/9IP, 6.67 K/BB, .228 BAA

**Check back later for more tidbits from the Arkansas vs Missouri series opener**

Up Next

The Razorbacks will have a chance to clinch the series at 7 p.m. CT Friday. They are trying to become the ninth straight conference foe to sweep the Tigers at Taylor Stadium and the 11th straight to beat them in a series at their home ballpark.

Left-hander Cole Gibler (3-1, 3.38 ERA) will get the ball for Arkansas, while Missouri is set to counter with left-hander Brady Kehlenbrink (3-6, 6.49 ERA).

The game will once again be nationally televised on SEC Network.

Other Arkansas vs Missouri Tidbits

• The Razorbacks’ first run of the night came on a one-out solo blast by TJ Pompey. The 384-foot opposite-field homer was his 10th long ball of the season, joining Ryder Helfrick (14) and Camden Kozeal (11) in the double-digit club.
• This marked the second straight game in which freshman Carter Rutenbar came up with a clutch two-run single. Against Missouri State on Tuesday, he poked a ball through the Bears’ drawn-in infield to spark the eight-run eighth inning. Prior to those two swings, he had just nine RBIs despite being one of Arkansas’ most consistent hitters this year.

• For at least one inning, Gabe Gaeckle finally looked like the preseason All-American he was projected to be. Entering the game in the eighth, he struck out three straight batters on 13 pitches. The right-hander also fired a strike to open the ninth, but followed it with four straight walks for a leadoff walk and was quickly relieved.
• Left-hander Ethan McElvain entered at that point and slammed the door for his fourth save of the season. He retired the first two batters he faced before allowing his inherited runner to score on a pinch-hit RBI single by Donovan Jordan. That put the tying run on base, but McElvain bounced back with a three-pitch strikeout of another pinch hitter, Tyler Macon.
• Missouri starter Josh McDevitt turned in one of the best outings of his career, as the junior right-hander notched a career-high 11 strikeouts while limiting the Razorbacks to 3 earned runs on 4 hits and 4 walks in 6 1/3 innings. Two of those runs came across the plate after he left the game, too.
• Arkansas was pretty aggressive on the base paths once again, going 2 for 4 on stolen base attempts. While Damian Ruiz and Nolan Souza were successful, Camden Kozeal and Reese Robinett were thrown out. The Razorbacks now have 62 stolen bases in 43 total games. That includes 22 in the last 10 games alone.

Arkansas vs Missouri Box Score (Game 1)

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Postgame Interviews

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