Helfrick’s Two Home Runs, Dietz’s Dominant Outing Lead #17 Arkansas to Friday Night Win on The Plains
AUBURN, Ala. – Ryder Helfrick blasted two homers, including the go-ahead two-run shot in the eighth, while Hunter Dietz struck out 11 over a career long-tying seven innings on the mound to lead No. 17 Arkansas (20-12, 5-6 SEC) to a 3-2 win against No. 18 Auburn (21-9, 5-6 SEC) Friday night at Plainsman Park and even the series at one game apiece.
The Razorbacks will go for their third conference series win of the season in tomorrow’s finale. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, April 4, on SEC Network+ with Wiley Ballard (play-by-play) and Mark Fuller (analyst) on the call.
Auburn broke through against Dietz in the bottom half of the first and second innings to open a quick 2-0 advantage. The Razorback left-hander, who was charged with two runs (one earned) on six hits, would go on to twirl five shutout frames after the early damage, racking up 11 strikeouts, one shy of his career high, while issuing zero free passes on the night.
Behind his dominant pitching performance on the mound, Dietz improved his record to 3-2 with a 3.70 ERA and a team-leading 69 strikeouts in a team-high 41.1 innings across eight starts on the year. The left-hander logged his fourth quality start as well as his third double-digit strikeout game of the season, both of which are most among all Razorback pitchers.
The Hogs were held in check by Tiger starter Jake Marciano for the first five innings of Friday’s game before Helfrick’s home run, his first of two, to lead off the sixth cut their deficit to one. The Razorbacks’ star catcher, who has homered in four consecutive games, would step up to the plate again in the top of the eighth inning and deliver the go-ahead blast.
After Nolan Souza’s one-out single through the left side, Helfrick, the very next batter, cranked a 2-2 pitch to center that carried over the wall and put Arkansas ahead, 3-2. It marked his team-leading 12th home run of the year and his second multi-home run game of the campaign after previously accomplishing the feat against Oklahoma State on Feb. 13.
Helfrick, who finished 2-for-4 with his two home runs and all three of Arkansas’ RBI, improved his season slash line to .318/.469/.692 with his big performance at the plate. He was one of two Razorbacks, along with true freshman Carter Rutenbar (2-for-4, 2B), to record multiple hits in Friday night’s series-evening win at Plainsman Park.
In relief of Dietz, Ethan McElvain closed out Arkansas’ 3-2 win with two shutout frames and three strikeouts to card his first save of the campaign. The left-hander sports a 0.59 ERA with 24 strikeouts over 15.1 innings in relief this season.
The Razorbacks will turn to Colin Fisher (2-3, 3.34 ERA) in tomorrow afternoon’s finale against the Tigers. The Arkansas left-hander will go up against Auburn right-hander Alex Petrovic (4-1, 2.80 ERA) with a series win up for grabs.
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