Kozeal's Cycle, Aloy's Walk-Off Help Arkansas Secure Series Win against Xavier
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Camden Kozeal hit for the cycle before Kuhio Aloy provided the walk-off winner to help No. 8 Arkansas (5-1) beat Xavier (2-4), 7-6, and earn its first weekend series win of the year Saturday at Baum-Walker Stadium.
The Razorbacks have now won 33 consecutive non-conference weekend regular season series at Baum-Walker Stadium. Arkansas, which has not lost or tied a non-conference weekend series at home since the 2014 season against South Alabama, will go for the sweep in tomorrow’s finale, which is scheduled for noon Sunday, Feb. 22, on SEC Network+.
Kozeal, who finished the ballgame 4-for-5 with three runs scored and a pair of RBI, swatted a two-run home run to right center in the first inning, ripped a triple to left center in the third inning and singled to right in the seventh inning before completing his cycle with a two-out double to left center in the ninth. The Razorback second baseman became the first Arkansas player to hit for the cycle in a contest since Dylan Leach accomplished the feat against UCA on April 5, 2022.
After Kozeal’s cycle-completing double with two outs in the ninth, Aloy stepped up to the plate and came through with the game-winning hit. The Razorback right fielder, who went 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and a walk in Saturday afternoon’s win, lined a single to left, scoring Kozeal from second and clinching the weekend series win for Arkansas.
On the mound, Hunter Dietz worked a career-long four innings of four-run ball (two earned) with a career-high nine strikeouts in his second start of the season. The left-hander, given an early 2-0 advantage to work with thanks to Kozeal’s first-inning blast, was burned by two defensive miscues in the top of the third resulting in three Xavier runs.
Reese Robinett’s two-out RBI single in the bottom of the third knotted the game at three apiece, but Xavier responded with a run of its own in the fourth to take a 4-3 lead. Parker Coil entered in relief of Dietz and spun a scoreless fifth to set the table for Ryder Helfrick’s game-tying solo home run and Aloy’s go-ahead solo blast in the bottom half of the inning.
While TJ Pompey’s RBI single in the sixth inning extended Arkansas’ edge to 6-4, the Musketeers broke through for a pair of runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game up once again. Coil, who tossed three innings with four strikeouts and threw 30 of 34 pitches for strikes in relief, allowed solo homers to back-to-back batters with two outs in the frame.
After Coil departed the game, Steele Eaves locked down the final two frames, striking out one and throwing 18 of 21 pitches for strikes in relief. The right-hander, who earned his second win of the season, kept Xavier off the scoreboard in the eighth and ninth innings to give Arkansas’ offense the opportunity to win the ballgame via walk-off.
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