Razorbacks Rout Bears in Run-Rule Win

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – No. 4 Arkansas (15-6) scored early and often, including a pair of four-spots in the seventh and eighth innings, to rout Northern Colorado (3-19), 13-2, in a run-rule win Tuesday night at Baum-Walker Stadium.

With the win, the Razorbacks improved to 4-1 in midweek games this season. Arkansas will conclude its season-long 18-game homestand tomorrow in the double midweek series finale against Northern Colorado, which is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 18, on SEC Network+ with Brett Dolan (play-by-play) and Troy Eklund (analyst) on the call.

The Bears opened the scoring against Razorback right-hander Mark Brissey, making his first collegiate start on the mound, with a pair of runs in the top half of the first inning to take an early 2-0 lead. It was all Arkansas from there, however, as the Hogs broke out for 13 runs on 12 hits and a season-high 14 walks in their 13-2 run-rule win.

Damian Ruiz’s leadoff home run to left field, his first of the season, in the bottom of the first gave Arkansas a jolt after falling behind by two runs. Maika Niu’s RBI groundout to third base later in the inning evened the game at two apiece.

After his shaky first inning, Brissey settled down to work a scoreless second frame. The true freshman tossed two innings of two-run ball with two strikeouts in his first start on the mound as a Hog before turning the ball over to the bullpen.

The Razorback bullpen combined for six shutout innings with 10 strikeouts in relief of Brissey. Steele Eaves (1.0 IP, 1 SO), Jackson Kircher (career-long 3.0 IP, career-high 6 SO), Parker Coil (1.0 IP, 2 SO) and Jordan Martin (1.0 IP, 2 SO) worked together to silence the Northern Colorado offense for the remainder of Tuesday night’s double midweek series opener.

Arkansas took the lead for good in the bottom of the second inning on a run-scoring wild pitch with Ryder Helfrick at the plate. Helfrick, who finished 2-for-3 with the walk-off two-RBI double in the eighth, three walks and a stolen base, was one of four Hogs with a multi-hit game as well as one of five Arkansas players to draw multiple walks in the run-rule win.

Ruiz (2-for-4, 4 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, 3 BB), Camden Kozeal (2-for-4, 3 R, 2B, 4 RBI, 2 BB) and TJ Pompey (3-for-5, 3 R, HR, RBI, 2 SB) carded multi-hit games. Nolan Souza (1-for-3, 2 R, 2B, 2 BB, 2 SB) and Landon Schaefer (2 BB) had multiple walks.

True freshman Peyton Lee (0-1, 9.95 ERA) will make his third career start on the mound for Arkansas in tomorrow’s double midweek series finale. The right-hander will go up against UNC right-hander Logan Moser (0-1, 12.15 ERA).

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