Six-Run Eighth Inning Powers #22 Arkansas past #8 Alabama in Series Opener
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – A sixth-run eighth inning, punctuated by TJ Pompey’s two-run home run, powered No. 22 Arkansas (22-13, 6-7 SEC) past No. 8 Alabama (26-9, 8-5 SEC) in a 7-5 series-opening win Friday night at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
With the win, the Razorbacks snapped the Crimson Tide’s 18-game home winning streak and can clinch the weekend series with a win tomorrow afternoon. First pitch in game two of the three-game set in Tuscaloosa is scheduled for 4 p.m. Saturday, April 11, on SEC Network with Derek Jones (play-by-play) and Gregg Olson (analyst) on the call.
Hunter Dietz, making his first game one start of the season, was exactly what Arkansas needed on the mound. The left-hander fired six innings of two-run ball with nine strikeouts, logging his team-leading fifth quality start in the process.
Alabama’s only damage against Dietz came in the form of solo home runs in the second and sixth. For the season, the Trinity, Fla., native owns a 3.61 ERA with a team-leading 78 strikeouts in 47.1 innings across nine starts on the mound.
Arkansas provided its starter with a run in the top half of the fifth on Camden Kozeal’s two-out double. With Dietz out of the ballgame in the seventh inning, however, the Crimson Tide extended its lead to 3-1 against the Razorback bullpen.
Things took turn in the top of the eighth, which began with Kozeal’s leadoff homer to left. After Nolan Souza’s double down the right field line, the Hogs evened the game at three apiece on Zack Stewart’s single through the right side.
From there, it was all Arkansas. Kuhio Aloy’s two-out double down the left field line advanced Landon Schaefer, pinch running for Stewart, to third before Maika Niu reached on an error by Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron, who committed a second error on the play with an errant throw, allowing the Razorbacks to score two runs and open a 5-3 advantage.
Pompey put the exclamation point on the two-out rally in the eighth with his two-run blast, giving Arkansas a 7-3 lead. It marked the seventh home run of the season for the Razorback third baseman, who is third on the team in long balls.
Ethan McElvain took over in relief of Gabe Gaeckle, who earned his fourth win of the year, in the bottom of the eighth and worked around a leadoff hit batsman and single to turn in a scoreless frame. The left-hander ran into trouble in the ninth, however, allowing the first three batters to reach safely as Alabama cut its deficit to 7-5 before recording an out.
Arkansas would call upon Parker Coil to close out the game, and he did exactly that. The left-hander retired the final three batters, finishing off Alabama with a three-pitch strikeout to log his second save and secure the Hogs’ 7-5 win.
Cole Gibler (3-0, 2.57 ERA) will toe the rubber for Arkansas tomorrow with an opportunity to clinch the series and secure the program’s first series victory in Tuscaloosa since the 2019 campaign. The Razorback left-hander, who is set to make his first career start on the mound, will go up against Alabama left-hander Zane Adams (4-2, 4.07 ERA).
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