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Published Sep 21, 2019
Diamond Hogs fall to Oklahoma in fall exhibition
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Andrew Hutchinson  •  HawgBeat
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FAYETTEVILLE — A steady flow of Oklahoma pitchers - one per inning - kept Arkansas’ bats silent most of Friday night.

The Razorbacks managed just six hits and struck out 13 times over the first nine innings, falling to the Sooners 4-2 in the traditional length game. They managed just one run in the additional five innings, making it 4-3 Sooners in the full 14-inning exhibition.

After starter Kevin Kopps escaped danger in the first inning, Oklahoma got on the board against Patrick Wicklander in the second. The sophomore left-hander gave up a two-out RBI double to Carter LaValley, the Sooners’ 9-hole.

That hit scored Brandon Zaragoza, who walked, from first. It seemed like Casey Martin might have had a chance to throw him out at home on the relay, but double-pumped and ultimately held on to the ball.

The Sooners threatened again in the fourth, notching back-to-back hits - including a perfect bunt single on the first pitch leadoff man Brady Harlan saw - against Connor Noland to start the inning. He bounced back to retire the next three batters, though, capped by a three-pitch strikeout of LaValley. It was the first strikeout of the night for Arkansas pitchers.

Arkansas and Oklahoma exchanged runs in the fifth.

Tanner Tredaway crushed the first pitch of the inning from Noland into the Hog Pen to give the Sooners a 2-0 lead, but Arkansas answered in the home half.

Facing left-hander Brad Demco, Cole Austin drew a leadoff walk. He then stole second and took third when the throw by the catcher went into center field. With one out, Dominic Tamez thought he had ball four on a pitch inside, but the umpire called it a strike to give him a full count. Instead, the freshman hit a single just under the diving third baseman’s glove for an RBI single to cut the Razorbacks’ deficit in half.

The next inning, the wind prevented Arkansas from taking the lead, as it kept a long hit by Zack Gregory in the ballpark. Instead of a go-ahead two-run homer, it was caught on the warning track in left field.

The Razorbacks had another opportunity to tie it up the seventh, but a base running blunder hindered their chances. Austin was thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double. That proved costly when Casey Opitz followed with a single and the Sooners made an error on a fielder’s choice grounder by Tamez, putting runners on the corners with two outs. They were stranded when Bryce Matthews looked at a strike three by Wyatt Olds.

Oklahoma tacked on important insurance runs in the eighth and ninth innings off sophomore pitchers Jacob Burton and Elijah Trest.

Burton had a rough outing in the eighth. He gave up three straight hits, including an RBI single by Peyton Graham, before issuing a four-pitch walk that loaded the bases and led to him getting the hook.

Luckily for the Razorbacks, veteran side-armer Marshall Denton limited the damage against the top of Oklahoma’s order. He needed just nine pitches to get out of the jam, striking out Tredaway and getting Pettis to ground out to third.

In the ninth, Trest gave up a one-out double to Tyler Hardman. He eventually scored on an RBI single by Zaragoza, capping a 3-for-4 performance at the plate and giving the Sooners a 4-1 lead.

Arkansas made it interesting in the bottom of the ninth, with Heston Kjerstad just barely missing out on a home run and instead ending up with a triple off the top of the right-center field wall. He scored on an RBI single by Austin.

The tying run reached base via a hit by pitch, but they were stranded when a pair of freshmen, Tamez and Matthews, grounded into a fielder’s choice and struck out, respectively.

During the extra five innings, Arkansas used three straight walks to start the 10th to add another run, with Casey Martin driving it in with a sacrifice fly. That was all the scoring.

Arkansas’ second fall exhibition is a road trip to Oklahoma State on Saturday, Oct. 12. First pitch of that game is noon in Stillwater, Okla.

Other Tidbits

~The estimated attendance for the exhibition was 6,378. There were pockets of open seats, but fans filled all of the sections down both lines and there were several in the Hog Pen.

~Hunter Woodhall, the Razorbacks’ double-amputee sprinter on the track team, threw out the ceremonial first pitch and then led the crowd in a Hog Call.

~The Razorbacks’ last two ace pitchers - Blaine Knight and Isaiah Campbell - were both in attendance Friday night. Other former players in the crowd include Eric Cole, Trevor Ezell, Zach Jackson and Jacob Kostyshock.

~Arizona State transfer Cole Austin started at third base and made a pair of really nice plays to end the second and third innings. They were nearly identical, as he had to range to his left to snag a sharp grounder down the line and then throw a strike across the diamond to first for the out. He was actually standing on the foul line when he made the second throw.

~Arkansas’ leadoff man reached base in four of the first six innings - including three via walks - but only one came around to score.

~This is the second year the NCAA has allowed fall exhibition games in college baseball. Last season, the Razorbacks beat Wichita State in Fayetteville and UALR in Little Rock. They were scheduled to play Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., but it was canceled because of weather.

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