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Arkansas needed some heroics Sunday night at the Round Rock Classic to avoid its first losing weekend in the regular season since the pre-pandemic era.
Down to their final five outs, Jalen Battles hit a three-run home run to lift the No. 7 Razorbacks to a 6-4 over Louisiana-Lafayette in the nightcap of their doubleheader at Dell Diamond.
The dramatic win — which helped them win at least two of three for the 17th consecutive regular-season weekend — came a few hours after a frustrating 5-0 loss to No. 3 Stanford in a game that was originally scheduled for Saturday.
“That second game was a good win for our team,” head coach Dave Van Horn said. “You know, we’re not playing real good right now. It just wasn’t easy today and it started early in the game against Stanford.”
Here are quick recaps of each game, as well as several key takeaways and statistics from the Razorbacks’ doubleheader Sunday…
Game 1: Stanford 5, Arkansas 0
The Cardinal struck first with a two-run home run by Brett Barrera in the second inning and that was more than enough run support because Arkansas’ bats went cold.
However, they still managed to score three more runs on give-aways by the Razorbacks — a bases-loaded walk in the third, an error that led to an unearned run in the fifth and a run-scoring wild pitch in the ninth.
It could have been much worse, as Stanford stranded seven runners in scoring position.
“It’s good to see some of our pitchers work out of some jams today, especially early in that first game,” Van Horn said. “I felt like Stanford could have scored a lot more runs.”
As bad as Arkansas was offensively, it still had a couple of chances to make it a competitive game.
Michael Turner and Braydon Webb reached on a single and walk, respectively, to start the fifth, only for Brady Slavens and Battles to follow with strikeouts. Peyton Stovall ended the threat by striking out with the bases loaded after Zack Gregory had walked.
That came with Stanford starter Quinn Mathews on the mound. Despite posting a 6.08 ERA in nearly 67 innings last season and allowing three runs in three innings last week, the left-hander baffled Arkansas hitters.
He had a career-high 10 strikeouts while scattering two hits and four walks across six scoreless innings.
“Everything he threw was right around the plate,” Van Horn said. “He never threw the ball in the middle of the plate. It was like, fastball's away, changeup's way, bust you in with the heater. He just really pitched.”
